NVivo 8

This is a two-day course held in either Sydney CBD or in Randwick.  This course assumes no prior knowledge of NVivo software, and is suitable for beginners and those wishing to work with either NVivo 8 or NVivo 7.  Participants are introduced to all of the software’s features and given time to work through exercises and create a project from their own data.  Choose from options allowing you to bring your own laptop or use a high spec desktop (CBD) or laptop (Randwick).

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Course Information
For the training exercises we will be using data that I provide.  Be sure to bring some of your own data as well as there will be blocks of time devoted to establishing your own project and developing it.  Participants consistently report that using their own data advances their skills and enables them to solve start up and design problems.  File formats .doc, .docx, .txt .rtf or .pdf can be imported directly into NVivo 8 (see note on Pdf files below for NV7).   If you haven’t collected any data as yet, you could bring along some literature to start analysing, or some of the material you have collected around your research project.  Whatever you bring, you will get best learning outcomes if it is meaningful data that you want to analyse. 

Day One: Setting up and organizing your project; working with all types of research data

Day one focuses on creating a project and organizing your data to maximize the use of NVivo’s tools of analysis later in the course. During the morning of day one we cover the necessary fundamentals of memoing, annotating, linking and coding data. Session 3 on both days is devoted to setting up and working with your own project and allows time to trouble shoot project design issues – and includes guidance on how to avoid the pitfalls of poor project design and ineffective use of research time. Our final session of the day is dedicated to working with audio and/or visual data, as well as data that you want to work with, but not import, you’re your project.

Day Two: Query design to answer analytical questions; graphical representation of query results and other data

Day two reviews the basic skills from day one and encourages greater understanding of NVivo’s tools. We start the day by linking text-based data to associated survey (quantitative) data, which helps us, in Session 2, to run simple and complex analyses using the query tools. In Session 3 we begin to utilize these query tools (in your own project) and discuss coding hierarchies, mixed methodologies, and many other project development issues. In our closing session on Day 2 we look at NVivo’s reporting functions, including web reporting and publication, and focus particularly on the graphical representation of all our data types.

Bringing along some of your own data is the best way to make the most of the learning environment. A little work formatting your own data prior to the course will facilitate progress on your project.

Could all participants ensure they bring along a mouse – and especially so for anyone intending to use a MAC (booted under windows).

Course Notes 
A full set of notes provided. 

Refreshments
Tea, Coffee and Juices available all day, morning and afternoon refreshments and lunch supplied. Please advise if you have any special dietary requirements. 

Venues
Sydney CBD: Saxons Training, Level 10, 10 Barrack Street, Sydeney - a 5 minute walk from Wynyard station, up George Street towards Town Hall.

Randwick: The Centre, 14 Frances Street, Randwick. (Cnr Frances and Cook Streets) - Onsite parking very limited - a 10 minute walk from UNSW. Buses run from Central, details available.

Formatting Interviews Prior to the Course:
Interviews, focus groups, field notes, existing project notes and literature are all suitable to bring along and create a project from, and can be formatted in advance (see below) to expedite your set up process. Formatting for other types of documents will be discussed during the workshop, however if you have text data in an excel spreadsheet (columns with anything other than prescribed/categorical values) you may wish to consider/explore ways of converting it into a word document. More about that at the workshop.

Recommended formatting for interview texts is shown below, with interviewer/interviewee in Style heading 3 (format menu/styles and formatting). The interviewer/interviewee (or their name or alias) could have a colon (or any unique identifier) following or preceding it, to help with data management issues later in the project.

Interviewer: (or alias in a style heading 3)
text text text

Interviewee: (or alias in a style heading 3)
text text text

Interviewer:(or alias in a style heading 3)
text text text

Interviewee: (or alias in a style heading 3)
text text text

Formatting for other data types will be discussed at the workshop.

Computing Skill
A "reasonable" level of skill with MS Word is assumed. Participants need to be able to navigate around documents, save them as different file types, apply style headings and perform basic functions like cut, copy and paste. People who cannot operate efficiently at this level may find they have a double learning curve for the first half of Day 1. Please let me know if you have any concerns in this area.

Software:
If you need to load NVivo software onto your laptop – this is best done via  http://www.qsrinternational.com/DemoReg/DemoReg1.asp"   If you have any problems with the installation please call me prior to the course.   (There is no internet connection or IT assistance at the venue, you must ensure you have the software working before the workshop).

Project Days 
The point at which you may need help is at the “what now?” stage:  I’ve done a lot of coding and some analysis but I’m not sure where to from here.  In this case you need to be asked strategic questions that will help you to orient and reshape or refine the evolved project, in order to stay aligned with your key research questions and accommodate worthwhile new ones. 

These days are designed to provide inexpensive access to research advice and mentoring and exposure to peers at different stages of their projects.  The Project days are run as small group events in comfortable and relaxed  surroundings.  The aim of the day is to stimulate your thinking about your project and move you through to the next phase and closer to completion.  These days can be run on or off campus; with an optimum group size of 5 or 6 people. 

1 on 1 Consulting
Use some one on one time to refine your project design and keep you on track.  Access ideas about how to structure your data in NVivo for best results and how to generate results that answer the questions you have about your project.  One on one time is invaluable when it comes to clarifying your research goals and saving you time achieving them.  If there are several people in your university or organisation wanting to learn NVivo it may be advantageous to conduct a training session on-site. Please contact Robyn to discuss arrangements for an on-site training course.