Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Berlin School of Library and Information Science

Software recommendations

With this list, the Information Behavior research group wants offers a selection of recommended software solutions for empirical user behavior research.

This open tool list is not exhaustive. Supplements and instructions are welcome, contact: ilab.ibi (at) hu-berlin.de

Data Scraping

Data Scraping Tools
  • Automap
    Structured data extraction from text formats; free desktop application for Windows
    → additional software for visualisation necessary: CASOS
  • Compare Lists
    URL list comparison; free online tool
  • Email Sourcer
    Text/web page scan to identify contact details; free desktop application for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • Google Autocomplete
    Collection of automatic search suggestions from Google Search; free online tool
  • Google Scraper
    Number of Google entries found; free online tool (Firefox plugin required)
  • IBM SPSS Modeler
    data science, machine learning (ML) and text analysis; free demo version for Windows and Linux (registration required)
  • Internet Archive Wayback Machine Link Ripper
    Hyperlink extraction; free online tool
  • Language Detection
    Language identification for URLs; free online tool
  • Natural Language Toolkit
    Linguistic data processing; free package for Python
  • NVIVO
    Qualitative data processing; 14-day trial version for Windows and macOS (registration required)
  • OpenRefine
    Data structuring and standardisation; free desktop application for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • OutWit Hub
    Web Collection + Extraction of online resources; free, web-based desktop application for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • Source Code Search
    Automated source code keyword search; free online tool
  • Timestamp Ripper
    Identifying the last modification date of a web page; free online tool
  • Translated Labs
    Therminological identification of specialist topics; free online tool
  • Wayback Network per Year
    Website version archive; free online tool
  • Webrecorder
    Website archiving; free online tool (registration required)
  • Wikipedia Cross-lingual Image Analysis
    Figure comparison of Wikipedia articles in different languages; kostenfreies Online-Tool

 

Social Media Scraping & Analysis

Social Media Scraping & Analysis Tools
  • Chorus
    Twitter analysis; free desktop application for Windows (registration required)
  • Expand Tiny URLS
    Expanding of short links; free online tool
  • Hashtracking
    Tag Tracking;paid online tool (corresponding social media account required), 14-day trial version available
  • Hyphe
    Tool for crawling social media data; Open-source tool for Linux (Ubuntu, Debian und CentOS)
  • Keyhole
    Hashtag/Chat tracking; partially free online tool (registration required)
  • Netlytic
    Text + Social Network Analyzer; free online tool (registration required)
  • Tweet Archivist
    Tracking and archive tool for Twitter; paid online tool (Twitter account required)
  • Youtube Data Clouds
    Data extraction for Youtube; free online tool

 

Transcribing

Transcribing Tools
  • descript
    Simple audio transcription parallel to recording; partially free desktop application for Windows and macOS (registration required)
  • easytranscript
    Automatic time stamps, export as YouTube subtitles possible; free desktop application for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • IBM Speech to Text
    Automatic transcription; 500 minutes per month free of charge (registration required) Demo
  • Sonix Automated Transcription
    Automatic transcription for audio and video; paid online tool with test version
    Special offer for HU members; free premium account ($198 per year), $5 per hour material
  • voicedocs
    Automatic online transcription; fee required with free trial version (15 minutes; registration required)
  • webcaptioner
    Multilingual transcription aid; free online tool (Chrome required)
  • wreally
    Automatic online transcription; paid online tool

 

Online Survey

Online Survey Tools
  • LimeSurvey
    Creating surveys, online or via open source software; HU-Licence, version adapted and maintained by the CMS, all data on HU servers (HU account required)
  • SoSci Survey
    Academic surveys incl. data set compatibility for Excel, SPSS and GNU R; online tool, free use for non-commercial & anonymous online surveys (registration required); chargeable for personal data
  • UniPark
    Academic surveys incl. peer review for questionnaires; paid online tool with 14-day trial version (then 3-month subscription; registration required)

 

Statistics & Quantitative Data Analysis

Statistics & Quantitative Data Analysis Tools
  • Google Analytics
    Website tracking and target group analysis; free online tool (registration required)
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
    Statistics and quantitative data analysis; HU-Licence, (HU account required), desktop application for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • R
    free software environment for statistical calculations and graphics; free desktop application for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • R-Studio
    Integrated development environment and graphical user interface for R; free application for Windows, macOS, Linux and also online

 

Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative Data Analysis Tools
  • ATLAS.ti
    Qualitative data analysis; free demo version for Windows, macOS and online
  • easytranscript
    Audio transcription and qualitative analysis of unstructured data; free application for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • f4analyse
    Qualitative analysis of unstructured data; demo version (10 texts) available, application for Windows, Windows portable, macOS and Linux
  • f4transkript
    Audio transcription; demo version available (5 min. playback time, frequency unlimited), application for Windows, Windows portable, macOS and Linux
  • MAXQDA
    Transcription and qualitative analysis of unstructured data (interview transcripts, field notes, AV, surveys, tables, etc.); Campus licence or trial version (30 days; registration required)
  • QCAmap
    Systematic content/text analysis; free online tool (registration required)
  • Quirkos
    Interface for systematic coding and content/text analysis;donation-based Open Access online tool
  • Semantria for Excel
    Text and sentiment analysis for surveys, social media and reviews; free trial version for students & teachers (registration required)

 

Data Visualization

Data Visualization Tools

 

Audio & Video

Audio-& Video-Software
  • Audacity
    Multi-track audio recording; free desktop application
  • HandBrake
    Video format converter; Open-source Software for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • OBS
    Screen recording and audio recording; Open-source Software for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • Screencast-o-matic
    Screen recording; free, web-based desktop application
  • VLC
    Multimedia player; Open-source Software for Windows, macOS and Linux