LibGuides: Dissertations: Methodology and Statistical Software

Using Software in Your Dissertation

When working on your dissertation and research, you can use a variety of software platforms to help you gather and analyze your data. This page lists a number of different software options, along with the best places to get support and help in using them.

If you have additional questions, reach out to your program instructors and coordinators.

Quantitative Analysis Tools

SPSS
The “classic” choice in the social sciences for quantitative analysis. Widely used and powerful. Contact the CSP IT Help Desk (helpdesk@csp.edu) to request a license.
JASP
Free, open-source, and designed with an intuitive interface for running t-tests, ANOVAs, regressions, and more. Great choice for quantitative analysis!
PSPP
A free alternative to SPSS, built on similar logic. Great for those familiar with SPSS syntax but looking for a no-cost option.
RStudio
Open-source, extremely powerful, and widely used across disciplines. A steeper learning curve, but well worth the investment if you want maximum flexibility.

Need more help? Use these resources to learn more about some of the software listed above.

How to Use SPSS® by Brian C. Cronk
ISBN: 9781003816737

Publication Date: 2024-01-18

How to Use SPSS® is designed with the novice computer user in mind and for people who have no previous experience using SPSS. Each chapter is divided into short sections that describe the statistic being used, important underlying assumptions, and how to interpret the results and express them in a research report.
Data Analysis with IBM SPSS Statistics by Ken Stehlik-Barry; Anthony Babinec
ISBN: 9781787280700

Publication Date: 2017-10-06

"Data Analysis with IBM SPSS Statistics" is a comprehensive guide designed to help you master IBM SPSS Statistics for performing robust statistical analyses. Through a practical approach, the book delves into critical techniques like data visualization, regression analysis, and hypothesis testing, enabling you to uncover patterns, make informed decisions, and enhance data interpretation.
SPSS Statistics for Dummies by Jesus Salcedo; Keith McCormick
ISBN: 9781119560838

Publication Date: 2020-09-09

Covering the latest release and updates to SPSS 27.0, and including more than 150 pages of basic statistical theory, it helps you understand the mechanics behind the calculations, perform predictive analysis, produce informative graphs, and more. You’ll even dabble in programming as you expand SPSS functionality to suit your specific needs.
SPSS Statistics Workbook for Dummies by Jesus Salcedo; Keith McCormick
ISBN: 9781394156320

Publication Date: 2023-05-24

This workbook gives you hands-on exercises to hone your statistical analysis skills with SPSS Statistics 28. Plus, explanations and insider tips help you navigate the software with ease. Practical and easy-to-understand, in classic Dummies style. Practice organizing, analyzing, and graphing data Learn to write, edit, and format SPSS syntax Explore the upgrades and features new to SPSS 28 Try your hand at advanced data analysis procedures For academics using SPSS for research, business analysts and market researchers looking to extract valuable insights from data, and anyone with a hankering for more stats practice.

Qualitative Analysis Tools

NVivo
Well-known qualitative software for coding, categorizing, and analyzing text/audio data. Contact the CSP IT Help Desk (helpdesk@csp.edu) to request a license.
RQDA
A free, open-source option for qualitative analysis that runs within R.
Taguette
A user-friendly, free qualitative coding tool that works well for smaller projects.
CATMA
A free web-based option for qualitative text analysis, especially good for collaborative projects.

Doing Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo by Dimitri Mortelmans
ISBN: 9783031660139

Publication Date: 2024-11-27

This open access textbook provides an introduction to the software program NVivo, the most widely used qualitative analysis program. It is a versatile program with an extensive range of accessible analysis tools, flexibly deployable in the diversity of qualitative analysis approaches.