Sociological

Methodology
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Regulating Qualitative Coding Using QDAS?

Pat Bazeley
Sociological Methodology 2012 42: 77
DOI: 10.1177/0081175012460852
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Symposium: Commentary

Regulating Qualitative
Coding Using QDAS?

Sociological Methodology
Volume 42, 7778
American Sociological Association 2012
DOI: 10.1177/0081175012460852
http://sm.sagepub.com

Pat Bazeley1

White, Judd, and Poliandri (this volume, 2012:4376), have usefully pointed out the
increasing value of qualitative data analysis software (QDAS) for facilitating mixedmethods analyses. Their interest is in building the capacity of researchers to analyze
population-based qualitative (e.g., interview-based) data sets in a way that will allow
the combination of results from qualitative content analysis with statistical analysis
of derived or associated data. They successfully demonstrate that software is underutilized for both qualitative and mixed-methods analyses, using a keyword search of
selected (but wide-ranging) literature. They then usefully employ NVivo, as an example of QDAS, to show how software can be used for a conversion design in which
qualitative data are both analyzed in situ in relation to demographic variables and/or
quantified for further statistical analysis.
In the process, the authors make passing comments that are dismissive of small
scale qualitative studies when viewed in comparison with larger population-based
studies, and suggest that QDAS was originally geared to taking a quantitative
approach to qualitative data. While I could take issue with both of these comments, my far greater concern is (1) with their seeing consistency across qualitative studies, in terms of segmentation of data (length of passages) and the scale
and hierarchy of codinga routine, algorithm if you will, to get from extensive
narrative transcript, to coded and analysed textas an ideal; and (2) with their
view that if members of teams produce the exact same results when using software
to code the same datasame size of coded passages; same codes and hierarchy,
same tabulation or Boolean searchthen this represents maturation in analysis of qualitative data.
Putting these comments and aspirations together, I am left wondering if the
authors understand that qualitative analysis is necessarily interpretive, especially
where it is applied to open-ended (narrative) interview data. Being interpretive
means that coding is therefore inherently subject to variability of interpretation by
different researchers, and even, perhaps, by the same researcher at different times.
1

Research Support Pty Limited, Bowral, Australia, and the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity,
University of New South Wales
Corresponding Author:
Pat Bazeley; E-mail: pat@researchsupport.com.au

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78

Sociological Methodology 42

Coding, inevitably, will be influenced by the individual researchers purpose,

approach, personal background, and experience. It also means, if one is to adequately
capture the nuances of the text, that large, even vaguely representative samples are
unlikely to be achieved. Even when researchers are working in a team, it is simply
not feasible, nor necessarily desirable, to expect that they will code with the exactness anticipated by these authors. Mature qualitative analysis is built from a foundation of our human capacity to empathize with an interviewee, not on using humans
as a machine to produce standardized classifications of text.
Reference
White, M., M. D. Judd, and S. Poliandri. 2012. Illumination with a Dim Bulb? What Do
Social Scientists Learn by Employing Qualitative Data Analysis Software in the Service of
Multimethod Designs? Sociological Methodology 42:4376.

Bio
Pat Bazeley (PhD, Macquarie University) provides assistance and time out to local and international researchers at her research retreat at Bowral, in the Southern Highlands of New South
Wales. She also holds senior, part-time appointments in Research Centres at the University of
New South Wales and at the Australian Catholic University, and has served as an Associate
Editor for the Journal of Mixed Methods Research. Her particular expertise is in helping
researchers to make sense of both quantitative and qualitative data and in using computer software for management and analysis of data. Her publications focus on qualitative and mixed
methods data analysis, and on the development and performance of researchers.

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