Workshop on Qualitative Data Analysis using MAXQDA :
As qualitative researchers, we need to handle complex textual datasets from interview transcripts to historical documents. A critical challenge faced by many of us is moving from overwhelming datasets to meaningful analysis. This workshop will offer a practical introduction to MAXQDA, a leading software for qualitative and mixed-methods data analysis to demonstrate how the software acts as an important tool for systematic discovery and analytical rigor. The software and its features help accelerate initial coding, its visualisation tools reveal hidden patterns in data, and its collaborative functions support team-based projects. This workshop will demonstrate these capabilities through the lens of my doctoral research on parliamentary discourse surrounding film policy in India.
We will walk through the research journey within the software: from initial data import and developing code systems to using visual tools like Code Matrix Browser and the Code Relations Browser to uncover patterns and connections within the dataset. Whether you are analyzing interview transcripts, or working with multimedia archives, this session will provide actionable strategies to streamline your workflow, manage large datasets effectively, and move confidently from raw data to written results.
Speaker Bio-sketch: Ms. Sarah Nazamuddin Harniswala is a PhD Scholar at the Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies, IIT Bombay. Her ongoing research focuses on the parliamentary discourse on films in India, mapping the trajectory of legislative construal and engagement through the lens of the Multiple Streams Framework. She holds an MPhil in Development Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia, where her dissertation explored the intersection of State policies and sexual minorities. Additionally, she has an MA in Public Administration from Jamia Millia Islamia and a BA in Political Science (Hons.) from St. Xavier’s Autonomous College, Kolkata.