Christina Silver

Christina Silver, Ph.D. SFHEA, FAcSS is Director of the CAQDAS Networking Project (Faculty of Social Sciences (Sociology) at the University of Surrey, UK) which since 1994 has provided information, advice and training in a range of software packages designed to facilitate the analysis of qualitative data. She is also co-founder of Qualitative Data Analysis Services (QDAS), providing customised analytic consultancy services for individuals and groups. Christina’s interests are in the relationship between technology and methodology (including AI) and the teaching of computer-assisted analysis, and she has published many articles, blogs and textbooks on these topics. She has experience in using a range of digital tools to enact methods in different project types, across academic disciplines, and in applied, government and commercial contexts. Recent work has included enabling researchers to navigate the terrain of Qualitative-AI by encouraging balanced and critical perspectives about its potential role across the qualitative research workflow. This includes discussion of when the use of AI is not appropriate, and when it might be. Christina is widely seen as a leading voice on balanced and critical engagement with the rise of Generative-AI and its impact on qualitative research.

Selected publications include:

  • Silver C. (forthcoming). The Five-Level QDA Method in the Gen-AI Era: Rethinking Qualitative Pedagogy and Practice. In Friese S & Morgan D (eds.) Qualitative Data Analysis with Artificial Intelligence: Theory, Methods and Practice. Sage Publications.
  • Silver C. (forthcoming). Using digital tools to implement qualitative content analysis. In Schreier, M & Weydmann N. (eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Content Analysis. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
  • Silver C, Bulloch S & Salmona M. (2023). Digital Tools for Creative Data Analysis: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Directions. In Kara H (ed.) The Bloomsbury Handbook of Creative Research Methods. ‎ Bloomsbury Academic.
  • Silver C, Bulloch S & Salmona M. (2023). Integrating the online teaching of qualitative analysis methods and technologies: challenges, solutions and opportunities. In Nind M (ed.) Handbook of Teaching and Learning Social Research Methods. Edward Elgar Publishing.
  • Silver C. (2021). Tools for teaching computer assisted qualitative data analysis. MethodSpace article. Sage Publications. https://researchmethodscommunity.sagepub.com/blog/tools-for-teaching-computer-assisted-qualitative-data-analysis
  • Silver C & Woolf N. (2021). Ensuring Analytic Strategies Drive the Use of Chosen QDAS program: The Five-Level QDA method. In Paulus T & Lester J Doing Qualitative Research in a Digital World. Sage Publications.
  • Silver C & Lewins A. (2020). Computer-Assisted Analysis of Qualitative Research, in Leavy, P (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research. Oxford University Press.
  • Silver C, Bulloch SL, Salmona M. (2020.) Critical reflections on the ‘new normal’: Synchronous teaching of CAQDAS-packages online during COVID-19. Editors Notebook. Int. Journal of Social Research Methodology. https://internationaljournalofsocialresearchmethodology.wordpress.com/2020/12/01/critical-reflections-on-the-new-normal-synchronous-teaching-of-caqdas-packages-online-during-covid-19/
  • Silver C & Woolf N. (2019.) Case Study: Using the Five-Level QDA Method with Dedoose in Salmona, M., Lieber, E. and Kaczynski, D., Qualitative and Mixed Methods Data Analysis Using Dedoose: A Practical Approach for Research Across the Social Sciences. Sage Publications.
  • Silver C & Woolf N. (2019.) The Five-Level QDA Method. Foundation entry. In Sage Methods Foundations. Sage Publications.
  • Paulus, T. M., Pope, E. M., Woolf, N., & Silver, C. (2018). “It will be very helpful once I understand ATLAS.ti”: Teaching ATLAS.ti using the Five-Level QDA method. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 22(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2018.1510662
  • Silver C. (2018). CAQDAS at a Crossroads: Choices, Controversies and Challenges. In: Costa A., Reis L., Souza F., Moreira A. (eds) Computer Supported Qualitative Research. ISQR 2017. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 621. Springer. 10.1007/978-3-319-61121-1_1.