ConnectedText tutorials

[For Windows PC. Mac and iPad users, see this, Linux users, see this.]

Series 1 – CT for Qualitative Analysis

The following series of tutorials is specifically for learning how to use ConnectedText for qualitative data analysis (as a CAQDAS). To get the general idea and see the end result, you may want to read posts 10, 9 and 8 first. Then if you are interested in trying this system out, I recommend going back to the beginning.

1. Why use ConnectedText for qualitative data analysis?
   1. CT as an alternative to CAQDAS such as Atlas.ti and NVivo.
2. Getting ConnectedText
   1. The difficulty of understanding CT by first-time users.
3. Getting started with ConnectedText
   1. Installing CT the first time.
   2. Sources of information and help.
   3. Tips for desktop layout configurations.
4. Setting up ConnectedText
   1. The issue of having to use markup in CT.
   2. How to avoid having to type markups.
   3. Customising markup colours to aid reading and writing.
5. Designing your QDA project for ConnectedText
   1. Developing a research project design prior to importing data.
6. Importing your data into ConnectedText
   1. Organising the import process.
   2. Importing particular file types.
   3. Linking to files, websites and programmes.
7. Preparing for coding in ConnectedText
   1. a bit of theory and final preparations before launching into coding.
8. Coding process flow in ConnectedText
   1. visual representation of coding process flow and project structure.
   2. description of coding process with relevant markups.
9. Summary and example of coding in ConnectedText
   1. step-by-step description of coding process.
   2. uses example and screenshots.
10. CAQDAS model for ConnectedText
    1. a generalised description of the qualitative data analysis process.
    2. illustrated by chart with step-by-step instructions.

NOTES:

• This model was developed with ConnectedText v. 5.
• If your model (see p. 10 above) ends up containing a long daisy chain with hundreds of “included” topics, then the processing time of rendering or saving the topics sitting at the top end of the chain may increase considerably. It takes between 1 to 1.5 minutes to render my “findings” topic on my PC (Intel Core i7 CPU 860 @ 2.80 GHz, with 8.0 GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit). I have 560 topics, though not all of them are “included” or have “includes” from other topics. You just need to be patient, as CT is checking and updating every single topic in the daisy chain.

Series 2 – CT for Reading Notes & Literature Review

This series of tutorials will describe how CT can be used for note-taking and writing a literature review.

1. ConnectedText template for reading notes
   1. Initial tips on how to get started. A template for recording reading notes in CT.
2. Updated ConnectedText template for reading notes
3. Analytical process flow for reading notes in ConnectedText
4. Academic writing workflow with ConnectedText, Freeplane, and Outline 4D
5. Taking reading notes with ConnectedText
   1. an alternative approach to note-taking based on the Zettelkasten method (this is what I’m currently using).