“Goffman became a proxy for old and unsettled arguments about ethnography that extended far beyond her own particular case. What is the continuing role of the qualitative in an era devoted to data? When the politics of representation have become so fraught, who gets to write about whom?”
Gideon Lewis-Krause, “The Trials of Alice Goffman,” New York Times Magazine, January 12, 2016
There are a number of useful qualitative data analysis software programs available today (HyperResearch, NVivo, and Atlas.ti are among them). Reputable companies offer free trials, and I encourage you to test-drive these (costly) programs before purchasing one — to be sure it will do what your research requires. Here is an interesting alternative to standard QDA software programs:
Dedoose.com offers a web-based qualitative (and quantitative) data analysis web app. The first month is free, and after that, there is a (modest) monthly charge. Data are encrypted, and it is possible to collaborate (on data analysis) with other Dedoose app account holders. I haven’t tried this one yet, but this might be worth a look! — EdProf
Qualitative Research in Education 