�Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH

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 Febru-ary. 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!

© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015�

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 instruc-tions. To access ATLAS.ti in either of these lan-guages, 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 of-fered in German and Spanish as well. Other lan-guages will be implemented in upcoming months.

ATLAS.ti 8 Release Date Moved to Second Quarter 2016

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 ar-chitecture, powerful new functionality, and further increased usability.

There are many great new functions to look for-ward to, such as multi-level Undo, new visualiza-tion 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 some-times take longer than initially anticipated. This is especially true for complex software like ATLAS.ti that has set the standards for professional com-

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 for-ward to the next generation of ATLAS.ti – the best ATLAS.ti so far!

All licenses purchased after April �, �0�5 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

We would like to congratulate the two raffle winners who visited our booth at the American Public Health Association Conference held in Chi-cago, 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.

3Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH

ATLAS.ti was a Gold Sponsor at the Southeastern Library Assessment Conference, USA

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.

ATLAS.ti in Action! Let Us Become Great Postgraduates!

“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.

Ani Munirah Mohamad, our Manager of Inter-national 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 plat-form to gather hundreds of postgraduate stu-dents 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.”

More information about the seminar and other events organized by MPWS can be obtained from: www.postgraduateworkshop.com

Presentation at Important Research Institute in Argentina

On November 12th, our sales team for Latin America gave an overview of ATLAS.ti at the Multidisciplinary Institute of History and Hu-man 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.

Luis Alfedo Loaiza, technical sales manager for Latin America, said the following about the

© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015�

presentation: “We had the opportunity to share with these researchers, many of whom are geog-raphers, 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.

ATLAS.ti and Partners at XVIII EDUTEC International Conference

ATLAS.ti supported the participation of our part-ners 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 educa-tional 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, distribut-ing promotional material, and explaining the soft-ware to students and experienced researchers. Dr. Gallardo gave a technical presentation on using the software in the educational technology field.

Three ATLAS.ti licenses were raffled at the event. The lucky winners were Dr. Luis Marqués Molías, professor and researcher at the Faculty of Edu-cational Sciences and Psychology, Universitat

Rovira I Virgili, Tarragona, Spain; Berenice Cas-tillejos López, doctoral candidate in education at the Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico; and Yorleny Sanchez Alvarado, expert on educational infor-matics in Costa Rica. Congratulations to all three researchers!

The photo to the left shows Dr. Luis Marqués (middle) being congratu-lated by Eliana Gallardo and Joel Cervantes from MultiON Consulting.

The ATLAS.ti Trainer Certification Programs: Developing an International Network of Trainers and Consultants

ATLAS.ti certifies the knowledge and experi-ence 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 academ-ics 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.

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 ques-tions, do not hesitate to contact us by writing to certification@atlasti.com.

5Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH

ATLAS.ti offers a variety of resources that facili-tate the learning of the software. These include a complete library of video tutorials, weekly webi-nars, varied workshops, as well as a set of manu-als 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 WebinarsIf 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, com-plete this form.

Free Overview WebinarsWe 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 conve-nient 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 sched-ule, and to register, click here.

Premium TrainingFace 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.

Learning Resources

Online workshops (synchronous instruction): All times are in Eastern time (EST) unless noted.

Course Language Date/Time

Introduction to ATLAS.ti 7 Windows

English

December 9, 10 and 11, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pmDecember 14, 16, and 17, each day from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm (SGT) Singapore timeJanuary 18, 19 and 20, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pmFebruary 8, 10 and 12, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Spanish

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

Introduction to ATLAS.ti Mac

EnglishDecember 14, 15 and 16, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pmJanuary 25, 27, and 29 each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pmFebruary 22, 24 and 26, each day from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Advanced ATLAS.ti 7 Windows

EnglishDecember 2, 3 and 4, each day from 11:00 am to 1:00 pmFebruary 15, 16 and 17, each day from 11:00 am a 1:00 pm

© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015�

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 dis-cussed 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 counter-acting forces. On the one hand, fragmentation that derives from segmenting and coding the data, and on the other hand a process of integra-tion that derives from writing and diagramming linkages and relationships. The figure below depicts this balancing act:

Fig 1: Data-level work in ATLAS.ti: Balancing frag-mentation and integration

In approaching our work with ATLAS.ti by ar-ticulating segmentation, writing, coding and diagramming, we are avoiding the risk of reduc-ing data-level work to a mere process of coding. There can be a temptation to take a coding- reductionist approach and I can think of three reasons for that. First, because software in gen-eral, 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 (fol-lowing Saldaña 2009:53) the complexity of what a person is saying in a given segment by assign-ing meanings to the data (after all, qualitative data analysis has to do with interpretation and meanings). And thirdly, I believe there is a temp-tation 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 op-tion available to relate to the data.

I argue that by articulating segmentation, writ-ing, 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 archetypi-cal 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 defini-tion an iterative rather than lineal endeavor, the

Best Practices With ATLAS.ti

Data-Level Work in ATLAS.ti: The Fluid Articulation of Segmentation, Writing, Coding and Diagramming

Ricardo B. Contreras

Data Segmentation:creating quotations

Writing:writing quotation and code comments and memos

Diagramming:drawing first-order and second-order linkages

Coding:coding quotations

Fragmentation Integration

�Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH

order in which you engage in these four sub-pro-cesses 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.

The following figure represents the model:

Fig. 2: Data-level work as articulation of segmenta-tion, writing, coding and diagramming

I will now elaborate upon the components of the model.

Data segmentationThis 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.

WritingAs 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

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 under-standing of the data.

Writing also occurs in the form of memos. How-ever, I like to say that memos are functionally dif-ferent 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 quo-tation comment space), in memos you develop a narrative in which you elaborate upon your under-standing 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.

CodingIn ATLAS.ti, you have the option to code imme-diately 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. Further-more, you will arrive at coding by already having an understanding of the data, albeit preliminary. And if you decide to code as you create quota-tions, 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 press-ing Control-D, which inserts the date and time.

© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 20158

DiagrammingAs explained in issue 2015/8 of Inside ATLAS.ti, diagramming in ATLAS.ti is a rather rich process. You can represent graphically the linkages be-tween 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 relation-ships is an intrinsic component of the analysis process, I make the argument that it is also a cru-cial 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 con-figuring the whole. These visualizations illuminate and enrich data-level work by providing a neces-sary integrated and systemic view of the data.

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.

Reference citedSaldaña, J. (2009). The Coding Manual for Qualita-tive Researchers. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc.

About the authorRicardo 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.

�Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH

In this issue of Inside ATLAS.ti, we interview Dr. Rita Kohli, Assistant Professor in the Edu-cation, 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 as-sist in the adoption of ATLAS.ti, our training team taught her students an introductory we-binar 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.

Could you tell us something about your profes-sional 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 question-naires and interview transcripts of over 300 teach-ers 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 qualita-tive 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 Teach-er 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.

Over the past 5 years, 354 teachers of Color from across the US have attended a professional development program geared towards cultivat-ing their racial justice leadership development skills. 48% were Latina/o, 20% Black, 20% Asian American and Pacific Islander, and 12% of partici-pants 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 repre-sented the spectrum of elementary through high school. 78% of participants were women, and 22% were men.

Graduate Students of Dr. Rita Kohli

With consent, broad qualitative data from all at-tendees and in-depth qualitative data from 303 self-selected participants has been gathered to understand participant’s social justice commit-ments, racialized experiences in urban schools, and needs for professional support. Through ethnographic observations, qualitative question-naires, semi-structured interviews, and digital storytelling, we have documented the struggles and strengths of teachers of Color. This data has

Case Studies in ATLAS.ti

© Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH Newsletter December 2015�0

been transcribed, and now we intend to code and analyze the emergent themes using grounded theory.

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.

I plan to teach the students how to code, help them calibrate their expertise, and each do a part of the process.

This is also a learning process for me. As an as-sistant 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.

Any final words?

I appreciate the opportunity!

Thank you!

Contact information for Dr. Kohli Rita Kohli Assistant Professor in Education, Society and Culture Department Graduate School of Education Riverside, California 92521 USA

��Newsletter December 2015 © Copyright 2015 ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH

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