f4analysis or MAXQDA?

In addition to methodological issues, there is also the question of how the implementation of the research method can be supported in a technically meaningful way. Some will choose to work with paper and pens, while others will use software for qualitative data analysis, so-called QDA software. f4analyse and MAXQDA are representatives of such QDA programs. How do these two programs currently differ in 2022?

What f4analyse & MAXQDA can do in equal measure

Both programs enable the import of interview data with time stamps in DOCX or RTF format and allow the organization of texts in groups or sets. They support the evaluation with three basic tools:

Codes: Structure of a code system and assignment of text passages to codes

What is that? A classification system is generated from theoretical considerations or inductively from your data, to which content from the data is assigned. This helps when structuring content and concepts or creating summaries. Methodologically, different terms are used for this: the term category system, code system or codebook is often used.

This is how it is implemented: The code system is organized hierarchically. Each code has a specific color. The text shows which passages have been assigned to which codes; multiple assignments to different codes are also possible. The code system can be easily reorganized while working with the material. Codes can be differentiated, moved, renamed or merged. For some purposes, a lexical search function is helpful for searching for words and word sequences in the material. The references can be listed by section or paragraph and automatically coded if necessary.

Memos: Creating interpretation ideas, notes, paraphrasing and summaries

What is that? Any passages in the material can be annotated. The content of these notes can be ideas, identified concepts, initial interpretations, paraphrases, summaries, references to theory and much more. In qualitative research, these are often called memos or comments. They represent an essential interpretative working tool.

This is how it is implemented: Memos or comments can be created for text passages as well as for a code or a text as a whole.

Search: Overview of coded text passages and creation of topic and case summaries

What is that? After (and also during) the coding of the material, you want to look specifically at the collected content, text passages or comments. For example, get an overview of all text passages assigned to a code. This helps to characterize the topic more precisely or to further differentiate the code system.

This is how it is implemented: The coded text passages can be selected according to various aspects: For example, all statements on a topic or specifically only the statements of certain people. Cases can be compared with each other or a topic can be condensed and summarized. A quantitative view of the coding is also possible: The distribution of code frequencies and code overlaps across all texts can be displayed in a table.

In addition to the essential basic functions, both programs have options for:

Export

All project data such as texts, codes, memos and frequencies can be exported to Word and, in some cases, Excel. In addition, both programs support the refiQDA format, a standardized exchange format for qualitative research data, which makes it possible to transfer complete projects (texts, codes, memos, etc.) from one program to the other.

Teamwork

In both programs, you can merge different project files (with different or identical texts and codes) into one overall project.

This is only possible in f4analysis

Memos can be embedded directly in the text flow if desired.
Memos can be coded.
Encodings are displayed as character-specific underlining in the text.
Is available as a Windows, Mac and Linux version with identical functions.
Codememos/comments are automatically merged in Teamwork.

This is only possible in MAXQDA, for example

Import of PDF, XLSX, JPG, audio/video data, Twitter tweets, survey data.
Encoding of audio/video data without an existing transcript.
Use of variables to select specific text or code groups.
Import coding from another project for the same text.
Define different user groups with different rights for a project and collaborate online.
Arrange texts, codes, memos, coded text passages and free objects on a white surface and connect them with arrows.
Representation of texts as images based on their encodings and code colors.
Create a word frequency list and word lists for counting word frequencies for texts, text groups or codes (with additional module for a fee).
Statistical functions for quantitative evaluation (with additional module for a fee)

Our personal assessment

As a “lean” program, f4analyse focuses on central functions of qualitative research. This makes it easier for beginners in particular to get started with computer-aided, qualitative evaluation work. At 15 pages, the manual is reasonably short and a license is inexpensive. It can be used for up to 100 texts and 1000 codes.

For many documents, we find it helpful to include variables for organizing and filtering the data, which is not possible with f4analyse. So if you want to use variables to filter your data corpus, pursue quantifying strategies, evaluate data formats other than Word files, require visualizations or carry out word frequency analyses, only MAXQDA offers the necessary functions – which you can easily understand in the manual, which currently has over 700 pages.

You can test both programs with a demo version. If these do not suit you, there are other alternatives: e.g. Atlas.TI, NVivo, Quintexa, Transana, Opencode, Hyperresearch and others. And finally, of course, the conventional way remains open: “paper, colored pens and eraser”:-) These can also be completely sufficient to carry out a good qualitative analysis. No matter how you continue to work – have fun!