Assessing the qualitative data component in large-scale quantitative surveys: computer aided qualitative survey data...

In a large-scale survey the qualitative component of the interview is often used either to refine the quantitative coding categories or to get a 'general feel' for the respondents' comments with no attempt at analysis. This article reports on an approach which has been developed for solving some of the problems of linkage of qualitative and quantitative components at the survey analysis stage. This approach is dependent on efficient methods of data management and text retrieval, and presupposes a system of data collection that produces computer-based text files to store the verbatim comments of study participants. The size of the data set necessitated using a mainframe computer for data management, text retrieval and analysis. The article provides illustrations of how the analysis of 11 000 files consisting of textual data was facilitated.