What is qualitative data analysis?

Qualitative data analysis is the structured process of coding, organizing, and interpreting non-numerical data such as interviews, focus groups, open-ended survey responses, observation notes, or documents. The aim is to identify recurring themes, relationships, and meaning rather than to count occurrences. Common methods include thematic analysis, qualitative content analysis, framework analysis, and grounded theory.

What are the four main types of qualitative analysis?

The four most widely used approaches are thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006), qualitative content analysis (deductive or inductive coding into categories), framework analysis (Ritchie and Spencer, often used in applied policy research), and grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss, building theory from the data through constant comparison). Narrative analysis, discourse analysis, and phenomenology are additional named methods used for specific research questions.

Which software do you use for qualitative analysis?

Whichever the project and reviewers require. NVivo is the standard for many doctoral programs and journals. MAXQDA is common in mixed-methods work and Europe. ATLAS.ti is widely used in education and the social sciences. Dedoose is browser-based and good for teams. We also accept Microsoft Word with comment-based coding when no software is required.

How do you ensure the coding is rigorous?

Every project follows a written analysis plan agreed before coding starts. Codes are developed in two cycles (initial open coding, then focused or axial coding), tracked in a codebook with definitions and example quotations, and stored in an auditable software project file. When a second coder is requested, intercoder agreement is reported using Cohen's kappa or percent agreement.

How much does qualitative data analysis cost?

A small interview study with 10 to 15 transcripts and a single coder starts from $895. A doctoral qualitative chapter with 20 to 30 transcripts, two coding cycles, and intercoder agreement starts from $1,800. Larger studies, multiple cases, or longitudinal designs are quoted on a fixed-fee basis after a free 30-minute scope call.

Can you analyze interview transcripts I have already?

Yes. Send the transcripts and the research question. We will return a written analysis plan, agree the coding framework with you, code the data in your chosen software, develop themes, and write the results section. If transcripts are not yet ready we can also handle transcription as an add-on.

Do you provide intercoder reliability?

Yes, on request. A second analyst codes a 20 to 25 percent sample of transcripts independently, and we calculate Cohen's kappa or percent agreement, reconcile disagreements, and report the value in the methods section. Many qualitative reviewers consider this optional, but it strengthens the audit trail and is often expected in mixed-methods or applied health research.

Can ChatGPT do qualitative analysis?

No, not in a way that holds up to peer review. Large language models can summarize a transcript, but they cannot reliably code at the level of detail needed, do not document an audit trail, and tend to drift across chunks of long data. For publication-grade qualitative work, ChatGPT is at best a brainstorming aid for code names. The actual coding, theme development, and reflexive memos still need a researcher.

Can you help write the qualitative methods section?

Yes. Every project includes a draft methods paragraph that names the analytic approach, describes the coding cycles, identifies the software, reports analyst reflexivity, and addresses trustworthiness criteria (credibility, dependability, confirmability, transferability) in line with Lincoln and Guba (1985) or COREQ (Tong, Sainsbury, and Craig, 2007).

How quickly can the analysis be turned around?

A 10 to 15 transcript thematic analysis is typically delivered in 14 days from receipt of the transcripts. A 30 transcript study with intercoder agreement runs 21 to 28 days. Rush turnaround is available when the deadline is tighter and is quoted as part of the scope call.

Qualitative Data Analysis Service: Thematic, NVivo

What you get from a qualitative data analysis project

Each engagement is delivered as a complete deliverable bundle so you can drop the analysis into your thesis, manuscript, or grant report without rework.

Written analysis plan approved before coding starts: research question, methodological approach (thematic, content, framework, or grounded theory), coding cycles, software, and how trustworthiness will be addressed.
Codebook with code names, definitions, inclusion and exclusion rules, and at least two example quotations per code.
Coded software project file in NVivo, MAXQDA, ATLAS.ti, or Dedoose. You receive the original file, not just exported PDFs, so your supervisor or reviewers can audit the coding.
Theme development with a visual map showing how codes were grouped into categories and how categories were grouped into themes.
Illustrative quotations selected for each theme with participant identifiers and line numbers.
APA-ready results section structured around the themes, written with embedded quotations.
Methods paragraph describing the analytic approach, the coding process, the software, the analyst's reflexivity, and the trustworthiness checks performed (credibility, dependability, confirmability, transferability).
Reflexive memos captured during analysis and delivered as a separate document so you can defend interpretive choices in your viva.
Intercoder agreement report with Cohen's kappa or percent agreement when a second coder is requested.
30-minute results walkthrough call with the lead analyst.

Software we use

We work in the package your supervisor, journal, or funder expects. The same study can usually be coded in any of these tools, and the choice mainly affects collaboration, export options, and whether your institution holds a license.

NVivo qualitative analysis

NVivo is the standard package for doctoral candidates in nursing, education, social work, public health, and many social science programs. NVivo is well suited to large transcript counts, framework matrices, and coding queries (matrix coding, coding comparison, word frequency, text search). We deliver the .nvp file so your supervisor can re-run any query, plus PDF exports of the codebook, code summaries, and theme map.

MAXQDA qualitative data analysis

MAXQDA is widely used in mixed-methods research and across European universities. Its segment-level memo system is strong for grounded theory work, and its document portrait visualization helps when a discussion section needs to compare cases. Our MAXQDA deliverables include the .mx22 project file, the codebook, the document map, and any matrix coding queries used in the analysis.

ATLAS.ti coding

ATLAS.ti is common in education research, anthropology, and applied health research. Its network view is useful for showing how codes relate to each other, which translates well to a journal figure. We deliver the .atlproj22 file, the network views as PNGs, and the code-document table.

Dedoose for team coding

Dedoose runs in the browser, so it is the natural choice when several analysts are coding the same data from different institutions or countries. We use Dedoose for evaluation studies and multi-site qualitative work. Deliverables include the project export, the codebook, and intercoder reliability output.

Microsoft Word coding

For very small studies (under 10 transcripts) and when no software is required, we can code directly in Word using comments and styles. This is the lightest-touch option and is appropriate for service evaluations and small grants.

Methodological approaches we cover

The named approach affects how we develop codes, how themes are reported, and what the methods paragraph claims. Choose the approach with us during the scope call rather than after coding starts.

Thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke)

Thematic analysis is the most widely used approach in journal and thesis qualitative work. We follow the six-phase Braun and Clarke (2006, 2019) procedure: familiarization, generating initial codes, constructing themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the report. We are explicit about whether the analysis is reflexive (theme as pattern of meaning) or codebook-style (theme as topic summary), since reviewers now expect this distinction (Braun and Clarke, 2021).

Qualitative content analysis

Qualitative content analysis suits studies where the categories are partly known in advance, for example a regulatory framework or a published taxonomy. We use the Hsieh and Shannon (2005) typology and document whether the analysis is conventional (inductive), directed (deductive from prior theory), or summative (counts plus interpretation).

Framework analysis

Framework analysis (Ritchie and Spencer, 1994; Gale et al., 2013) is the standard approach for applied policy and applied health research, especially when the team needs to compare cases across rows of a matrix. We construct the analytical framework, chart the data, and interpret across cases. Framework matrices are produced in NVivo or MAXQDA depending on which the team prefers.

Grounded theory

Grounded theory is appropriate when the aim is to generate a theoretical model rather than to describe themes. We follow the Strauss and Corbin (1990) version unless your supervisor requires Charmaz's (2014) constructivist approach, with open coding, axial coding, selective coding, theoretical sampling, and constant comparison documented in memos.

Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)

For small idiographic studies with five to ten participants exploring lived experience, IPA (Smith, Flowers, and Larkin, 2009) is the right method. We code line by line per case, then look for patterns across cases. IPA work is delivered with a transparent case-by-case audit and explicit reflexivity, since reviewers expect the analyst's interpretive position to be visible.

Mixed-methods integration

When the project is mixed-methods, we integrate the qualitative themes with the quantitative statistical analysis service findings using a joint display table, narrative weaving, or transformation, depending on what the design calls for (Creswell and Plano Clark, 2018).

Our process

Free 30-minute scope call. We discuss the research question, the data, the deadline, and the analytic approach. No quote is sent until this call has happened.
Fixed-fee quote sent within 24 hours, broken down by transcript count, coding cycles, intercoder agreement, and write-up.
Written analysis plan sent for your approval before any coding starts. The plan names the approach, the software, the coding cycles, and the trustworthiness checks.
Coding cycle 1 (initial coding) by the lead analyst. You receive an interim codebook for review.
Coding cycle 2 (focused, axial, or pattern coding depending on the approach) and theme development.
Intercoder agreement (optional) by a second analyst on a 20 to 25 percent sample.
Results section drafted around the themes with embedded illustrative quotations.
Methods paragraph drafted with trustworthiness criteria addressed.
30-minute walkthrough call to walk you through the codebook, the themes, and the results section.
Two rounds of revisions included.

Pricing for qualitative data analysis

Pricing is fixed-fee, approved before work starts, and depends on the number of transcripts, the coding cycles required, and whether intercoder agreement is included.

Engagement	Starting price	Typical scope
Small qualitative study	From $895	10 to 15 transcripts, single coder, thematic or content analysis, results section
Doctoral qualitative chapter	From $1,800	20 to 30 transcripts, two coding cycles, intercoder agreement, full chapter
Mixed-methods or multi-site	From $2,800	30+ transcripts, multiple cases, joint display, integrated discussion

For exact pricing on your project, request a fixed-fee quote or view pricing ranges. All prices include the software project file, codebook, write-up, methods paragraph, and walkthrough call.

Who uses this service

Doctoral candidates writing the qualitative chapter of a mixed-methods or fully qualitative thesis.
Journal authors who collected interview or focus group data and need it analyzed and written up to a peer-review standard.
Grant teams running qualitative Phase 1 work for a funded study (NIH, NIHR, ESRC, MRC, Wellcome).
Evaluation teams doing applied service evaluations for hospitals, schools, NGOs, or government departments.
Mixed-methods researchers who have already run their statistical analysis and need a parallel qualitative strand integrated into the discussion.

Examples of work delivered

We do not publish client work, but the following anonymised snippets give a sense of typical engagements:

Doctoral nursing thesis (n = 24 interviews). Reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo. Five themes constructed across two coding cycles. Intercoder agreement reported (Cohen's kappa = 0.81). Results chapter delivered in 21 days.
Health services evaluation (n = 18 focus groups, 6 sites). Framework analysis in MAXQDA. Cross-site framework matrix constructed for the funder. Joint display table integrating qualitative themes with the survey findings. Delivered in 28 days.
Mixed-methods PhD in education (n = 15 teacher interviews, 1 survey). Conventional qualitative content analysis in ATLAS.ti. Three categories with sub-categories. Integrated with the regression analysis from the quantitative strand for a single discussion chapter.

Trustworthiness, ethics, and reporting standards

Reviewers and supervisors increasingly expect qualitative manuscripts to follow established reporting standards. Every project we deliver maps explicitly onto:

COREQ (Tong, Sainsbury, and Craig, 2007) for interview and focus group studies.
SRQR (O'Brien et al., 2014) for broader qualitative reporting.
Lincoln and Guba's (1985) trustworthiness criteria: credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability.
Reflexivity documented through analyst memos and a positionality statement in the methods.

We do not handle ethics applications, but we can write the data analysis plan that goes into your IRB or REC application.

What this service does not include

To keep the scope and pricing transparent:

We do not transcribe audio unless transcription is added as a separate quote.
We do not collect data, conduct interviews, or run focus groups.
We do not write the literature review or discussion of theoretical implications. We write the methods, results, and a brief discussion of the themes; the broader framing remains your contribution.
We do not certify reliability claims that go beyond what the data support.

Qualitative Data Analysis Service

Key Takeaways