Workshops & Consulting

I conduct university classes, academic workshops and coaching on a variety of topics within the field of qualitative research for Graduate Schools, Research Institutes & Individual Projects.

Workshops and coaching sessions can be held at your institution; individual coaching sessions are also conducted online via Skype and Mikogo.

If you have questions about workshop topics, syllabi and rates, please contact me: cschmieder@squaremethodology.com
Click here for a list of institutions I have previously worked with.

Workshop & consulting topics include:

Handling qualitative data. Workshops on MAXQDA 10, NVIVO, OpenCode, WeftQDA / Integrating QDA software into your project: options, challenges, work flows / Paper & screen: The hybrid use of QDA software / QDA software and its discourse: hopes, fears, future impact

Generating qualitative data. Preparing and conducting Interviews, group discussions, focus groups, expert interviews / Generating qualitative data 2.0 : Online surveys & VoIP interviews / Recording and transcribing audio and video data

Analyzing qualitative data. Basics of qualitative analysis / Making sense of text: reconstructive analysis, content analysis, grounded theory / Metaphor analysis in the social sciences

All workshops/coachings can be held in English or German.

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Workshop descriptions & syllabi

Extended intro qualitative data analysis software: MAXQDA & OpenCode (2 days)

In this 2-day workshop the participants learn how to use the commercial program MAXQDA and the freeware OpenCode. Aside from learning the main mechanics of both software packages, they will practice different computer-based and hybrid computer/paper-based work flows fitting their style of analysis. Click here to see the complete workshop description (PDF).

Using technology & software in qualitative research (1-3 days)

In this workshop, the participants gain an overview over several software tools for qualitative researchers: Commercial & free QDA software (MAXQDA, NVIVO, WeftQDA and OpenCode), transcription software (F4) and recording tools (Skype & audio recorders).

MAXQDA: Basic Functions (1 day)

In this workshop the participants learn how to use the basic functions and features of the QDA software MAXQDA 10, enabling them to effectively integrate the software into their research work flows. Click here to see the workshop syllabus (PDF).

MAXQDA: Advanced functions (1 day)

In this workshop the participants learn how to use the advanced functions and features of the QDA software MAXQDA 10. Click here to see the workshop syllabus (PDF).

Having experts talk: Generating questions & interviewing techniques (2 days)

This 2-day introductory workshop aims at the practice of interviewing experts: The participants practice how to conduct qualitative interviews with experts, how to prepare them, and how to generate interview questions. Click here to see the workshop syllabus (PDF).

Focus Workshop: Generating questions from the research question (1 day)

In this concentrated 1-day workshop, the participants generate questions for their own research projects, enabling them to generate data in the field. The participants work in small groups and are guided by the instructor throughout the workshop. They learn how to openly – and effectively – ask questions, and how to generate and document these questions for using them in the field.

Focus workshop: Basics of qualitative research (1 day)

In this series of lectures and discussions, the participants are introduced to the basics of qualitative interview research. Special focus is given to the problem of understanding meaning, criteria of quality, common methodological schools, and ethical considerations. Throughout the sessions, applicability and limitations of qualitative methods are critically discussed and evaluated.

Focus Workshop: Getting a grip on “meaning”: An introduction into interview analysis (1 day)

The goal of this 1-day workshop is to prepare the participants for analyzing their own data (interviews, documents, etc.) by practicing how to get a grip on “meaning” in texts. During the extensive practice sessions they learn how to access text, how to do analysis in groups, and how to structure & document the results of their analysis. Click here to see the workshop syllabus (PDF).

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Selected workshops, lectures and talks

Held in English

Upstate Institute, Colgate University (NY)
Workshop series on generating research questions & question guides, July 2011

Berlin Graduate School for Transnational Studies, FU Berlin
Workshop series on expert interviews and general interviewing techniques, May 2011

Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures & Societies, FU Berlin
Workshop series on qualitative data generation, analysis and the use of QDA software, April 2011

Dept. of Geography, Colgate University, Hamilton NY
Workshop series on the use of MAXQDA, February 2011

German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg
Workshop on conducting qualitative interviews, July 2010

Upstate Institute, Colgate University (NY)
Workshop series on basics of qualitative research, June 2010

University for Humanistics, Utrecht, The Netherlands
KWALON Conference: “Is Qualitative Analysis Software really comparable?”
Talk: “QDA software: Legitimization of technology, technique of legitimization”, April 2010

Dept. of Political Science, Area Studies, Freiburg University
IntroductoryWorkshop MAXQDA, April 2010

Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology, Colgate University (NY)
Talk on the use and usability of QDA software in academic research, January 2010

Held in German

DFG-Graduiertenkolleg “Pfade organisatorischer Prozesse” (Pfadkolleg), Dahlem Research School, FU Berlin
Workshop on interviewing techniques, May 2011

Dept. of Sociology, Freiburg University
Techno-sociological / methodological seminar on the use of MAXQDA, summer semesters 2010 & 2011

Institut für Erziehungswissenschaften, Humboldt University, Berlin
Workshop sessions on interviewing techniques & (computer assisted) data analysis, April 2011

Spring school at Dept. of Sociology, Freiburg University
Introductionary workshop MAXQDA/OpenCode, March 2009, March 2010, April 2011 (in collaboration with Dr. Thorsten Dresing, www.audiotranskription.de)
Introductory workshop on interviewing techniques, March 2011 (in collaboration with Dr. Jan Kruse, Freiburg University)

Dept. of Anthropology, Freiburg University
Workshop on the use of MAXQDA, July 2010

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Links to selected methodology & software trainers in Germany

Dr. Jan Kruse, Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg
http://www.qualitative-workshops.de/

Dr. Dominique Schirmer, Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg
http://www.methodenberatung.com/
http://www.qsc-china.com/ (Qualitative Sozialforschung China)

Stephanie Bethmann, M.A., Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg
http://www.soziologie.uni-freiburg.de/Personen/bethmann/Home.html

Debora Niermann, M.A., Evangelische Hochschule Freiburg
http://deboraniermann.wordpress.com/

Dr. Susanne Friese, Leibniz Universität Hannover
http://www.quarc.de/

Christian Schmieder: Hi Nikki, yes, you should be able to import the file via the”document” menu (-> “import documents from spreadsheet”). If it doesn’t work, make sure that the required columns are...
Nikki: Hello, I’m just wondering if I can import an excel spreadsheet directly onto MaxQDA, using the “document” bar. I have the two additional columns necessary but MaxQDA still won’t let me import. If you could...
Makmid: This is superb! I find it very much useful to what I’m looking for. It contains some the major issues associated with this method of qualitative research exercise. I definitely am going to reference this material in my...

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