NVIVO

What is NVivo

NVivo is a qualitative data analysis (QDA) computer software package produced by Lumivero. It is a collaborative qualitative analysis software that allows researchers to import, organize, explore, connect and collaborate on their data to reveal more significant insights from their qualitative data faster. 

How to use NVivo

Creating a new Code: To create a new coding grid, click on Codes > Create > Code. You can choose a name and you can choose the hierarchical levels of the codes, if you create more than one. If you want to directly create a new code within a previous one, double click > New Code.

Select a Document from Data > Files. With NVivo it is possible to view both your Code and your Document at the same time. You can create a folder for your files, too.

You can manually assign items to the codes by simply dragging them from the Document to the Code. Otherwise, you can use the shortcut on the bottom. It is possible to add parts of texts but also pictures.

If you want to see what you have been coding of a document, select Document > Coding Stripes > All, it will appear on your right.

To see which statements where assigned to a code, double click on the code. To remove items from a code, select them and then click on the little “Uncode” button.

Annotating: To add annotations, select your sentence, right click and then go to “New Annotation”. You can look at all the annotations you’ve made, by going to Notes > Annotations on the left.

Making Queries: If you work with multiple documents and you are looking for a specific item, you can make a Query and use the “Text Search” button (Files > Explore > Text Search). The results will appear as a summary, but if you’re interested in seeing the determined contexts, you can use the “References” view. To see the whole document where the reference was taken from, click on the file link.

Explore > Matrix Coding Query to check the intersection between two items (for example, between your files and your codes, or between two layers of your code).

Exporting: If you want to further analyze your data on Excel, go to Share > Export > Export and it will result in an Excel file.

Cases and Case Classifications: Cases are “units of observation” in your data that might contain specific individuals, organizations, places, or institutions.

Classifications are broad categories you can use to record descriptive information about the cases in your project. For instance, “Mary” might be a case and “Person” would be the classification.

Whenever we create case classifications in NVivo, we can create attributes within those classifications. Attributes are important subcategories within classifications that can help you to answer your research questions and define your Case.

1. On the Create tab in the Classifications group, click Case Classification.

2. Enter the name of the classification—for example, Participant, Place or Site.

3. Select your case from the text, Case > Create a New Case. Enter the name of the Case, then click on Attribute Values and choose a Classification.

To create a new attribute from scratch, click New Attribute and assign it to your case and then add your Value. For the next Cases you will already see the attributes and you will only need to define the Value.

To assign part of the text to a Case (e.g., something a person said), click on the left on “Cases” and then drag your piece of text to the determined Case.

You can also import classifications, from the section Import > Classifications > Import Classification Sheets. In this way from your metadata you can automatically create new attributes, update the classification of existing items and replace attribute values.