Why NVivo 8?

NVivo 8 - computer aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) - has been bought as an upgrade to N6 which I already have and had used for the analysis of my questionnaire data many moons ago.  Having completed the charting I was somewhat daunted by the numerous charts and data embedded within them - how on earth was I going to be able to get my head round all this data particularly considering the fractured way in which I have to work i.e. the norm of a part-time PhD, and then to do the data justice as well as the interviewees who had given of their time as well as their illness/depression stories.  So....after thought and consideration and discussion with my PhD supervisors I decided that using NVivo would enable me to more easily work with my data in a structured and consistent way and it would help me work within the constraints I currently have.

Benefits of NVivo 8

- Provides a recognised and consistent method to underpin my data analysis
- It is a logical process that I can track back to understand how and why I have got to where I have in the analysis
- It facilitates a rigorous analysis process

As a tool, NVivo is a complexity aid to assist with the process of the data analysis; it will allow me to maintain the momentum of the data analysis as I will be able to revisit and regroup my thought processes and assumptions over time.  The ability to complete a journal within NVivo will also allow me to document my thoughts and actions as they develop throughout the process; I will be able to identify personal goals and hopefully recognise assumptions and experiential knowledge and thus allow me to develop a critical subjectivity towards the data and its analysis.  It is important to remember that prior assumptions do exist so by recognising them and recording them I can become more aware of their influence on the way I am thinking and subsequently then assess their impact on the analysis.