ABSTRACT
A growing number of sociologists are using text analysis software to aid in the analysis of qualitative data. Computer-assisted text analysis is generally thought to have two advantages: it makes the analysis of a large amount of text data more accurate and move efficient, and it directs attention to the analytic procedures used in qualitative research, thus contributing to the codification of these operations. With a few exceptions, most of the text analysis software available today was not designed by sociologists. In addition to coding and retrieving units, qualitative analysis involves the discovery and testing of propositions about the relationships between units. Units of text must be manipulated as discrete entities. Flexibility in the definition of text units. Raw-text data would be entered as complete narratives rather than as discrete records. A characteristic, and related, problem with notecard software is its inability to deal flexibly with context.
