NVivo Video Coding: A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to coding data in NVivo, choosing the right format can make all the difference. In this article, we'll explore the benefits of using Word and plain text files over PDFs, as well as some valuable tips for getting the most out of NVivo.

Choosing Between Word and PDF Formats

Automated word detection, such as word frequency and text search queries, work better on plain text and Word documents than they do on PDFs. This is because Word and plain text files are easier to code in NVivo than PDFs. If you have dual monitors, you can open a data source on one monitor and have the node view on the other, making it easy to analyze your data.

Coding in NVivo

NVivo is a software program used for qualitative and mixed-methods research, allowing users to analyze and organize unstructured text, audio, video, or image data. This includes interviews, focus groups, surveys, social media, and journal articles. With NVivo, you can perform simple text analysis queries such as text search or word frequencies for text data in multiple languages.

Undocking Views

If you're working on a small screen, undocking open source and node panes can be a lifesaver. In NVivo for Windows, simply right-click on the item's tab and select Undock to open the item in its own viewer window.

Downloading NVivo

To download the installer for NVivo, you'll need to create a myNVivo account on the QSR International website. If you're not sure which version of NVivo to use, QSR International offers free 14-day trials of NVivo R1, which can be downloaded from their website.

Collaborating with Colleagues

If you're collaborating with colleagues who are using NVivo 12 and cannot upgrade to NVivo R1, or if you need to work on an existing project file that cannot be converted to NVivo R1, there are licenses available for the previous version. Kent State currently uses NVivo R1 (or NVivo 20 in some places) with Windows and Mac licenses.

NVivo File Types

NVivo files come in two formats: *.nvpx for Mac project files and *.nvp for Windows project files. These files allow you to import citations from EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero, or other bibliographic management software, as well as notes and captures from Evernote.

Capturing Data

With NVivo, you can capture social media data from Facebook and Twitter using the NCapture browser plug-in. You can also playback audio and video files to transcribe interviews in NVivo.

In conclusion, NVivo is a powerful tool for qualitative and mixed-methods research that offers a range of features and benefits for coding and analyzing unstructured data. By choosing the right format and taking advantage of NVivo's features, you can streamline your research process and produce high-quality results.

Nvivo video coding