ATLAS.

ti Training Notes (Basic)

By: Umi Azmah Hasran (http://www.ukm.my/selfuel/)
ATLAS.ti takes away the job of managing data, leaving the analysis job for the researchers: makes
the research work relatively simpler
Intro to ATLAS.ti:

Steps in qualitative data (description):

Collect data

Description - what do we feel/think when we look at the data and explain

Justify our conclusion - discussion

Conclude

Lit review:

Prepare framework > explore the concepts > complete the review

If there is no framework, read a lot on the subjects to extract points before proceeding

Analysis and coding:

Giving a label to each section in the literature or data (category, description, themes,
interpretation, etc.)

Will include personal bias

Flow of work:

Qualitative

Design

Instrument: interview, focus groups, etc.

Data - which is where ATLAS.ti comes in

o Inductive: describe everything, then form idea on the data
o Deductive: have specified from the beginning but want to have justifications for it
o Deductive-inductive combination: Emergent idea/theme/code during a deductive
study

ATLAS.ti Training Notes (Basic)

By: Umi Azmah Hasran (http://www.ukm.my/selfuel/)
Methods of data collection for primary documents:
1. Participants:

focus groups

observation (structured to participant)

interviews (in-depth, semi-structured)

surveys

2. Archival research
3. Non-text: photo/audio/video
Formats of documents supported:
1. Text: .doc, .rtf, .pdf, .xls, .txt, and so on
2. Graphic: .jpg, .png, .gif, and so on
3. Multimedia: .mpeg, .wmv, .avi, .mp4, .wav, and so on
4. Google Earth: direct, screenshots
A project will be presented as a 'Hermeneutic Unit' (HU):
1. Quotations: highlights
2. Codes: concepts, labels
3. Memos: notes on the highlighted segments
4. Families: facilitate comparative analysis (same or difference objects can be grouped
together: text, graphic, etc.)
Naming the primary data (important when referring and quoting):

Journal articles: include Name (Year) in the title:

o e.g., hydrogen_Tseng (2010).pdf

If want to sort by year, put the year at the front:

o e.g. 2010 hydrogen_Tseng (2010).pdf

If want to sort by any keyword, put the keyword at the front:

o e.g. DMFC 2010 FC_Tseng (2010).pdf, PEMFC 2010 FC_Tseng (2010).pdf, etc.

Labeling the content: Coding

Labeling the document: Family

ATLAS.ti Training Notes (Basic)

By: Umi Azmah Hasran (http://www.ukm.my/selfuel/)
Start the project:
1. Click 'New Hermeneutic Unit'
2. Documents > New > Add Documents > go to the folder with all the references (Primary
Documents) > choose all the documents to be added > OK
3. Save: must be saved to the computer hard drive and cannot be saved to Dropbox.
References can be in Dropbox because when documents have been added, all have been
copied to the ATLAS.ti folder in the computer hard drive
4. Click the '+' sign at the right side of the window to open maximum of 4 files (when we want
to use the same coding on many files at once)
5. Open the Primary Document:

Click the '3 arrows' set on the left side to open viewing pane > click the doc

Click the drop-down menu > click the doc

Click the 'P-Docs' button to open the Primary Doc Manager > click the doc

6. Group the files (based on our defined categories) by creating 'Family':

Click the 'P-Docs' button > 'Families' space is in the left side > highlight the files one-byone and drag to the that space > Name the 'Family'

Documents > Families > Open Families Manager (to open 'Primary Doc Family
Manager') > Families > New Family

7. Edit Families in the Primary Doc Family Manager

Coding:
1. To open the Code Manager to see all the codes: click button 'Codes' to open the Code
Manager, or: Codes > Code Manager
2. Deductive: List out the codes first, then highlight content and assign the quotations by
dragging the codes to the highlighted quotations
3. Inductive: Highlight the passage (quotation) > Codes > Coding > Enter Code Name. Or:
Highlight the passage (quotation) > Code Manager > select the code we want to assign to
the highlighted quotation > drag-and-drop the code to the highlighted quotation
4. Auto code: Codes > Coding > Auto Coding
5. Coding an image, audio, or video is similar: select the part we want to code > assign code
name > OK.

ATLAS.ti Training Notes (Basic)

By: Umi Azmah Hasran (http://www.ukm.my/selfuel/)
Naming codes:

If we're not sure what to name our Codes, find the most used words in the PDs: Analysis >
Word Cruncher > (use the default setting) OK
a. Sort the list in Excel to find the most used words and choose the most important ones
as code names
b. In the Auto Coding Dialog: type the code name in the Expression box > (use the
default setting) the passages will be highlighted > click button 'Code it' or 'Skip it' (it
works like Ctrl-F)

Additional Notes:
a. Not recommended to have two different codes for one quotation, although it can be done.
b. To delete Codes: right-click on the coloured vertical bar beside the code and choose Delete.
Codes can also be deleted in the Code Manager (this will also delete all links and quotations
created with that code, so be careful)
c. To create multiple codes one after another: Codes > Create Free Codes > type the code
name one by one and only click OK after we have finished entering all the codes
d. Comments that describe every code can be entered in the bottom box in the Code Manager
window. Memos are NOT descriptions/comments to describe what the codes are (see below
for explanation about Memos).
Quotations will be linked to:
a. Codes: Code Manager - themes of the quotations
b. Memos: Memo Manager - our own interpretation of the data, so this is very important
Both codes and memos can be:
a. Grouped together
b. Printed out based on the groupings

ATLAS.ti Training Notes (Basic)

By: Umi Azmah Hasran (http://www.ukm.my/selfuel/)
Output types:
a. Textual
b. Visual - network view
c. Numerical
Output according to Codes:

Open Code Manager > click on the codes > Output > choose what kind of output we want

To choose with constraints: Analysis > Query Tool (double click) > Scope (double click) > OK
> click the 'Print' icon:
o 'Print' icon in Query Tool - gives the output for the codes that have been
scoped/constrained
o 'Print' icon in Scope of Query - gives the output for the all the codes within that scope

Codes can be merged (but CANNOT be unmerged):

Choose the code that we want to use > right-click: Merge Codes > choose the code to be
merged (will disappear from record)

For safety reason, back up the old file (Save Copy Bundle) before merging the codes

When we want to use the old codes in a new project (HU):

Export codes: Codes > Export > Export All Codes (XML) > File (save to comp HD and not
Dropbox) > name the file > OK

Then import codes to new Project (HU): Codes > Import > Import Code (XML) > Click the file
> OK

Generate report:

Codes > Code Manager > Output > Codes-Primary Documents Table > double click the
codes > double click the PD that we want to generate report for the selected codes in > click
'Create Report'

ATLAS.ti Training Notes (Basic)

By: Umi Azmah Hasran (http://www.ukm.my/selfuel/)
Backup the whole project (HU + Library) in .atlcb form:

Project > Save Copy Bundle > Name file > OK

Not automatic update, so save as a new file name for every back up > the old back up
bundle to be saved in the hard drive/DVD-RW and the newest back up bundle in Dropbox

Do NOT use the Bundle file unless either one or all of these unhappy incidents happen:
o Computer crash
o HU corrupted

If there is an existing Project in the computer, the Bundle will not open automatically (it will
give a message/prompt us about it first)

Unbundle in the new computer by double clicking (similar to unzip)

If working in two computers, unbundle the updated file (using a new filename) in the second
computer, i.e., delete the older files

For more information: Help (in the software itself) > More Resources > Open Manual

Relevant Sites:
ATLAS.ti Malaysia: http://atlastimalaysia.com/

this website includes tutorial videos and lots more awesome stuff

ATLAS.ti Researchers' Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/atlastiresearchers/

join this Facebook group to interact with instructors and other users

Kajian Kualitatif: http://www.kajiankualitatif.com/

visit this blog for more information