The overall process must be seamless, avoiding clutter and complexities so you can find what you aim for. But it’s not easy. It becomes challenging to manage a large amount of data from a research project. People struggle a lot in organizing and presenting information so that it becomes easy for them to analyze it. No matter how good you are at research, if you don’t manage your data correctly, you can end up being frustrated, and it will consume much more time than it should. This is where Atlas.ti comes into the picture. It will help you organize, manage, present, and analyze your data effectively with its robust capabilities. Let’s find out about Atlas.ti and how it can help you in your research projects.
What is Atlas.ti?
Atlas.ti is an all-in-one research software that helps researchers, educational institutes, and scholars to discover insights hidden from raw data. This powerful workbench enables you to analyze large amounts of data consisting of texts, videos, audio, and graphics. Serving people for more than three decades, Atlas.ti is an easy-to-use and intuitive cloud-based data analysis and research software. The tool works across devices and platforms and offers automated processes and collaborative workflows to provide excellent results. It can handle large data volumes and files to process, organize, and analyze and gain actionable insights from research work. Researchers from universities, research institutions, and corporations from multiple fields use this tool. They come from backgrounds such as quality management, management studies, economics, educational science, sociology, criminology, anthropology, medicine, communications, and many more.
Features of Atlas.ti
Atlas.ti provides a set of valuable features and tools to help you dig deeper into your data, no matter how complex it is. Its main features are:
#1. Supports multiple data types
Atlas.ti supports a large range of data types in various formats. You can work with hundreds of photos, documents, and video or audio clips seamlessly. It supports text files in formats, including .doc, .txt, .docx, .pdf, and .odt. In addition, you can perform automated searches in multiple documents, enjoy auto-coding, and benefit from other useful semantic operations. It will help you extract deeper meaning from your textual data. The audio formats it supports are .mp3, .wav, .wma, etc. while supported graphic formats are .mp4, .avi, .wmv, and more.
#2. Data imports
It allows you to import data from Twitter, Evernote, and your preferred reference manager to enable literature review. In addition, you can also opt to import complete surveys and analyze answers.
#3. Central workspace
You get a centralized workspace to organize all your data neatly. It serves as a robust container to store your data. It allows you to access all the fundamental project elements such as code, documents, memos, groups, hyperlinks, networks, highlighted data segments with comfort and speed.
#4. Coding
You can perform coding efficiently by dragging your code onto the chosen piece of information. Additionally, you can use the Project Explorer, Co-occurrence Explorer, and Object Manager to navigate and browse the project data.
#5. Linking
Your research must be backed with solid arguments and proof to increase its credibility. For that, citing the proper source is something you should never ignore. Atlas.ti makes it possible by allowing you to link your research materials semantically, so it makes sense.
#6. Mind maps
Mind maps help you visualize your data so you can extract meaningful information out of it. You can present data, make modifications, and find gaps easily using these maps. Atlas.ti offers this feature that helps you easily create beautiful mind maps to visualize your interpretations and findings.
#7. Interactive margin area
It provides a unique workspace that is hardly found in any other software in the market at present. It allows you to interact with your research data intuitively and transform the pen-and-paper analogy to stay competent in the modern, digital world.
#8. Quotation level
Atlas.ti’s quotation level is also unique. It provides analytical coding and supports interpretative and inductive research approaches such as discourse analysis, hermeneutics, sociology of knowledge, phenomenology, etc., that are not available in other software tools.
#9. Language support
Atlas.ti is Unicode-enabled and manages data in various character sets and languages practically. It lets you assign documents and mix languages in the documents or projects. At present, it supports languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Chinese.
Who should use Atlas.ti and why?
Atlas.ti is a great tool for UX research, QDA and mixed approaches, dissertation, thesis, and term paper. Scholars, researchers, and other professionals from different industries can leverage this tool to make their research work easy and exciting using the tool’s capabilities. It’s a handy tool for professionals in medicine, economics, anthropology, criminology, and more. Its users work at hundreds of universities, corporations, and research institutions, such as MIT, Princeton University, Mayo Clinic, Nokia Corp., Rolls-Royce Plc, Yahoo, and many more.
Products of Atlas.ti
Atlas.ti offers the following products:
Atlas.ti Cloud: You can perform your data analysis to find valuable insights using this cloud-based toolAtlas.ti 9 Windows: Uncover complex phenomena from your data using this product’s intuitive and powerful work environment for Windows.Atlas.ti 9 Mac: If you are a Mac user, use this native Mac application to conduct effective research while enjoying the flexibility and power of this QDA softwareAtlas.ti Mobile for iPad: Start your research work using the free Atlas.ti Mobile application for iPad and perform tasks wherever you are.Atlas.ti for Android: Use this convenient Atlas.ti Mobile application on your Android phone to perform essential tasks on the go.
Benefits of Atlas.ti
#1. In-depth analysis
With this software by your side, you can analyze your data in depth. You can code systematically while developing a deep understanding of your research subject. In addition, you can explore data using the Text Search Tool, Network Editor, word frequency tables, word cloud, and other query options. This way, you will be able to discover hidden aspects of all your data and its meanings.
#2. Integrated visualization
Atlas.ti’s network or visualization function is also excellent. It provides a highly integrated way of managing and working with the data. You can use it for both purposes – analysis and visualization. This way, the tool allows you to organize, present, and analyze data at the conceptual level.
#3. Handles a larger number of projects
This software can handle larger projects containing tens of thousands of documents and coded data segments. It works seamlessly across different kinds of projects across industries. Hence, it is suitable for professionals, no matter what field they come from.
#4. Effective collaboration
You can enjoy a highly collaborative environment. Its general principles and dedicated tools make team collaborations a piece of cake. This way, you can better organize and analyze data with your team to extract meaningful information. And don’t worry about privacy; Atlas.ti is fully compliant with GDPR guidelines.
#5. Easy to learn and use
Learning how to use Atlas.ti is easy with no need for extensive technical skills. Its interface is intuitive and clean to organize and analyze data with no complexities. If you have basic computer skills, you will be good to go. All you have to do is upload your files to the workbench, and start analyzing. If you want to learn more about the software and its methodologies, you can join their free webinars. They also do workshops worldwide, online, or face-to-face to make the tool more familiar to you. You can even opt for a self-paced online learning course in Spanish and English. In addition, managing users and licenses is effortless; the moment one user logs out, the seat becomes available to another user immediately.
#6. Device compatibility
Atlast.ti is cross-platform compatible and works seamlessly with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android. It also comes with a web version, so you don’t have to download any software. Its Mac and Windows versions are fully compatible with one another, which makes it easy to move projects any time between them. This is helpful, especially if you have a team with mixed devices. It also enables importing projects from its web version to Mac or Windows desktop versions with ease, and vice versa.
#7. Fantastic user support
You receive unsurpassed user support with multiple channels. You can overview the software through their free webinar sessions held in several languages. They also have helpful videos and a quick tour of the software on their YouTube channel to help you master the tool quickly. In addition, you can reach out to them 24/7 or call during their office hours to get your questions solved, if any. Their support center comes with an advanced helpdesk system to help you conveniently contact their support staff and developers to get a response in shorter response times.
Pricing
Atlas.ti’s software package is a one-stop solution to varying needs with no hidden fees (no in-app billings) or extra charges. Here are different pricing tiers available for Atlas.ti:
Educational License
It’s for use in research and teaching by degree-granting, accredited educational institutes, and their teams. It has the tool’s web version and desktop versions for Mac and Windows.
Lease: You can take the plan as a lease to pay annually and get your software updated automatically when the new version releases. It starts from $20/month for web only and $240/year for a personalized desktop license for one user on Mac and Windows desktops.Buy: You can buy the software by paying a one-time fee that starts from $750 for web and desktop versions.
Student License
This license is for doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students who can apply for a specially-priced license type and use the unrestricted software version for their studies. To avail, you must have a current and valid student ID from an accredited higher education institution. In addition, you must have your passport or official ID with a matching name and photo on it for verification. It requires you to fill a short form, enter all the required credentials, and send your documents to the concerned address by fax or email. Once your credentials are approved, you’ll receive a link via email to buy the software at a reduced rate. The pricing for the student license is:
Web-only license: $10 for 30 days for the web versionSemester license: $51 for 6 months for PC, Mac, and web versionsLicense extension: $89 for extending the semester license to 2 years for PC, Mac, and web versions2-year license: $99 for 2 years for PC, Mac, and web versions.
Non-commercial and Government license
It’s for non-profit organizations, national/local government institutions, NGOs, supranational institutions, and their employees. The pricing is:
Lease: $35/year for the web version, $380/year for PC, Mac, and web versionsBuy: $1,290 for a single user for PC, Mac, and web versions
Commercial
It’s for commercial use such as training, administration, consulting, and non-academic research. The pricing is:
Lease: $50/year for the web version, $600/year for PC, Mac, and web versionsBuy: $1,840 for PC, Mac, and web versions.
There’s also a free trial that you can opt for to check how Atlas.ti works.
Conclusion 👨🏫
Atlas.ti is indeed an efficient, intuitive, and powerful tool to conduct research, qualitative data analysis, thesis, and dissertation. Its valuable and unique capabilities enable students and professionals from wide-ranging universities, educational institutes, and corporations to discover meaningful insights from their data. Thus, you can consider this tool for your next research project and leverage its incredible capabilities.
