Software

Software for social science research

PSPP

PSPP is an open source alternative to SPSS, which reproduces much of its functionalities. You can easily install it from the Ubuntu Software Center, Synaptic Package Manager or from the command line by running:

sudo apt-get install pspp

GNU R

For more advanced statistical functions, you can use the R statistical package. You can install it from the command line by running:

sudo apt-get install r-base r-base-dev r-base-core r-recommended

R Commander is an easy to use graphic user interface for the R statistical package. To install it, enter the following in a terminal:

sudo apt-get install r-cran-rcmdr r-cran-rodbc

More info on these sites:

http://cran.r-project.org/bin/linux/ubuntu/

http://cran.r-project.org/

RQDA

RQDA is an easy-to-use qualitative data analysis software. With RQDA you can easily do content analysis of your interview transcripts, fieldnotes or any other semi- or unstructured textual data. It is a package of R, so if you want to install RQDA you need to have R installed first. Follow the instructions above to install GNU R. Once you have done this, follow these steps to install RQDA:

1. Install dependencies: in order to run RQDA, you need to install two dependencies: GTK+ and RGtk2. To do this, open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and type the following command:

sudo apt-get install libgtk2.0-dev r-cran-rgtk2

2. Launch R: Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and type R.

3. Install RQDA: once in R you should see the prompt “>”. To install RQDA type the following command:

install.packages(“RQDA”,dependencies=c(“Depends”, “Imports”))

4. Lauch RQDA: once the installation of RQDA is complete, you should see the prompt “>” again. To lauch RQDA type the following command, still within R:

library(RQDA)

This should open the graphic user interface of RQDA in a new window.

5. Exiting RQDA and R: to exit RQDA you just have to close the window. To exit R you have to type the command: q()

Thanks a lot to Ronggui Huang for developing this great package and making it available for all of us. You can find more information about RQDA here: http://rqda.r-forge.r-project.org/, and a user manual here: http://rqda.r-forge.r-project.org/documentation_2.html#manual. You can also find great video tutorials here.

Wired-Marker

Wired-Marker is a firefox addon. I think it was designed as a bookmarking tool, but it can be easily customized to be used for qualitative text analysis. It can be used to code text and create a database with your coding. I will write a more detailed guide on how to use it for content analysis soon. You can find more info here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir…/wired-marker/ and here: http://www.wired-marker.org/en/

Transcriber 1.5.1

If you are doing in-depth interviews as part of your research, this software can be very useful for transcribing them. It provides some useful keyboard shortcuts and segmentation functions. You can export the trasncription in text format and html. You can install it from the Ubuntu Software Center, Synaptic Package Manager or the command line by running:

sudo apt-get install transcriber

There seems to be a bug in Transcriber for Ubuntu 10.10, which won’t let you playback the audio files that you open. A workaround for this issue is openning the software from the command line, using the following:

padsp transcriber

You can also go to System > Preferences > Main Menu, then go to the Sound & Video subcategory, under the Applications category. Select Transcriber from the right pane and then click on the “Properties” button. Then, in the “Command” field, enter: padsp transcriber, instead of: transcriber. That way Transcriber will be properly executed from the Applications menu.

Zotero reference manager

The UvA has licences for both EndNote and RefWorks, but why would you want to use those when you can use Zotero? Zotero is a free and open source bibliography manager application that works as a Firefox add-on. You can easily create bibliographic entries, as well as import them from many different websites (including google scholar and google books). Unlike EndNote or RefWorks, Zotero is open for everyone, which makes it easier to collaborate with people outside the University who might not have access to those private applications.

http://www.zotero.org/

Zotero Plug-in for LibreOffice

This plug-in allows you to have citation tools in LibreOffice, to make it easier for you to write that article or your thesis. You can insert and edit citations and bibliographies, using many different citation styles (including the Harvard style, recommended by the UvA). For best results, use ODT format instead of DOC or DOCX format.

http://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_installation

Text Editors

LibreOffice is many people’s first choice, and one big advantage for researchers is its integration with Zotero. However, you should definetly give AbiWord a try, especially if you have an old computer. AbiWord is a fully feautured, lightweight text editor. You can easily install it from the Ubuntu Software Manager, Synaptic Package Manager or the command line:

sudo apt-get install abiword

Portable Apps on UvA computers

Would you like to use your favorite applications on the PCs at the UvA Study Centers? You can not install software on those PCs, but you can carry your own open source apps with you in your USB drive. I recommend the following portable apps:

LibreOffice Portable

A complete office suit with word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing and database applications. It comes in many languages and supports different document formats (including ODF, PDF, DOC and DOCX). In case you were wondering, Ephorus (the anti-plagiarism service used by the UvA) supports both ODF and PDF formats, so you don’t need to submit your papers in DOC or DOCX formats.

http://portableapps.com/apps/office/libreoffice_portable

Firefox Portable

Using your own portable Firefox allows you to carry your favorite bookmarks and add-ons with you.

http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

Zotero on FirefoxPortable and LibreOffice Portable

Both Zotero and the Zotero LibreOffice Plugin work on the portable versions of Firefox and LibreOffice, so you can also take your referencing software on your USB.

DropBoxPortable AHK

DropBox allows you to synchronize your files along several computers and with a web server, and to collaborate with other users by sharing your files. Indispensable for people who work in more than one PC. With DropBoxPortable AHK you can have file synchronization on your USB drive.

http://dropportable.ho.am/