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Appendix 2<br />

Software<br />

The reader looking for a review of software for analysing qualitative <strong>data</strong> should<br />

consult the book on this subject by Renata Tesch (1990). For a very brief summary<br />

of the main packages available, see also Fielding and Lee (1991).<br />

Hypersoft, a software package developed by the author, is based on Hypercard and<br />

requires Hypercard 1.2 or 2.0 and Macintosh (system 6.05 or later). Many of the<br />

procedures discussed in the text are supported by Hypersoft.<br />

Managing <strong>data</strong>: Hypersoft uses a card-based environment, with linked indexes and<br />

facilities for referencing cases, recording facesheet variable values and references<br />

within the <strong>data</strong> (e.g. to questions/sources).<br />

Reading and annotating: Hypersoft supports procedures for linking memos and<br />

summary synopses to <strong>data</strong>. Keyword and key-word-in-context searches include<br />

extraction of sentences or paragraphs, and extraction of <strong>data</strong> between two userdefined<br />

delimiters e.g. all the answers to a particular question. The package does not<br />

support sophisticated searches (e.g. using synonyms, wild card characters etc.).<br />

Categorizing: Hypersoft provides a simple procedure for categorizing <strong>data</strong>,<br />

automatically filing relevant contextual information (case, <strong>data</strong> references etc.).<br />

Databits are filed on separate cards, with facilities for browsing, recategorizing,<br />

subcategorizing and annotating. A ‘dictionary’ is provided for accessing and auditing<br />

conceptual definitions of the categories used in the <strong>analysis</strong>.<br />

Linking: Bits of <strong>data</strong> can be linked before, during or after categorizing, using a<br />

simple procedure for linking any two bits of <strong>data</strong>.<br />

Connecting : The retrieval procedures in Hypersoft are the basic boolean operators: X<br />

AND Y; X OR Y; X NOT Y. More sophisticated procedures (e.g. proximity,<br />

precedence) are not available. Conditions can be imposed on category retrievals, by<br />

case and <strong>data</strong> references or facesheet values. In addition, the package supports an X<br />

LINK Y retrieval, where X=<strong>data</strong> assigned to an X category or categories; LINK=a<br />

specified link, e.g. ‘causes’; and Y=<strong>data</strong> assigned to a Y category or categories. Other<br />

forms of linked retrieval are not available in this version.<br />

Mapping: Hypersoft supports mapping of retrievals to scale, including linked<br />

retrievals, with areas proportionate to the average assignment per case. Drawing

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