Ibrahim- you're a star!

Maybe Im a luddite and maybe I will end up using it eventually much more, but it seems to me its good for organising your data but after that ...... its up to you/me/individuals to THINK ABOUT the DATA & DO THINGS with it!

Nvivo is actually a really simple package once you start using it, so if you have the time, I would recommend having a play around with a trial version. Essentially Nvivo allows you to do content analysis more effectively and efficiently than the old school method of cutting and pasting from Word documents (or really old school, cutting and pasting hard copies). Consequently, you don't necessarily need a software package like Nvivo to do content analysis, but like most things, technology does make it just that much easier.

Content theme analysis is a means of data reduction for qualitative or narrative data. Like any data reduction technique the advatange/benefit is that it is a process of synthesising information into insight. Quite frankly I would characterise content analysis as the primary means of analysing narrative information...and would suggest if you are not going to do content analysis what are you planning on doing? I should point out that content analysis is only as good as the data collection process and would suggest you start by keeping meticulous records of your interviews. You also have to think very carefully about what demographic information you are going to collect...as well as logistical issues such as how you are going to capture and store your data.

Please also keep in mind that just like any research/analysis technique it has its advantages and disadvantages. In regards to using Nvivo the program does make the process easier and much better organised, however it will NOT doe the analysis for you...you as the researcher have to do that...and you will still need a solid methodology to do the analysis itself. Nvivo will not improve poor technique or poor methods...that is up to you as the researcher.

Hi

Consider MAXQDA plus for this application. For a good article on MAXQDA and Nvivo use the following link.

http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1518/3133

Hi, it also depends on the amount of data you have to put into the system. It can be extremely helpful to feel that all you have observed and gleaned, is coded, recorded and retrievable, but only if it makes the end task more achievable and doesn't become a burden in itself. Its good that someone has pointed out on here that NVIVO does not do the analysing - its merely a holding centre for all the data. You are deciding what categories you sort things into, what you call them and why they might be important. (You can tell I was taught by those old school sociologists....and meticulous record keeping is vital to your analysis so that you can appreciate different contexts of all the data and quotations from interviews.)

I was helping someone as his PhD research assistant and we used Nvivo. Trust me it was like Magic after mastering the technique. At just a click of a button, youu would easily see the responses given by who. Its important that Nvivo as the main computer uses the GIGO principle. So its important to note that one needs to clean the data very well using standard headings for ease of analysis. Try it for qualitative, it will do for you magic.

Please share what version of NVIVO you are using and on what operating system.

I don't use Nvivo at all.

Ibrahim- you're a star!

Maybe Im a luddite and maybe I will end up using it eventually much more, but it seems to me its good for organising your data but after that ...... its up to you/me/individuals to THINK ABOUT the DATA & DO THINGS with it!

I agree with Jacqueline. It's very convenient when organizing the data. It’s really very difficult to explain but once we get used to it, it becomes indispensable. The new version of Nvivo also allows to do lexical analysis. For those who are fond of combining qualitative and quantitative research, Nvivo also can help you build databases that may be used in other software packages like SPSS. But the major contribution of Nvivo remains the easiness it brings to the thematic analysis.

I have just attended a tutorial course on that and I really feel that it is worth it. I could see also people that were not actually doing research, using NVivo to manage their work info, so what I am trying to say is that it is one of the skills we can take from the masters or Phd.

I used it as part of my thesis but did not go very far with the use of Nvivo as it was a new qualitative research data analysis tool. But it is a very useful and important tool to use in qualitative research as the system automatically analysis the coded data quickly. The coding of the data have to be done properly and the network trees are to be designed carefully.

You can do content analysis with WordStat or qualitative data analysis with QDA Miner: http://provalisresearch.com/products/content-analysis-software/

http://provalisresearch.com/products/qualitative-data-analysis-software/

I am not familiar with NVIVO, I use MAXQDA. I found it very intuitive and the manual for the basics is a few pages long. So its very easy to accelerate the coding and analyse process. One of the biggest advantages in the newest version is the possibility to import PDF files and code them, which is extremely helpful for news paper articles or other secondary qualitative material. I haven't used this new version (but the one before) but if it works, you could use MAXQDA also for research large amounts of research articles in journals. I think you can download a free test version.

I don't get paid for this comment ;-), just a recommendation I also give to my students.

I'm using Nvivo in my Phd and I made some research about advantages and disadvantages of using this software, but I think this link can be useful for you:

http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1518

I wrote a blog post on this a while back. Not very complicated but covers the basics.

https://researcholic.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/benefits-of-using-nvivo-for-data-management/

Raven's Eye is an online natural language analysis tool based. Raven's Eye provides its users with dynamic, powerful, and instantaneous automated analyses of written language. Raven’s Eye facilitates an incomparably intimate and multifaceted understanding of people, as well as the ability to speak to them in highly resonant ways.

If you are interested in a free trial account -email: [email protected]

Let them know you were offered free account on Research Gate and they will get you up and going.

Have a nice day and good luck with your research!