Use this event registration system to register for upcoming conferences, classes, workshops, seminars, and other training activities sponsored by various departments and offices at UNC-Chapel Hill.
To begin your online registration, simply browse the event listings, select the event you wish to attend and complete the online registration form. Your registration will be confirmed by email.
To Inquire about becomming an Admin of your own events, contact Lori Saddler at lsaddler@unc.edu
Designing AI-Assisted Qualitative Research Workflows (Online)
Location
Online via Zoom
Sponsor
H.W. Odum Institute
Date/Time
02/10/2027
9:00 AM
- 3:00 PM
Event Price
Cutoff Date
02/08/2027
Must register before this date
For more information, contact the event administrator:
Jill Stevens
jill_stevens@unc.edu
Event Presenters
Name
Title
Dr. Trena Paulus
Professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology; Coordinator, Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods, East Tennessee State University
This workshop will introduce participants to a framework for considering the consequences of using generative AI in qualitative research designs and workflows (Paulus, 2023; Paulus & Lester, 2024). We will start by defining digital research workflows and how to engage in technological reflexivity throughout the design process. We will learn how to distinguish between methodological strategies and technological tactics, i.e. why researchers must first know what they want to do before choosing the best tools for doing it (Woolf & Silver, 2018). We will then discuss the genres of AI-assist technologies currently available to qualitative researchers and how to select the most appropriate platform. MAXQDA AI-Assist tools will be used to illustrate tactics currently available to researchers. Next we will consider the consequences of AI-Assisted workflows, acknowledging dilemmas such as how generative AI is challenging the essence of what it means to do qualitative work (Paulus & Marone, 2025; Paulus, Lester & Davis, 2026). Finally, we will discuss best practices for how to transparently report and evaluate researcher use of AI (Lester & Paulus, 2026). Workshop time will alternate between short lectures and demonstrations and small-group discussion and application activities.
References
Lester, J.N. & Paulus, T. (2026) The MERIT Framework: Guiding responsible innovation in qualitative methods. Invited chapter for D. Morgan and S. Friese (Eds.) Qualitative Data Analysis with Artificial Intelligence: Theory, Methods and Practice. Sage.
Paulus, T.M. (2023). Using qualitative data analysis software to support digital research workflows. Human Resource Development Review 22(1), 139-148.
Paulus, T., Lester, J. & Davis, C. (2026). The construction of the role of AI in qualitative data analysis in the social sciences. AI & Society 41, 1737–1748.
Paulus, T.M. & Marone, V. (2025) “In minutes instead of weeks”: Discourse dilemmas on AI for qualitative data analysis. Qualitative Inquiry 31(5), 395-402.
Paulus, T.M. & Lester, J. N. (2024). Digital qualitative research workflows: a reflexivity framework for technological consequences. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 27(6), 621–634.
Woolf, N. H. & Silver, C. (2018). Qualitative analysis using NVivo: The five-level QDA method. Routledge.
This course will count as 6.0 CSS short course hours.
