ABSTRACT

Increasingly utilized by researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from nursing to applied linguistics, qualitative content analysis (QCA) is referred to as a powerful analytical method used for the subjective interpretation of the contents of qualitative data in a systematic and context-dependent manner (Mayring, 2014; Schrier, 2014). The current chapter situates QCA as an analytical tool different both from its quantitative counterpart and other qualitative research methods. More specifically, it describes the origins of QCA with connections to its epistemological orientations and commitments, identifies the fundamental principles and steps followed by researchers employing this analytic strategy, and discusses the role of computer-based tools and applications in conducting QCA.