Session from Salford Business School http://www.salford.ac.uk/business-school doctoral school at the Digital Business Centre. This explain the rationale and some of the basic concepts when it comes to using NVivo QSR for data analysis. NVivo is a tool for helping to you analyse qualitative data but it does not replace the thinking process - there is a need for you to consider the bigger picture of how NVivo will fit into your research project and this presentation offers some themes you should explore before you commit to the use of NVivo.

1. Using NVivo QSR - Theory and
Practice for Qualitative Data Analysis
Dr Aleksej Heinze
Centre for Digital Business
Doctoral Training Programme
www.salford.ac.uk/business-school

2. What specific areas are of interest to
YOU?

3. Session outline
 What NVivo is not..
 Why use NVivo or similar tools?
 Getting your computer ready
 Preparation of documents
 The basic process of analysis:
– Coding
– Developing node trees
– Node diagrams

4. What NVivo is not…
 Solve your data analysis problems
 Write your thesis
 Make your argument
 Useful for a short interview analysis
 Learn to use very quickly

5. Here is what they say
See - http://goo.gl/kWcdQ

6. Why use NVivo or similar tools?

7. Why use NVivo or similar tools?
 Organisation of your data
 Speed of qualitative data analysis
 Scalability of your research
 Traceability of your analysis – important for the
Viva …
 Use of a ‘standard method’ making group
projects easier
 Keeping files electronically available –
portability
 Provides a structure/framework

8. How can we learn to use it?
 We all have our own styles to choose from, but…
 Training sessions see their website:
www.qsrinternational.com
 Very helpful help file!
 YouTube
• www.youtube.com/user/QSRInternational
 Read articles around the area – see references
 Just get started – learning by doing

9. Some NVivo terminology - Node
 Node: a conceptual representation of
codes that the researcher found
significant during the analysis process
using QSR NVivo software.
 Nodes are represented in diagrams and
graphically illustrated with a ball.

10. Some NVivo terminology – Node tree
 Node tree: logical composition of nodes into a tree
hierarchy. Tree node diagrams are organised so that
the root of the tree is at the top.

11. Some NVivo terminology – Sources
 Source: documents that have been imported
into NVivo for analysis and your own ideas

12. Some NVivo terminology – Sources
 Source: documents that have been imported
into invivo for analysis

13. Getting the ‘right’ software
 There are a number of NVivo versions –
7, 8 , 9, 10 …
 Windows Operating System
 Telephone ILS and ask to be added to
the NVivo user group

14. Preparing your data
Very basic level of document analysis
Use MS Word for document preparation
Use styles for headings and for paragraphs
Break down paragraphs into smaller sections

15. Example:
 Q1 Question 1:
 Thank you very much for making it today. The reason for this
interview is to follow up the focus group that we had and then
see from the individual students what they think about the
course. We hope to use these findings in order to improve the
course. We are going away in June for a staff away day and we
will focus there on the issues arising and hopefully we can
improve this course. We would really like your input so that we
can see what can be done better.
 First of all I just wondered if you could tell me what was your
impression of the course overall?
 A1 AMH:
Heading 1
Heading 1
Heading 2

16. Activity: format this text:
AMH: Well it is quite different to me, because it is the first year, even
though it is the second year running of the course. So, being a new person in,
it is really about getting to know everyone, in the first few months, getting into
the system you know the routine using the Blackboard. Because I enrolled
sort of on the last day, I was just thrown in really, but I found it OK. Good
learning curve you know. Lectures I thought were very good, so quite positive
for me really.
The only one thing that I could criticise was the computing networking
assignment, where we were all in one room, and unfortunately it was an
enormous class to start with, and unless you got the tutor’s attention initially –
you were really, you were at a loss in some respects. Now, for me and my
partner in particular, it was a little bit hard to catch on, I found that a little bit
difficult. But that was because of sheer numbers in the class to be honest. But
I think that quite a few have actually left the course, I have seen the numbers
go down quite a bit.
One of the bigger headaches was the one that I brought up at the other
meeting, the parking. Absolutely horrendous, if you are travelling a long
distance as well and you can’t park – I have actually been refused entrance on
two separate occasions. I was told that I could not park across the way unless
I got a permit, although I had no idea that I would have difficulties parking. I
know that it is difficult for everybody to be in the car park, but if you have
enrolled on the course as a part time student it is extra difficult without a
doubt.

18. Inductive vs Deductive ?
Inductive approach: look at your data and see
what it is saying – e.g. Grounded Theory –
• Nodes emerge
Deductive approach: hypotheses which can be
tested in order to support the general ideas. –
• Nodes are predetermined

19. What is Your PhD Flow – Themes?
 Research Problem and why it is important for
academic study
 Research question
 Literature – what did others say about it?
 Data sources and types of collection
 Contributions to knowledge/ practice

20. Analysis process
Image source: NVivo help file

21. Import all files

22. Coding process

23. Organise your nodes into trees

24. Activity
Go to this website:
www.searchmarketing.salford.ac.uk
• Download the content of the pages and save it
in MS Word
• Prepare the documents for Nvivo formatting
• Import the document and code it answering the
question: What is Search and Social Media
Marketing?

25. Build node models

26. Activity
Develop a diagram to represent your findings

27. Summary
 Why use NVivo or similar tools?
 Getting your computer ready
 Preparation of documents
 The process of analysis

28. References
 Gregorio, S. d. (2000). Using NVivo for your literature
review. Paper presented at the Strategies in qualitative
research: issues and results from analysis using QSR
NVivo and Nud*Ist. London
 Heinze, A. (2008). 4.5 Data analysis. Blended learning: an
interpretive action research study. PhD thesis, University of
Salford, Salford. Pages 96 - 107, Available from:
http://usir.salford.ac.uk/1653/
 Miles, M., & Huberman, M. (1994). Qualitative Data
Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook. London: Sage
Publications.

29. @AleksejHeinze
aleksejheinze

30. Using NVivo QSR - Theory and
Practice for Qualitative Data Analysis
Dr Aleksej Heinze
Centre for Digital Business
Doctoral Training Programme
www.salford.ac.uk/business-school