Resources
Qualitative research, AI, and rigour
Practical, examiner-grade guidance for researchers using AI in qualitative analysis.
Guides & topics
Latest articles
The Audit Trail — Podcast
Cognitive Scaffolding: Can AI-Assisted Qualitative Research Survive the Examiner? (Ep 1)
A 20-minute audio deep dive — an overwhelmed postgrad and a skeptical supervisor interrogate AI-assisted analysis. Streams on-page, full transcript included. AI-generated and disclosed.
14 July 2026Founder Q&A
How Do You Keep Qualitative Research Human-Led When Using AI? A Founder Q&A
QualIntel OS founder Stephen McCurdy on where AI assistance ends and analytical judgement begins — the boundary, seven practical safeguards, and how to write a disclosure that survives a viva.
14 July 2026Methodological rigour
The Gioia Data Structure: First-Order Concepts, Second-Order Themes, and Aggregate Dimensions
The three tiers explained with a worked example, the four moves to build one, common failure modes, and the 2013 citation everyone gets wrong.
10 July 2026Methodological rigour
How to Write an Audit Trail for Qualitative Research (Step-by-Step, with Template)
What to record, a copyable decision-log template, a worked reflexive TA example, the Braun & Clarke nuance, and what changes when AI touches your analysis.
4 July 2026Research methods
What Is Qualitative Research? Definition, Types, and Methods
The definition, the main types (thematic analysis, grounded theory, case study, ethnography, phenomenology), when to use it, and how it compares to quantitative research.
29 June 2026Research methods
What Is Qualitative Data? Definition, Types, and Examples
The definition, the main types (text, observations, audio/video, images), real examples, and how qualitative data differs from quantitative data.
29 June 2026Research methods
Qualitative vs Quantitative Research: Key Differences, Examples, and When to Use Each
The core difference (one measures, one interprets), data types, methods, worked examples, how to choose — and when a mixed-methods design makes sense.
26 June 2026Academic integrity
Is It Allowed to Use AI for Qualitative Data Analysis? Academic Integrity, Explained
Yes — within limits. What journals and examiners permit, where the integrity line actually falls (autonomy, not assistance), and the three habits that keep AI-assisted analysis defensible.
23 June 2026Tools & methodology
5 Best AI Tools for Qualitative Data Analysis (2026)
A ranked comparison of AI tools for qualitative research — purpose-built platforms with audit trails vs applied research tools vs what to avoid. Includes defensibility ratings and pricing.
15 June 2026Tools & methodology
7 Best NVivo Alternatives for Qualitative Research (2026)
A ranked comparison of the best NVivo alternatives — from AI-native tools built for defensibility to free open-source options. Includes pricing, audit trail support, and what each tool is best for.
15 June 2026Tools & methodology
NVivo vs AI Tools for Qualitative Coding: What Actually Changes (and What Shouldn't)
A clear-eyed comparison of NVivo and the new wave of AI qualitative tools — and the one axis (defensibility) that decides which is right for your project.
15 June 2026Methodological rigour
Can You Use ChatGPT for Qualitative Data Analysis? (What Works, What Gets You in Trouble)
ChatGPT can speed up parts of qualitative analysis — but hand it your thesis and you risk findings you can't defend, plus an ethics problem most researchers miss.
15 June 2026Methodological rigour
How QualIntel OS Implements the Trustworthy LLM-QDA Framework (arXiv:2501.00775) — In Full
An axis-by-axis mapping of Gao et al.'s framework for trustworthy LLM-assisted qualitative analysis to a working product — including the prompting-disclosure requirement nobody else ships.
12 June 2026Methodological rigour
How to Disclose AI Use in Your Qualitative Methods Chapter (Without Risking Your Viva)
What examiners and journals actually expect when you use AI in qualitative analysis — the four-part disclosure, a worked example you can adapt, and why the audit trail matters more than any single sentence.
11 June 2026