Herramientas informáticas para el análisis cualitativo de la imagen audiovisualnuevos recursos para la investigación en comunicación

Abstract

Computer tools for qualitative data analysis have completed a constant process of expansion and consolidation since 1980. Despite these breakth roughs, their usage in Social Sciences still remains as a minority (Silver & Patashnick, 2011). Causes point to a relative lack of knowledge within the scientific community and also to the problems associated with how the development of programs is meeting different needs and can deal with data coming from many different sources. At the same time, the media formats are beginn ing to be used more frequently in the social sciences. Among them, research in ommunication is one of the disciplines involved in these developments, since much of his research is done on audiovisual materials. However, paradoxically, the type of analysis is complet ed on these materials remains anchored in the classical parameters, which refer to the written text and craftsmanship. NVivo, ATLAS.ti, MAXqda or Transana are just so me of the more widespread tools allowing research teams to implement analytical processes in a more systematic, orderly and productive fashion. Many CAQDAS present very different degrees of data integration coming from text, static image, sound or moving image, but all of them make the qualitative dialogue processes throughout the empirical analysis easier. The opportunities are obvious, but limits are also visible as one advance in its daily use. This paper presents, first, a critical comparative study of the major benefits and weaknesses of qualitative analysis software for the management of audiovisual materials, following the references coming from a growing scientific and practical literature developed during the last decade (Lewins & Silver, 2007; Fielding, Lee & Blank, 2008). Moreover, given that the purpose of this paper combines research with dissemination of knowledge, secondly we will present a concrete implementation of one of these programs (Atlas.ti), by means of a qualitative content analysis of television news stories. Both the written full text of this paper and mainly the presentation of the results will show practica l examples of analytical operations that can be developed thanks to technological advances arising from such software.