This short video offers a simple practical example of using NVivo to bring efficiency and transparency to your analytical strategy. This can be a very useful way of ensuring your processes are entirely consistent with your chosen data analysis methodology and its philosophical underpinnings. This example shows three cycles of coding moving from the descriptive (participant led) to the interpretive (participant and researcher led) and final abstraction (researcher led). It encompasses three common elements from many methodologies: coding, managing codes and documenting and synthesizing codes. The example is from a real study courtesy of National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG)
Key Moments
- Introduction00:02
- A coding strategy involves coding, managing codes, and documenting codes through analytical memos or summary statements.
- It is important to ensure that the chosen methodology is consistent and rigorous with the supervisor’s approval.
- Passing data multiple times helps avoid over or under coding and allows for a more appropriate coding process.
- Coding Process01:28
- The coding process involves moving from initial coding to interpretive and researcher-led codes, and finally to theoretical abstract codes.
- An example from a project at NUI Galway demonstrates three rounds of coding: open coding, reordering and clustering codes, and developing themes.
- The process includes subdividing codes by interview stages to track attitudinal changes over time in longitudinal studies.
- Documentation and Conclusion03:35
- The coding strategy is documented in analytical memos and agreed upon with the supervisory team.
- The strategy progresses from descriptive to interpretive to abstract coding, leading to findings and conclusions.
- Using a matrix to subdivide codes by interview stages allows for a detailed analysis of attitudinal changes over time in the final themes.
