INSIDE ATLAS.ti –
The QDA Newsletter
We welcome you to the December issue of Inside ATLAS.ti. This issue contains news and an
overview of the training activities scheduled for the months of December, January and February. In the Best Practices with ATLAS.ti section, we share the final article in our series examining
data-level work and propose a model centered on the articulation of data segmentation, writing,
coding and diagramming. In the Case Studies with ATLAS.ti section, we offer you an interview
with Dr. Rita Kohli, Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Education at the University of
California-Riverside. In the interview, Dr. Kohli discusses the adoption of ATLAS.ti Mac in a class
she is teaching in which graduate students analyze data from a study on social racial justice. We
hope these two articles give you insights into how to best utilize ATLAS.ti.
Enjoy!
Jörg Hecker
Chief Operations Officer, ATLAS.ti
December Sale!
To celebrate the holiday season, we are offering a 15% discount on all new single-user
licenses, including two-year student licenses. Enter the following coupon code in our online
shop when placing your order: L3L-SQL-RW3
(Sale ends December 31, 2015).
Happy Holidays, and all the best wishes for 2016 from ATLAS.ti!
Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH
News
ATLAS.ti Mac Now in German and
Spanish
With Update 1.0.37, released on November 18th
2015, ATLAS.ti Mac is now available in German and
Spanish, including all program menus and instructions. To access ATLAS.ti in either of these languages, make sure your Mac is set up to German
or Spanish (System Preferences > Language &
Region). Please note, however, that if you change
the language under System Preferences, all your
applications will be in that language from that
point on. You can watch a video here explaining
how to do this.
Additionally, we have webinars and courses offered in German and Spanish as well. Other languages will be implemented in upcoming months.
ATLAS.ti 8 Release Date Moved to
Second Quarter 2016
puter-assisted data analysis time and time again.
We want to make absolutely sure that you receive
the mature and well-developed product you have
come to know, appreciate, and rightfully expect
from us. We have therefore decided to postpone
the release date of ATLAS.ti 8 by a few months,
into the second quarter of 2016. We hope you
understand this decision and continue to look forward to the next generation of ATLAS.ti – the best
ATLAS.ti so far!
All licenses purchased after April 1, 2015 qualify
for a FREE UPGRADE once ATLAS.ti 8 is released.
Note: Support for the older Version 6 ends with the
release of ATLAS.ti 8. Upgrade your older versions
to ATLAS.ti 7 now and get version 8 free of charge!
License Raffle Winners at
APHA 2015
To ensure long-term compatibility with current
and future operating systems, full cross-platform
interoperability, ATLAS.ti 8 is being rewritten from
the ground up. It will feature an entirely new architecture, powerful new functionality, and further
increased usability.
There are many great new functions to look forward to, such as multi-level Undo, new visualization tools, streamlined integration with popular
social media services and academic software
packages, and much more. A great deal of effort
goes into making ATLAS.ti 8 the most intuitive
and user-friendly product ever.
Unfortunately, ambitious innovation can sometimes take longer than initially anticipated. This is
especially true for complex software like ATLAS.ti
that has set the standards for professional com-
We would like to congratulate the two raffle
winners who visited our booth at the American
Public Health Association Conference held in Chicago, November 1-4. Dr. Lucia Guerra-Reyes from
Indiana University-Bloomington and Dr. Shelley
L. Craig from the University of Toronto, each won
a single-user educational license.
© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015
ATLAS.ti was a Gold Sponsor at
the Southeastern Library Assessment
Conference, USA
Ani Munirah Mohamad, our Manager of International Projects for Training and Partnership
Development, was invited to speak at each of
these seminars to introduce ATLAS.ti in the use of
literature reviews and qualitative data analysis.
The CEO of MPWS, Ms. Intan Raihana Hussin,
mentioned: “We organize this seminar as a platform to gather hundreds of postgraduate students and give them exposure about research and
thesis writing. Besides, this seminar also helps
them to network with each other and allows them
to be in touch with the renowned speakers / gurus
in the postgraduate world.”
ATLAS.ti was proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the
Southeastern Library Assessment Conference held
in Atlanta, November 16-17. The conference hosted
125 attendees from all regions of the country to
share and discuss practical ideas and information
on advancing library assessment.
More information about the seminar and other
events organized by MPWS can be obtained from:
www.postgraduateworkshop.com
ATLAS.ti in Action! Let Us Become
Great Postgraduates!
On November 12th, our sales team for Latin
America gave an overview of ATLAS.ti at the
Multidisciplinary Institute of History and Human Sciences (IMHICIHU, in its Spanish language
acronym), one of the most important research
institutes affiliated with the Argentine National
Council on Scientific and Technological Research
(CONICET, in its Spanish language acronym). The
presentation took place at the Institute’s offices
in Buenos Aires. “Seminar Jomhebat Pascasiswazah” (“Let Us
Become Great Postgraduates”) is a seminar
series organized by the Malaysian Postgraduate
Workshop Series (MPWS) which began in 2013.
As of December 2015, 9 seminars have taken
place in Malaysia, involving approximately 4,000
postgraduate researchers. The 10th seminar is
scheduled for January 2016, with 500 participants
expected to join.
Presentation at Important
Research Institute in Argentina
Luis Alfedo Loaiza, technical sales manager
for Latin America, said the following about the
Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH
presentation: “We had the opportunity to share
with these researchers, many of whom are geographers, ideas about how ATLAS.ti can facilitate
the analysis of their research data. They will start
early next year a few studies of a qualitative
nature, for which ATLAS.ti will be essential. More
presentations, to other research units affiliated
with CONICET, will follow this one.” You may learn about IMHICIHU at www.
imhicihu-conicet.gov.ar and about CONICET at
www.conicet.gov.ar.
Rovira I Virgili, Tarragona, Spain; Berenice Castillejos López, doctoral candidate in education at
the Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico; and Yorleny
Sanchez Alvarado, expert on educational informatics in Costa Rica. Congratulations to all three
researchers!
The photo to the left
shows Dr. Luis Marqués
(middle) being congratulated by Eliana Gallardo
and Joel Cervantes from
MultiON Consulting.
ATLAS.ti and Partners at XVIII
EDUTEC International Conference
ATLAS.ti supported the participation of our partners MultiON Consulting SA de CA (http://www.
multion.com), Mexico, and Dr. Eliana Gallardo at
the XVIII EDUTEC International Conference held in
Riobamba, Ecuador on November 17- 20. EDUTEC
is an association for the development of educational technologies. Conference attendees came
from Latin America and Europe to discuss the role
of technology in teaching. MultiON Consulting had
an exhibitor booth showcasing ATLAS.ti, distributing promotional material, and explaining the software to students and experienced researchers. Dr.
Gallardo gave a technical presentation on using
the software in the educational technology field.
The ATLAS.ti Trainer Certification
Programs: Developing an International
Network of Trainers and Consultants
ATLAS.ti certifies the knowledge and experience of students and professionals who want to
provide training services in ATLAS.ti. The Certified
ATLAS.ti Student Trainer program (CAST) provides
certification to those students who are using the
software in their theses and dissertation projects,
so they can introduce their peers to the basics of
the program. To apply, click here.
Our Certified Professional Trainer program (CAPT)
provides certification to those seasoned academics and researchers who are using ATLAS.ti in their
research projects and can demonstrate a high
level of expertise in the use of the software. To
apply, click here.
Three ATLAS.ti licenses were raffled at the event.
The lucky winners were Dr. Luis Marqués Molías,
professor and researcher at the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Universitat
All certified instructors become part of a network
of ATLAS.ti trainers and consultants and qualify
for special support from us. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us by writing to
certification@atlasti.com.
© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015
Learning Resources
ATLAS.ti offers a variety of resources that facilitate the learning of the software. These include a
complete library of video tutorials, weekly webinars, varied workshops, as well as a set of manuals and how-to documents.
For more information on our learning resources
please contact the staff of our training center.
They will be happy to assist you. In the United
States and Canada, you may call us toll free at
1-866-880 0231. If calling from other countries,
dial +1-541-286-4391. You can also write to us at
training@atlasti.com. You may access all of our
training resources on our website by clicking here.
Free Group Introductory Webinars
If your organization is evaluating ATLAS.ti, or if
you want to introduce it to your students or at
a professional meeting, schedule a presentation
with one of our instructors. We will be happy to
tailor the presentation to your needs. To schedule
a presentation, please complete this registration
form. For group demo webinars in Spanish, complete this form.
Free Overview Webinars
We present overview webinars in English and
Spanish and are offered at different times to
meet the needs of users worldwide. The English
language webinars are offered at times convenient to the EST (New York) and SGT (Singapore)
time zones. The Spanish language webinars are
offered at times convenient to the CEST (Madrid)
and ART (Buenos Aires) time zones. Once you
click on the registration link, you will be given the
option of showing the webinar time best aligned
with your particular time zone. To see our schedule, and to register, click here.
Premium Training
Face to face seminars are offered in the USA,
Spain and Germany. The courses introduce key
functions and procedures and share strategies of
data organization, coding, analysis and reporting.
Our first ATLAS.ti for Mac class will be offered in
Corvallis, Oregon on February 4 -6. This will be a
2 ½ day intensive workshop. To see our schedule,
and to register, click here.
Online workshops (synchronous instruction): All times are in Eastern time (EST) unless noted.
Course
Language
English
Introduction to
ATLAS.ti 7 Windows
Spanish
Introduction to
ATLAS.ti Mac
English
Advanced ATLAS.ti 7
­Windows
English
Date/Time
December 9, 10 and 11, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
December 14, 16, and 17, each day from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
(SGT) Singapore time
January 18, 19 and 20, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
February 8, 10 and 12, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
December 9, 10 and 11, each day from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
(CET) Madrid time
January 26, 27 and 28, each day from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
(CET) Madrid time
December 14, 15 and 16, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
January 25, 27, and 29 each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
February 22, 24 and 26, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
December 2, 3 and 4, each day from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
February 15, 16 and 17, each day from 11:00 am a 1:00 pm
Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH
Best Practices With ATLAS.ti
Data-Level Work in ATLAS.ti: The Fluid Articulation of Segmentation, Writing,
Coding and Diagramming
Ricardo B. Contreras
Introduction
This article closes, for now at least, a series of
articles touching directly or indirectly on data-level
work with ATLAS.ti. In the 2014/4 issue I discussed the versatility of quotations in ATLAS.ti. In
the 2015/3 issue I discussed hyperlinking and how
it expands the boundaries of data exploration. In
issue 2016/6, I gave recommendations on how to
make the best use of the data segmentation and
coding procedures that the software provides.
And in issue 2015/8, I discussed diagramming and
its role in supporting data-level work. Finally, in
this issue of Inside ATLAS.ti, I propose a model
representing data-level work as the articulation of
four sub-processes: data segmentation, writing,
coding and diagramming.
The Model
Data-level work in ATLAS.ti involves two counteracting forces. On the one hand, fragmentation
that derives from segmenting and coding the
data, and on the other hand a process of integration that derives from writing and diagramming
linkages and relationships. The figure below
depicts this balancing act:
Fragmentation
Integration
Data Segmentation:
creating quotations
Writing:
writing quotation and code
comments and memos
Coding:
coding quotations
Diagramming:
drawing first-order and
second-order linkages
Fig 1: Data-level work in ATLAS.ti: Balancing fragmentation and integration
In approaching our work with ATLAS.ti by articulating segmentation, writing, coding and
diagramming, we are avoiding the risk of reducing data-level work to a mere process of coding.
There can be a temptation to take a coding­reductionist approach and I can think of three
reasons for that. First, because software in general, and ATLAS.ti in particular, has made it very
easy to attach labels to segments of the data: it
is, more or less, a simple matter of dragging and
dropping. Secondly, because through coding we
are achieving the highly satisfying outcome of
reducing into a single word or short phrase (following Saldaña 2009:53) the complexity of what
a person is saying in a given segment by assigning meanings to the data (after all, qualitative
data analysis has to do with interpretation and
meanings). And thirdly, I believe there is a temptation to reduce data-level work to a process of
coding, particularly among those experienced
with other software for qualitative data analysis,
because in most software, coding is the only option available to relate to the data.
I argue that by articulating segmentation, writing, coding and diagramming, we can expand
rather than only reduce, and integrate rather than
only fragment. In this way, we can easily advance
toward building a holistic understanding. Also, by
approaching data-level work in this way, you will
avoid a typical mistake that I have seen on a few
occasions, represented in the following archetypical questions: <And now, what do I do with all
of these codes?> <How do I make sense of all of
this?>
Given that qualitative data analysis is by definition an iterative rather than lineal endeavor, the
© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015
order in which you engage in these four sub-processes is not as important as the necessity to
do so in an articulated way. In other words, it is
important to engage in a dialogue with the data
by engaging these sub-processes in dialogue.
need to further describe what the person is saying
in that segment? If you feel the need to write,
you do it right away. You then create an output of
quotations with their comments. This can become
a rich source of information to build your understanding of the data.
The following figure represents the model:
Writing also occurs in the form of memos. However, I like to say that memos are functionally different from comments: rather than being spaces
where you write about what the person is saying
in a given segment (you would do this in the quotation comment space), in memos you develop a
narrative in which you elaborate upon your understanding of the whole or aspects of the whole.
Although memos allow for integration, I like to
think of them more as an analytical tool rather
than a data-level tool/descriptive tool.
Fig. 2: Data-level work as articulation of segmentation, writing, coding and diagramming
I will now elaborate upon the components of the
model.
Data segmentation
This involves reading and selecting segments
from the source of information that calls your
attention. These segments become quotations in
ATLAS.ti and each quotation becomes part of a
‘database’, in which they are identified by a unique
identifier. Quotations are independent objects, in
the sense that they exist on their own: you may or
may not code them, or at least you do not have to
code them right away.
Writing
As you create quotations, you make an effort
to say something about them in their Comment
spaces. Is there any reflection that comes to
your mind as you read the segment? Is there any
insight that emerges from it? Do you feel the
Coding
In ATLAS.ti, you have the option to code immediately as you segment the data, as well as the
option of postponing the process. As I like to say,
you are not forced to commit to a given label (i.e.
code) if you feel you are not ready to do so. If you
decide to postpone coding and instead make good
use of the option of writing comments on the
quotations, those comments have the potential
to illuminate your coding decisions later. Furthermore, you will arrive at coding by already having
an understanding of the data, albeit preliminary.
And if you decide to code as you create quotations, you should still use the quotation comment
space to write your reflections on the segment.
Writing is also associated with coding in the form
of the code comments. You should write code
comments soon after you create them. Inserting
the date and the time each time you write can be
useful as a way of keeping track of your evolving
understanding of the code operational definitions.
In ATLAS.ti 7 Windows this is facilitated by pressing Control-D, which inserts the date and time.
Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH
Diagramming
As explained in issue 2015/8 of Inside ATLAS.ti,
diagramming in ATLAS.ti is a rather rich process.
You can represent graphically the linkages between the different objects of the project that
are created as you go through the regular process
of working with your documents. These linkages
are known as ‘second-order links.’ But you can
also graphically represent your understanding of
the data, by semantically linking quotations to
quotations and codes to codes. These linkages are
known in ATLAS.ti as ‘first-order links.’
Although the graphical representation of relationships is an intrinsic component of the analysis
process, I make the argument that it is also a crucial component of data-level work. As we segment
the data, write, and code, we need to frequently
visualize how elements are coming together, how
they are connecting with each other and thus configuring the whole. These visualizations illuminate
and enrich data-level work by providing a necessary integrated and systemic view of the data.
Reference cited
Saldaña, J. (2009). The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications,
Inc.
About the author
Ricardo B. Contreras is an applied anthropologist
with research interests in migration, community
health, and qualitative methodology. He directs the
training division of ATLAS.ti Scientific Software
Development GmbH and holds an adjunct research
position with the Department of Anthropology
at East Carolina University. He lives in Corvallis,
Oregon, USA. Ricardo can be reached by email by
clicking here.
Conclusion
To finalize, let me emphasize the importance
of establishing a strong dialogue with the data.
Although apparently more labor-intensive than
approaching data-level work through coding
only, articulating segmentation, writing, coding
and diagramming can pay off by allowing you to
ground analysis on rich description. As you do
that, chances are that you will be able to achieve
a good level of understanding of the phenomenon
under study. Of course, the decision about how to
approach your work in ATLAS.ti is always yours: it
is shaped by your research design, methodology,
and even pragmatic considerations such as how
much time you have available for the analysis.
© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015
Case Studies in ATLAS.ti
In this issue of Inside ATLAS.ti, we interview
Dr. Rita Kohli, Assistant Professor in the Education, Society and Culture Department in the
Graduate School of Education at the University
of California, Riverside in the United States. In
the interview, Dr. Kohli discusses how she will
use ATLAS.ti Mac in her educational research
study and train students along the way. To assist in the adoption of ATLAS.ti, our training
team taught her students an introductory webinar on the basics of the software and gave
recommendations on how to use the program
collaboratively. Additionally, we provided a full
temporary license to the group so that Dr. Khali
and her students can use the software in class
to its full potential.
Over the past 5 years, 354 teachers of Color
from across the US have attended a professional
development program geared towards cultivating their racial justice leadership development
skills. 48% were Latina/o, 20% Black, 20% Asian
American and Pacific Islander, and 12% of participants identified as mixed race or other. 68% of
participants were novice teachers, having taught
less than 5 years, and 14% were veteran teachers
having taught more than 10 years. They ranged in
age from early twenties to late fifties and represented the spectrum of elementary through high
school. 78% of participants were women, and 22%
were men.
Could you tell us something about your professional background and research interests?
I am a professor in the Education, Society and
Culture program at University of California at
Riverside, and I study the racialization of teachers
of color. I have a qualitative data set of questionnaires and interview transcripts of over 300 teachers collected over 5 years, and I want to merge
all this data and code it. I also train doctoral and
master’s students, who are trained qualitatively,
but get very little hands-on training with qualitative software. I have been using ATLAS.ti for 1 – 2
years.
In what study are you using ATLAS.ti? Tell us
something about it.
The title of my study is “Cultivating Critical Teacher Leaders of Color: Navigating and Challenging
the Racialized Climate of Urban Public Schools”.
The objective is to examine the experiences of
social justice-oriented teachers of color in urban
public schools.
Graduate Students of Dr. Rita Kohli
With consent, broad qualitative data from all attendees and in-depth qualitative data from 303
self-selected participants has been gathered to
understand participant’s social justice commitments, racialized experiences in urban schools,
and needs for professional support. Through
ethnographic observations, qualitative questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and digital
storytelling, we have documented the struggles
and strengths of teachers of Color. This data has
Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH
been transcribed, and now we intend to code and
analyze the emergent themes using grounded
theory.
Any final words?
ATLAS.ti allows me to put in multiple types of
data from different years and code it collectively.
We have coded it along the way in different ways,
but now we are aiming to accomplish a systematic
coding with a consistent set of codes.
Thank you!
I plan to teach the students how to code, help
them calibrate their expertise, and each do a part
of the process.
I appreciate the opportunity!
Contact information for Dr. Kohli
Rita Kohli
Assistant Professor in Education, Society
and Culture Department
Graduate School of Education
Riverside, California 92521 USA
This is also a learning process for me. As an assistant professor, I have not yet leveraged student
support in my research; and as someone who
aims for all parts of my work to be reciprocal and
mutually beneficial, this opportunity seemed like
a perfect place to both teach and better organize
my research.
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© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015
Talk To Us – We Love Hearing from You!
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­Newsletter. And we welcome your feedback and suggestions!
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Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH
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