[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

There are two problems to address here Mandy. The first one is the spec of the MAC. It is too low on RAM for example to cope with running NVivo in a MAC environment. This takes us to your second problem. To run NVivo on a MAC, you must install Windows Parallel which splits the resources between the MAC operating system and NVivo. So your two gigabyte MAC now delivers one gigabyte on the MAC side and the same to Windows which means you are now down to the minimum spec that it’s possible to run NVivo on. I think your idea of a dedicated machine for the project is a good one which cuts out all of the aforementioned problems. I’m sure the machine will not go to waste after the project and hardware has never been cheaper. You could get a range of laptops in the likes of PC World for four to five hundred Euros which would easily give you six gigabytes of RAM which would handle NVivo very comfortably. 

Kind regards,

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Daniel,

 

The project saves to your 'my documents' folder by default. It's a file with a blue round icon called "project name.nvp"  When you say 'upload' it sounds like you may have tried to import the other project rather than convert it from say an older version of NVivo to the newer one. Is this the case? What you need to do is follow these steps:

1. Run NVivo 9
2. Go to file/open and browse to your documents folder for your old project file
3. Select the file and select open
4. You will receive a message saying this project was created in an older version of NVivo and must be converted
5. Select the convert button
6. You will be asked to name the new file – name it the same as your old but with 9.2 at the end of the name so you know which file is the newer one in future
7. Select 'ok' and NVivo will convert and open the file

 

It should be exactly the same as the old one. If you have any difficulty following this or if I have misunderstood your problem; let me know and I will assist further.

 

Kind regards,

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Daniel,

We replied to your earlier posting by e-mail? We noticed that used your work e-mail which is different to the one you entered into your profile on the site which presumably is your personal one. We did get an ‘out of office’ response after we sent our reply. If you check your work e-mail, you will see our response.

The error you are experiencing is an installation issue and you mentioned that you contacted the developer’s support service (QSR International). They will respond but bear in mind they are in Melbourne Australia, so there is normally a 24hr turnaround time for e-mails. As it is now New Year’s Eve over there, I suspect you will not receive a reply until after the weekend.

You will also need to provide more information than you did in your contact with us. You should provide the version of Windows as well as all error messages.

Meantime, you should uninstall and re-install Nvivo as this often address installation errors and this is quite likely to be the first response from the developers also. You should at least eliminate this action before further investigation as to the cause of your problem.  Let us know if this action sorts out your problem?

Kind regards,

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

To quote someone famous – “yes you can”!

It is possible to customise your workspace to see the screen exactly how you want to see it and it is possible to code video using simple drag and drop.

There is a tutorial already posted on coding media files and you can view it here:

http://www.qdatraining.eu/audio

 

Although this tutorial deals with audio, the concepts are exactly the same as video.

However, that tutorial does not deal with customising your workspace so I have posted another to deal specifically with that question and your posting and this time I’ve used video as the example as most people are visual learners when it comes to software so hopefully, this will address your question:

http://www.qdatraining.eu/customizing_workspace

Hope this helps but come back for clarity and we’ll respond by return!

Kind regards,

[QDATRAINING Admin]

The first thing we need to do is immediately upgrade you to 9.2 which is a free upgrade. This may well solve your problem. Open NVivo and go to file -> help -> check for software updates. You will be prompted to download a file. Download the file, close NVivo and run the file.

 

After the upgrade, create a blank NVivo file and save it. Open and re-open the file. If this works, upgrade your project file one last time. It should, following the upgrade, open and close without any difficulty. 

Let me know if this works 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Jo,

I understand completely.  We do have confidentiality agreements in place with many universities but not with your learning institution.  I’m going to suggest a few things to try. Your suggestion is exactly what I was going to do so as to eliminate the project data file from the equation. Make sure the other computer has the latest version installed (9.2). Take one the files you have upgraded and see if it opens on the other machine without prompting. If it does, then the problem is with the installation on your own machine.  If it prompts for upgrade, then upgrade once and then attempt to reopen the upgraded file. If it opens the second time, then your installation is most likely the problem.

I’m going to send you a 9.2 perfect file with tutorial data in it. Tell me if this file opens for you without prompting please?  This will help to eliminate the NVivo installation. http://www.qdatraining.eu/downloads/Jo.9.2.nvp

After you convert the project and work on it. When you then attempt to re-open it after presumably converting it again, does the file show the changes you made after the first conversion?  I suppose I’m diplomatically asking you if you are absolutely certain that the file are reopening is definitely the new saved file and not the original pre-converted file.

If all of these tests come up negative, then you will have eliminated project file corruption, NVivo installation and user error. It’s likely however, that one of these tests will help us to identify the cause. We would have to eliminate these issues in any event before escalating the problem to the developers.  Let us know how you get on as other users may benefit from your experience. 

 

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Okay! I need to eliminate a couple of possibilities. Are you using version 9.0, 9.1 or 9.2? Can you send me a sample of one of the project files that have been converted but will still not open without prompting for conversion? I’m going to send you some simple instructions by e-mail to upload the file to our secure server.  We should be able to get to the bottom of this 🙂 

 

We need to send the upload instructions privately as we don’t publish this information. There are three possible causes:

1.       Problem with the data file

2.       Problem with the NVivo installation

3.       User error

 

I’d like to start by eliminating the project file

 

Kind regards,

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

I’m guessing here but I suspect you are opening the project via the ‘welcome screen’. This is the first screen you see when you launch NVivo and displays a link to recent projects. It is probably still pointing at the earlier file. Assuming you know where you have stored your newly converted file, try using the ‘open file’ button on the bottom left of the welcome screen and brose to your new file. This will work and after you have successfully opened the updated file, it will be added to your links in the welcome screen.

If you cannot follow this or find it confusing; come back to me and I will arrange to demonstrate it to you on-line. It will only take a few minutes. Let me know if you get sorted?

 

Kind regards,

Ben Meehan

The QDATRAINING Team

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Rob,

The good news is the answer to your first question is very straightforward. All you need do is click on the line properties (double click on the line) and a dialogue box will appear which allows you to edit the label. You can change or remove the name.

Your second question is more difficult because you are perfectly right, you cannot edit the label in the tree map to scale and the name gets partially obliterated. Big problem if you are using it as a visual display. There are however other ways to display the same information much more effectively. The tree map you cited uses sources coded to create a graphical representation of the weightings. You could of course simply export the list to Excel where the graphical tools are much less prescriptive and more flexible generally. This will give you the same or similar visualisation capabilities but without the hassle of partially visible node names. Or, you could export the tree map as an image and use text boxes to edit image as in the example below:

 

 

 

 

 

I prefer the Excel option myself. I am afraid NVivo has, in my opinion, some way to go yet with its visual representation tools. If you need clarity on any of this, feel free to come back to me.

Kind regards,

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Iona,

The intersecting you require is possible in NVivo. The first thing we need to check is if the database is set up correctly. Have you set up case nodes and linked your classifications to them? Have you treated your 1 to 9 ratings as attributes? If not, then this is the first conversation we need to have. Once this task has been completed we can then move to reporting on the data in the way you need. 

See these tutorial screencast: http://www.nvivotraining.eu/tutorial2 and: http://www.nvivotraining.eu/people

If you can't figure out if you have set up correctly, then let me know and I will take a look at your set-up and check it for you.

Kind regards,

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Austin,

First of all, thanks for using the forum rather than e-mail because it saves us having to constantly repeat answers and it shares your expieriences with other researchers who may learn from it. 

I would address part 1 outside of the modeller and part 2 inside. For part one, I would export Thomas as a list to Excel. This will give you a table with Thomas’s codes or citations and the weighting or frequencies of those citations (references). From there I would visually represent that using the tools in Excel. Even a simple pie chart should give you what you need but there are other graphical options in there too and this would be a quick and easy solution to showing Thomas’s concerns, lack of concerns and their weightings.

For part 2, I would use relationship nodes. We have extracted Thomas from the thematic codes he shares with others. You are quite right when you say that they now show up in the modeller as Thomas’s codes because they are Thomas’s codes. There is currently no relationship between them and the parents of the thematic codes that he shares with others. I would create relationship nodes between these and define the relationship as say, ‘sub-category of’, I could then drop them into the modeller and use the ‘include relationships’ option to display the relationship you need to show. I would then colour code the populated and non-populated codes. I would then simply manipulate the model and it would look the same as the example you sent (except with real data behind it).

All that said, I fully accept that there are real limitations to the modeller. It has not developed very much since version 7 (for example we had to go to Excel to address the first part of your enquiry). Some people create basic models in NVivo and then export to products with better graphical abilities such as Smart Draw, Visio or even PowerPoint.

Hope this helps!

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

I’m really sorry for the delay in responding to your post as the whole team is in Ethiopia this week working with the Ethiopian Public Health Administration. We had no internet connection since Tuesday and have only arrived back in the capital Addis Ababa just now. 

You problem is easily solved! Create a matrix for Thomas. In the column put the child nodes for "Climate change impacts". In the row, put Thomas! After you run the matrix, transpose if you prefer that view. You will have a list of Thomas's codes AND the empty ones for Thomas. Next, close the matrix and copy it. Create a folder called say, "climate change impacts by case". and paste your matrix as nodes. Be sure to tick the option 'include empty matrix cells'; otherwise you will only get Thomas's coded content and you want both. 

Now you have the option to drop Thomas into the modeller or export him to Excel where you may have more graphical options.

If you find this difficult to execute, let us know and we will demonstrate for you on-line.

Kind regards,

 

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Mouna,

I'm afraid, NVivo does not support left to right languages such as Arabic as of now and I'm not aware of any plans by the developers (www.qsrinternational.com) to rectify this situation. We get a lot of enquiries about this. As of now, if you import Arabic text into NVivo, it chops the end of the text on the right and although I've worked with researchers who have done their projects despite this problem, I personally could not live it. 

So I guess the whole Arab world will have to look elsewhere for a solution to their computer aided qualitative data analysis needs which is very unfortunate. I'm sorry I could not be of more help. However, the package Atlas.ti does support Arabic text. Have a look at this:

http://www.atlasti.com/productintro.html

Kind regards,

Ben

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Not a good plan to post your e-mail address on a Forum. It may be picked up by spammers. If you need to contact via e-mail you can use support@qdatraining.eu and we will respond. I have removed your address from the previous post. This account is protected from spam.

Kind regards,

Ben

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Danelle,

I think a discussion is in order rather than trying to deal with this in a series of forum replies. If you go to this page:

http://www.qdatraining.eu/support 

You need to read the instructions and download the requisite file (this wil make more sense when you have read the instructions). We then need to arrange a time to meet on-line and I can demonstrate your options to you. Bear in mind Danelle that we are in Europe and probably about five hours behind you so your afternoon is optimum because it will be our evening here. 

This is the most efficient way manner to proceed from here.

Kind regards,

Ben

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Danelle,

First thing to consider is, is the database set up correctly. You don't say how the data is currently formatted. Is it in spread sheet, text files etc…? If you have background demographics or other profiling information, these should be  set up as classifications and linked to case nodes?

Next, if all you need to do is conduct a thematic analysis of each question, then you could code all the responses to question 1 to a single node (you can probably automate this bit). Then, open the node and code it's content to sub or child nodes clustering them by theme. Have a look at the tutorials here as a good starting point:

http://www.qdatraining.eu/tutorials

When you have looked at the basic tutorials we might log on and take a look at your set up. Let us know if you need this?

Kind regards,

Ben

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi

I'm afraid we will need more information to be able to help you resolve this issue. You have posted this request for help anonomously. I suggest you create a free account on the webite here:

http://www.qdatraining.eu/user/register

OR

Send us an e-mail at:

support@qdatraining.eu

Kind regards,

The qdatraining.eu Team

---

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Angela,

 

You only need one folder and a clear naming convention for the files. So if my interview is called BEN and I create a folder under internal called 'Interviews' the link above any text I code to a node will look like this – Internals/interviews/Ben so you will know where any text segment or 'unit of meaning' is coming from at a glance.

 

The process for connecting everything up is as follows:

Create a new classification and call it cases

Right click on the classification and select create attributes

Create attributes and give them values (Attribute = Gender Values = Male/Female)

Create a folder under nodes called cases

Create case nodes (right click on your sources and select the 'create as cases – the last option – cases plural not cases singular)

Select all of your cases and right click and select classification/cases

Go back to your classification and right click on it and select open classification sheet

You will see your cases on the left and your attributes across the top. It will look like this:

 

Cases Gender

Ben Unassigned

 

Assign the correct values to each case from the drop down menu (Ben = Male)

Everything is now connected up correctly and you have a much broader scope for your analysis.

 

If this is unclear send me an e-mail and I will arrange a time to demonstrate this on the web.

Hope this helps!

Ben

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

It's true that the PDF converter leaves a bit to be desired. When you import, NVivo automatically converts to a regular NVivo document but a lot of the formatting in the original PDF is lost. My solution is to convert the PDF to Word first and then import. There are very good and reasonably priced PDF editing software out there now which will open a PDF for editing and then export it perfectly formatted to MS Word. Take a look at 'Smart PDF Editor Pro' It works very well and is very reasonably priced.

 

Hope this helps!

Kind regards,

The qdatraining Team

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Ingrid,

Yes you can count words by paragraph. You need top do a two step process as follows:

1. Auto code your document by paragraph. this will give you a parent node with a child node for each paragraph
2. Run a matrix on the these new nodes and change the cell content from sources to words coded.

The result will be a table showing a row for each paragraph in your document and displaying the number of words for each paragraph. The whole process should take seconds to complete so if it takes longer, you are doing something wrong. 

If you need either of these processes demonstrated on-line just let me know and we can arrange a time. You can do this by sending an e-mail to support@qdatraining.eu 

Kind regards,

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Ingrid,

 

Welcome to our site. Yes you can do a word count for text. To do this:

 

1. Go to queries in the navigation screen (the buttons in the right bottom corner of your NVivo screen)
2. Go to the 'Explore' tab in your ribbon (toolbar)
3. From the 'new 'query' menu – select 'Word Frequency Search'
4. Select the add to tick box in the top corner of your screen to save your query for re-use or to amend it (you will need to give it a name)
5. Change the all sources drop down menu if you wish to narrow the search from everything to say a set of nodes or sources
6. Change the most frequent levels down from the standard 1000 if you wish to reduce the return
7. Increase the minimum length to about four characters so as to eliminate returns like "the" or "as" etc
8. You can review the results as a list (each word can be converted to a node)
9. You can view the results more visually by clicking on the following tabs at the side of the results screen: 'Tag Cloud' 'Tree Map' or 'Cluster Analysis'.

I'm not sure what you meant in your second 'shout' about "classifications and attributes" but if you need help with these you can post a question on the forum below and a trainer will respond within one working day:

http://www.nvivotraining.eu/forum/3

 

I hope this is somewhat helpful but do come back to me if you need clarity on any of this.

Kind regards,

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Lisa,

I think I have partially addressed this in my last mail.

We can support you in getting up and running with NVivo whether you use our transcribers or not.

That is no problem and there is no cost attached to this support

Dragon Naturally Speaking is a good piece of software once you know its strengths and limitations.

It is really useful for people with no keyboard skills whatsoever. It does type very fast.

However, it can only work with your voice as you have to train it. You cannot use it for your participant voices.

In addition, it does not punctuate, and frequently (very frequently actually) types a completely different word to the one spoken.

Our experience (we don't use it) is that it takes at least as long to correct the errors and punctuate as it does

for a competent typist to type it in the first place.

Hope this answers your question but do come back if you need more information.

Kind regards,

Ben

[QDATRAINING Admin]

See above or create an account (it's free) and you we can give you direct support.

Kind regards,

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Lyle,

I always think it's easier to learn with live data. Also, if the time frame between getting the initial tutorial and working with real data is too long, you will forget the mechanical steps you need to know. On the other hand, having a grasp of the capabilities of NVivo can help in planning your data collection. For example, using your topic guide to format the data for initial coding. Same with integrating your back ground information. It helps to know how you are going to use this information in your analysis before you collect it. 

I suggest you focus on your pilot or initial interviews and we conduct the session at that point. That still gives you time to make any planing/data management decisions before going back into the field and you will have your database set up for when you get back.  

Kind regards,

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Lyilo,

Yes nodes are for storing common thematically coded content which in your case is segments of text or 'units of meaning'. You give each node, or code, a label and a definition (the definition allows you to claim consistency of coding in your methodology chapter) and you code the data to these nodes. You can also organise the nodes like folders in windows which allows you to manage your coding and impose a structure on your data which makes sense to your analytical framework. 

In response to your question on case nodes; you code each transcript in its entirety to case nodes. The purpose of case nodes is to link your background information and integrate what people said (the content of their interview) with who they are (the background information and demographics you may have recorded about your participants) By setting up this architecture in your database you are facilitating a more robust enquiry because you can now ask more sophisticated questions of your data and get instant returns such as the degree to which the intangibles under scrutiny in your study (attitudes and beliefs for example) impact on tangibles such as age or gender for example. Case nodes allow you to fully explore patterns that may exist in your data based on your coding. And they allow you to produce evidence in support of key findings. In essence; case nodes allow you to do more than a basic thematic analysis. 

Finally Lyilo, your questions are probably too many to deal with effectively in a forum like this. I don't know if you came across our offer on the website for a free on-line one hour tutorial to get you up and running. If you feel you would benefit from this it can be easily arranged and something like this is probably all you need to get going with your analysis. The objective of this one hour free session is to:

1. Identify what is your data
2. Set up your database
3. Consider a coding strategy in-keeping with your chosen methodology and its philosophical underpinnings

If you wish to avail of this offer to members of the website send an e-mail to support@qdatraining.eu 

Hope this was somewhat helpful. 

Kind regards,

The qdatraining.eu Team

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Yes, you can merge the coders’ work into a single a file which will not look messy. To demonstrate this, I have uploaded a short animated tutorial on the website to demonstrate what I mean. This was based on an inter-rater reliability test I conducted myself in Tanzania two weeks ago using six coders Forgive the editing error just after the start as I did not have time this evening to fix it. You will need to log in to see it but you can find it here:

http://www.qdatraining.eu/intercoder

 

This will not address address all of your questions but at least it will give you a sense of how it works and if you see the clip, then make a note of your questions, I can deal with the questions immediately afterwards. I suggest you go to the support page, read the simple instructions and download the requisite file. This will allow me to demonstrate the process live on your desktop while we have a conversation. It might be easier and more efficient than conducting such detail through e-mail. I will leave you to decide but the support page may be found here:

http://www.qdatraining.eu/support or, simply reply by e-mail if you prefer. If you decide to go for an interactive demonstration then we will need to arrange a mutually suitable time to do this.

 

You can see a blog I wrote some time ago about team projects here:

http://www.qdatraining.eu/plan 

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

Hi Jaya,

Thank you for registering your interest and all comments about your research endeavors are most welcome. So too are any concerns or request for help and support as we build an independent community of researchers who share an interest in computer aided qualitative data analysis systems. . 

Kind regards,

qdatraining team 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Conny,

I am in DCU today but will get back to you this evening and log in to look at that menu problem.  It’s ridiculous that TCD does not have a site licence which would resolve the issue with laptops. It’s actually discriminatory because SPSS is available on this basis. Can you try one other thing for me? Right click on an audio file and select open with and the audio programmes installed will be displayed. At the bottom of this menu there will be an option to set the default programme for opening audio files. Set this to Windows Media Player and see if this resolves the problem? Sorry for being so rushed.

Talk later! 

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Conny,

I have downloaded and played the file successfully both outside and inside NVivo. In addition, given that ‘peter’ is refusing to play inside NVivo on your machine, we can safely eliminate the audio files or NVivo as being the cause of the problem. The problem is local to your machines. The only other possible cause is the media player used by NVivo in the background is conflicting with your other software or possibly is not up to date. I can check this with QSR after the weekend but could you do something first? Please check that you have the latest versions of Windows Media Player installed and Quicktime. Also, that all windows updates are installed. Doing this may may eliminate the problem before we take it further.

 

The licence key is for one machine only I’m afraid.  I’m not sure what is going on with the playback speed menu but I will log in on Monday and take a look at this when we have sorted out the bigger issue of the files not playing correctly.

 

Let me know if the update makes any difference please?

Warm regards,

 

[QDATRAINING Admin]

 

Hi Conny,

 

Your approach to the case nodes is perfect. One case per person with all relevant data coded to it in its entirety. The issue with the speed is because you need to first switch to ‘transcribe mode’ in order to adjust the speed.  Click here for instructions with screenshots . The issue with the poor sound is unusual and could have several causes. You have done nothing wrong during the import process. First, do the files play correctly outside of NVivo? Are you running the files on a computer with good memory? Can you send me one of the files as I can’t hear your speakers when I log in remotely? If the file is very large you will not be able to e-mail me the file. So, I have set out some instructions below which will allow you to  upload the file to a secure folder from where I can then remove it to my own server. Instructions below:

 

To upload the file to a secure server:

You will need to go to the following website:

http://www.drivehq.com At the top of the screen, you will see an option to enter a user name and password. These are:

User Name = benmeehan

Password = b0101m

 

After you log in – you will be taken to a set of folders and one of them will be calledConnie Opitz. Open this folder. It will not contain any files. Then, click on the upload button on the top toolbar of the screen just below your browser toolbar. It should be second from the left. This will take you to a new screen that has four options to ‘upload’ files. You only need to use one unless you are sending multiple files. You can simultaneously upload up to five files. Select the browse button and browse your own computer for the project file. Then, click the orange ‘submit’ button. The file will begin to upload. Once uploaded, you will be taken back to the original screen and you will see the project file there. Log off the website and the job is done. Notify me by e-mail that you have uploaded.

 

 

This will give me an opportunity to explore the issue and advise on a solution.

Warm regards, 

[Author]

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