Quirkos Unwrapped 2025: 11 fantastic articles by Quirkos users, published this year
It's been another brilliant year for Quirkos! We released our latest offline version, Quirkos 3, which brings the offline desktop version of Quirkos in line with all the interface updates and new features from Quirkos Web. This has provided a much more simple foundation to build on future releases, so we can better support you, without compromising data security or confidentiality, or locking you into a subscription or forced updates. It also makes sure you can collaborate between offline and cloud users, with the same tutorials and interface regardless of how you prefer to work.
At the end of each year, we like to reflect on the amazing work that Quirkos users have been doing with our software. This year saw over 200 publications and over 200 published theses which used Quirkos as part of the qualitative research process. Some of the incredibly varied monographs and book chapters published this year include:
- Solving the European crisis in social reproduction? Sustainability and justice in the European semester after the Green Deal by Rosalind Cavaghan
- Co-producing Better Mental Health Research with Young Researchers in Educational Establishments by Dave McPartlan
- The State of Corporate Social Responsibility Among the Mobile Network Operators in Azerbaijan: A Stakeholder Theory-Based Thematic Analysis by Ibrahim Niftiyev
- Delusive Speech in the Sharing Economy: Scam Inc. by Julie Reid
- School Digitalization Strategies in Non-strategic Setting: Insights from Islamic Boarding Schools in Rural Indonesia by Muhammad Numan Supriyono and Muhammad Fayyaz Mumtaz
Below, we've curated 11 open-access articles by researchers that use Quirkos, across a huge range of different fields and methodologies, so you can be inspired and get an idea of the amazing qualitative research that has been published in 2025!
Addressing inequities in wellbeing
The role of Black-led community organisations in supporting Black mental health: A Black emancipatory action research project
In the UK, people in Black communities are more likely to have a mental health condition, but less likely to receive adequate diagnosis or treatment from mainstream healthcare institutions. Using a Black emancipatory action research framework, Ejegi-Memeh et al. took part in semi-structured research conversations (a less extractivist alternative to 'interviews' or 'focus groups') to explore how Black-led community organisations approached mental health differently to governmental healthcare institutions, and how they have been able to provide mental health support when mainstream institutions have failed. These conversations were coded through reflexive thematic analysis, and Quirkos was used to develop the coding framework and update it over time.
They found that Black-led community organisations were able to identify gaps in existing support and groups who are more likely to be isolated or excluded. They were able to support mental health by providing structural support (e.g. helping community members to navigate financial issues), rather than treating mental health solely as a medical issue, while communicating with mainstream institutions to advocate for their communities and combat discrimination. They also provided a social community protected from the racism of broader society, and were able to approach mental health from a less Euro-centric white perspective. The authors recommend further collaboration between Black-led organisations, so they can tackle traumatic injustices in mainstream mental healthcare and society more broadly.
Cultivating choices: A photovoice study exploring lived experiences of food environments for vegetable-rich diets across Fiji's rural–urban gradient
This participatory project used photovoice and interviews to explore how easily people in Fiji could access vegetables compared to less nutritious, often imported non-perishable foods. Quirkos was used for analysis with a mix of inductive and deductive codes, and a double coding approach to check mutual understanding of codes. Irache et al. found there was a financial cost barrier to accessing imported or farm-grown vegetables, particularly in the urban context. Participants in more rural areas got vegetables through growing or foraging, but the time and labour cost of this was high and sometimes impractical. Climate change also had an impact on which crops were viable in Fiji, making shelf-stable (albeit less nutritious) foods preferable. The research concludes that obstacles to vegetable-rich diets in Fiji are primarily structural and environmental, and these obstacles should be addressed first to achieve better health and nutrition outcomes.
Exploring new technologies
Mobile apps increase the visibility of women’s work contributions in Mexican small-scale fisheries
Tamhida Ahmed, Magdalena Précoma-de La Mora, Kara E. Pellowe, and Emilie A. L. Lindkvist
Globally, half of the workforce at small-scale fisheries are women, but they often face discrimination, and are frequently overlooked when making business decisions. Ahmed et al. wanted to know if a mobile app to promote sustainable fishing through data logging could make women's contributions to fisheries more visible. They sampled users of the mobile app using Q-sort methodology to identify common opinions and themes, along with semi-structured interviews which were thematically coded in Quirkos. They found that the apps helped to foster a stronger group identity which reduced some of the gender inequities. Women could collaborate more equitably with men and their contributions to sustainable fishing practices were more visible, although there continued to be structural gender inequalities within the industry.
“It’s most likely gonna be the future”: A qualitative study exploring child and parent perceptions of alternative proteins
While there have been many studies into the perception of alternative proteins (meat replacements such as soy and pea proteins, cultivated/lab-grown meat and insect proteins) in the West, this qualitative study expands the scope to parents and children in Singapore. Anant et al. conducted semi-structured focus group discussions with parents and children, collaborating on the analysis using Quirkos with a reflexive thematic approach. Researcher triangulation was used in the analysis process, not to confirm an objective view but to gain a more in-depth view of the discussions from multiple perspectives. The results indicated that widely available meat alternatives were well accepted, but there were obstacles to the acceptance of cultivated meat and insect proteins. These included the unfamiliarity of the proteins, worries around the safety or hygiene of lab-grown meat, perceived safety for allergies or intolerances, and cultural/religious concerns, such as whether cultivated meat would count as Halal. However, it was also noted that parents and children could potentially influence one another to try more alternative proteins, and that the broad availability of current meat alternatives might explain why they were received better. The study suggests that other meat alternatives should be more widely distributed to help foster their acceptance, and recommends clear communication on the environmental benefit of alternative proteins as well as making sure the type of protein is clear on the packaging.
Tracking the impact of social media
Affordances turning intersectional: How hierarchical femininities differently experience TikTok’s features
Obreja conducted in-depth interviews with women in Romania to explore their content contributions to TikTok in relation to their experience of femininity and intersectional power. Quirkos was used to develop a coding framework which was theoretically informed and flexible. It was found that many participants performed hegemonic femininity on TikTok (e.g. femininity which is considered more 'powerful' than other femininities, typically held by white upper-class women who meet mainstream beauty standards). This was one way to negotiate social power on the platform, but this also often involved compromising with or directly promoting patriarchal and heteronormative ideals. By contrast, women who could not perform hegemonic femininity would self-censor more often, due to concern about the consequences of participating in conversations publicly (e.g. harassment, homophobia, racism, transphobia). Women in this position were more likely to criticise TikTok and more hegemonically feminine influencers. Overall, the study shows the complex ways that women negotiate the visibility offered by TikTok, and the ways in which the platform mirrors intersectional inequities in broader society.
How hatred of abortion providers is propagated in social media: An investigation of YouTube videos
Paula Tavrow, Jenny Lee, Frankie Guevara, Ashley Lopez, Cate Schroeder and Aparna Sridhar
Attacks on abortion clinics in the USA have risen significantly since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which constitutionally protected the right to abortion nationwide. This research aimed to investigate differences in anti-abortion rhetoric before and after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and inform the strategy of pro-choice campaigners to help reduce the risk of abortion providers and patients facing violence. Tavrow et al. investigated popular YouTube videos with anti-abortion rhetoric, with Quirkos being used to collaboratively develop the codes (both inductive and content analysis-based, to track specific terms in the videos). They found that providers faced a lot of hatred in anti-abortion videos post-Roe v. Wade's overturning, and were often framed as being manipulative or deceitful about the consequences of abortion, while regretful patients were framed as their victims. Many anti-abortion videos remained available to view which would arguably meet YouTube's criteria for deletion, as they were spreading medical disinformation and/or encouraging hatred or violence towards abortion providers (occupation is not considered a protected characteristic for YouTube's definition of hate speech, but this paper suggested it should be for the providers' safety). The paper provides crucial recommendations for providers to better support patients, as well as guidance for health professionals and activists to help deliver effective counter-messages about abortion which would reduce the risk to providers.
Helping the climate
Exploring perceptions and attitudes towards wildlife in urban home gardens in Bengaluru, India
Varsha Bhaskaran and Charles H Nilon
While human-wildlife interaction is well-studied in the Global North, this article adds a much-needed Global South perspective, with Bhaskaran and Nilon exploring the social impact of urban home gardens and human interactions with local wildlife in Bengaluru, India. Semi-structured interviews with home gardeners were analysed using Quirkos with grounded theory, and combined with data from a quantitative questionnaire. The researchers found that most home gardeners had a positive relationship with wildlife in their gardens, and viewed their gardens as a way to connect with nature. Most took efforts to avoid potential environmental harm or harm to animals (e.g. non-lethal deterrents, nontoxic pesticides). Less 'popular' or 'wanted' animals (such as snakes) were generally tolerated. The participants identified home gardens as an important educational space which could improve the quality of life in cities, and also contribute to wildlife and nature conservation.
Retrofitting Green Infrastructure in Kuala Lumpur: A Document Analysis of Policy Gaps and Climate Resilience
Norhanis Diyana Nizarudin and Khalilah Zakariya
Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia currently has very fragmented urban green spaces, which do not effectively help with the urban heat island effect, which causes higher temperatures in the city. A green infrastructure approach would involve taking a more broadly environmentally sustainable approach to planning and architectural decisions. Nizarudin and Zakariya conducted document analysis using Quirkos to organise and code international green infrastructure policies, comparing them against the current policies in Malaysia to identify room for improvement. The results showed that Malaysian policy was lacking a unified plan to implement green infrastructure, and some policies to promote sustainable development were inconsistently enforced. The researchers recommend upholding set standards for green infrastructure and increasing funding for projects that sustainably develop the urban landscape.
Giving voice to new perspectives
Belonging involves mutuality, agency, and acceptance: An ethnographic exploration of belonging with adults labelled with intellectual disability
Paige Reeves, David McConnell, and Shanon K Phelan
Adults labelled with intellectual disability often experience social exclusion and don't feel a sense of belonging in their communities. Based in Canada, the researchers took a critical ethnographic and participatory approach to investigate potential solutions to this. They conducted go-along interviews with five participants labelled with intellectual disability, and also held an arts-based workshop. The data was coded in line with reflexive thematic analysis in Quirkos Web, analysing iteratively and in collaboration with the whole team. Reeves et al. concluded that belonging is distinguished from just 'inclusion': someone being granted access to a space does not mean they feel welcome or at home there. Agency was a key component of belonging, as well as the acceptance of "alternative norms" of behaviour and social interaction. It was also found that belonging was negotiated mutually between those involved in the social space. The research indicates ways to improve the quality of life for people who are labelled with intellectual disabilities, going beyond just social 'inclusion' which may not, by itself, result in a sense of belonging.
Soundscape and worship experience of contemporary worship music: A case study in Malaysia
Reece S. Puay, Bhan Lam, Andrew Mitchell, and Julia Chieng
This study explored the relationship between spirituality and loudness in a Malaysian Christian church, analysing contemporary worship music as a 'soundscape' that is experienced in the church. The study compared the loudness of contemporary worship services with live musicians compared with other amplified live performances, and how the sound quality and loudness of a service can impact or enhance the purpose of the music for religious worship. Convergent mixed methods were used, with participant observation and interviews combined with quantitative data from questionnaires and sound measures. Puay et al. developed the coding framework using Quirkos, supplementing the qualitative analysis with content analyses of the interviews. As a whole, the music in the services generally exceeded safe levels without hearing protection, but participants gave a wide variety of responses to the loudness of the music. Some preferred the music to be this loud so that they and other congregants couldn't be heard (e.g. when singing along), and did not want to wear ear plugs as this could distract from the immersive worship experience. Others found the music to be too loud and would wear ear plugs as a result, but may not wish to complain. The study recommends stronger communications on safe loudness levels, as well as further research into communally created soundscapes in religious settings, and the cultural and religious connotations of loudness.
Living and learning with a blind mind’s eye: College students with aphantasia
Jenel T. Cavazos, Hannah M. Baskin, Taylor M. Mashigian, and M. Anthony Cavazos
Around 2-5% of people experience aphantasia, the inability to visualise things in your 'mind's eye'. However, there has been no observed difference in learning capabilities between aphantasic and phantasic people. This mixed methods study explores how students with aphantasia learn, and potential modifications to teaching methods to avoid reliance on mental visualisation. The quantitative portion of the study explored students' ability at visualisation, and their usage of specific learning methods. The qualitative portion involved interviewing aphantasic students to get a sense of how they developed strategies for learning, analysed using thematic analysis with Quirkos. They found that aphantasic students did not show significant differences from phantasic students in terms of the broad learning strategies used, but they would use many compensatory strategies, particularly externalising the information (e.g. on paper, in writing), or making "connections to existing knowledge". The study demonstrates a more complex view of how learning operates and how people will adapt their studies to their visualisation abilities, and indicates that more multi-modal forms of teaching/learning would create a more accessible learning experience.
As always, it is absolutely brilliant to see the variety and quality of work produced by Quirkos users, and across so many disciplines! We aim to design Quirkos to avoid imposing a specific methodology on our users, and it was particularly great to see the amount of participatory research completed with Quirkos this year, as well as creative and mixed methods. If you are working on a participatory study, please get in touch – we can offer you free licences for your participants so they can get involved in data analysis! If you've not tried Quirkos before, you can try the cloud or offline version for free for 14 days – we think it's the simplest and most affordable option around.
We have some big updates coming soon, as well as the launch of our textbook next month, Making Qualitative Research Happen. You can subscribe to our blog to receive an email as soon as it's available to buy!
Let us know if you publish anything you'd like us to showcase next year, and we wish you a brilliant holiday season, and a fantastic 2026!