conducting a qualitative content analysis for systematic literature reviews: using nvivo

Conducting a Qualitative Content Analysis for

Systematic Literature Reviews: Using NVivo

ABSTRACT This document contains a step-by-step guide of using

NVivo to conduct a qualitative content analysis for

systematic literature reviews.

Philip Adu, PhD. Methodology Expert National Center for Academic & Dissertation Excellence (NCADE) The Chicago School of Professional Psychology [email protected] @drphilipadu

Qualitative Content Analysis for Systematic Literature Reviews/Philip Adu

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Outline

Introduction to NVivo

STEP 1: Prepare the data

STEP 2: Create code frame

STEP 3: Upload the data into NVivo

STEP 4: Create a container (Case Node) for each research article

STEP 5: Import the excel spread sheet with the article characteristics

STEP 6: Check whether the connection between the case nodes and the characteristics

worked

STEP 7: Create nodes for the code frame

STEP 8: Drop significant information into their respective nodes

STEP 9: Categorize the codes


2

Introduction to NVivo


3


4


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Access to NVivo Software

Free Trial: http://www.qsrinternational.com/trial-nvivo

Student version:

o For Windows:

http://www.qsrinternational.com/products/nvivo/pro/education/new/nvivo11prost

ulicense12mon

o For Mac:

http://www.qsrinternational.com/products/nvivo/mac/education/new/nvivoformacs

tulic12mon

Full License

o For Windows: http://www.qsrinternational.com/nvivo-product/nvivo11-for-windows

o For Mac: http://www.qsrinternational.com/product/nvivo-mac

http://www.qsrinternational.com/trial-nvivo

http://www.qsrinternational.com/trial-nvivo

http://www.qsrinternational.com/products/nvivo/pro/education/new/nvivo11prostulicense12mon



http://www.qsrinternational.com/products/nvivo/mac/education/new/nvivoformacstulic12mon



http://www.qsrinternational.com/nvivo-product/nvivo11-for-windows

http://www.qsrinternational.com/nvivo-product/nvivo11-for-windows

http://www.qsrinternational.com/product/nvivo-mac

http://www.qsrinternational.com/product/nvivo-mac


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STEP 1: Prepare the data

1. After compiling the literature, determine the characteristics of the studies you plan to

document.

2. Create an Excel spreadsheet with the characteristics of all ‘to-be-analyzed’ literature.

Example

o I had 10 articles on research done on the impacts of flipped

classroom.

o I wanted to document the features of the studies such as:

Authors

Year of publication

Title of the article

Research method used

Data collection strategies used

Note: Make sure the file name for each article is the same as what has been stated under

‘Authors’ column of the spreadsheet (see below). This will be useful when importing the excel

sheet into NVivo – connecting the characteristics of the studies to their respective research

articles.


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STEP 2: Create code frame

1. Based on the research question, create a code frame. This is a group of codes, categories and

themes generated from existing theory, model, studies or a sampled data (research article).

These codes, categories and themes are used to conduct initial coding.

Example

Research Question: What are students’ benefits of a flipped

classroom?

Code Frame: o Improves engagement

o Immediate feedback on task

o Peers corroboration

o Promotes active learning

o Increases performance

o Increases motivation

STEP 3: Upload the data into NVivo

1. Open NVivo software, then click on ‘Blank Project’ to create a new workspace for the project


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2. Import the research articles by: a. Clicking on ‘DATA’ b. Going to ‘PDF’ and clicking on it


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3. Select the articles and click on ‘Open’


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STEP 4: Create a container (Case Node) for each research article

1. Create a folder under ‘Case’

2. Label the folder


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3. Click on ‘Sources’ and go to ‘Internals’


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4. Select all the articles (by clicking on the first article, pressing and holding the ‘Shift’ key on the

key board and clicking on the last article) and right-click on the selected items

5. Go to ‘Create As’ and click on ‘Create As Cases’

6. Select the folder created under ‘Cases’ (i.e. ‘Research Articles’) and click on ‘OK’


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7. Click on the ‘Research Articles’ folder to see the cases created

STEP 5: Import the excel spreadsheet with the article characteristics


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1. Click on ‘DATA’ and go to ‘Classification Sheets’


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2. Under ‘Classification type’ choose ‘Case Classification’


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3. Check ‘As names’ and select ‘Research Articles’ (Case folder) to connect the characteristics to

their respective case nodes


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4. Click on ‘Next’


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5. Click on ‘Finish’


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STEP 6: Check whether the connection between the case nodes and the characteristics worked

1. Go to ‘EXPLORE’ tab and click on ‘Project Map’


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2. Name the Project and click on ‘OK’

3. Click on ‘Add Project Items’

4. Click on ‘Research Articles’ under ‘Cases’

5. Check the case you plan to review and click on ‘OK’


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6. Right-click on the selected case and click on ‘Show Associated Items’

7. Click on the ‘play’ icon to view the items under ‘Attribute values’ folder


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8. Right-click on the items you plan to move to the work space and click on ‘Add…’


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STEP 7: Create nodes for the code frame

1. Under ‘Nodes’ create nodes for the categories related to the ‘Code Frame’

a. Example

i. Research Question: What are students’ benefits of a flipped classroom?

Code Frame: 1. Improves engagement

2. Immediate feedback on task

3. Peers corroboration

4. Promotes active learning

5. Increases performance

6. Increases motivation


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2. Right-click on ‘Nodes’ and click on ‘New Folder’ to provide the name of the folder and the

description.


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3. Create nodes for each of the categories by clicking on ‘CREATE’

4. Click on ‘Node’ and provide the name and description of the node

5. Check ‘Aggregate coding from child nodes’ and click on ‘OK’


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STEP 8: Drop significant information into their respective nodes

1. Click on ‘Sources’ and go to ‘Internals’

2. Double-click to open the article you plan to code


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3. Click on ‘Nodes’ to display the nodes you have created

4. Select significant information


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5. Drag and drop the information into its respective node

STEP 9: Categorize the codes

After the initial coding process, you could categorize the codes based on their similarities and

frequencies (i.e. how many times the code is assigned to specific parts of the data). For more

information go to: https://www.slideshare.net/kontorphilip/using-sorting-strategy-in-qualitative-

analysis

Other Resources:

Using Sorting Strategy in Qualitative Analysis (Part 1)

Using Sorting Strategy in Qualitative Analysis (Part 2): NVivo 11 Demonstration

How to Create a Framework Matrix Using NVivo 11

The Benefits of Using Coding Stripes and Highlight Functions in NVivo 11

To cite this document, copy the following:

https://www.slideshare.net/kontorphilip/using-sorting-strategy-in-qualitative-analysis

https://www.slideshare.net/kontorphilip/using-sorting-strategy-in-qualitative-analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAXP_gyN160

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pyZHwurmRE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ixGkEQknL8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhhK99GBYV4


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Adu, P. (2017, September 18). Conducting a Qualitative Content Analysis for Systematic Literature

Reviews: Using NVivo. Retrieved September 18, 2017, from

https://www.slideshare.net/secret/4vo3GfTrpaH8Kc

https://www.slideshare.net/secret/4vo3GfTrpaH8Kc

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