What are the benefits and challenges of using NVivo for literature reviews? (2024)

A literature review is a systematic and critical evaluation of the existing literature on a specific topic or research question. Its purpose is to identify, synthesize, and compare the main themes, arguments, methods, gaps, and implications of the relevant sources. A literature review can be beneficial in many ways; it can help you to establish the context and significance of your research problem, demonstrate your knowledge of the field, identify the strengths and weaknesses of previous studies, discover new angles and perspectives to approach your topic, as well as develop your own research questions and hypotheses.

NVivo can be a great tool for conducting literature reviews, as it allows you to organize and manage your sources in one place. You can import and code different types of data, such as PDFs, Word documents, web pages, audio, and video. It also offers features such as creating and applying themes, nodes, and attributes to categorize and label your data; searching and filtering your data by keywords, queries, or criteria; visualizing and mapping your data to identify patterns, connections, and gaps; and generating reports and summaries to communicate your findings.

When using NVivo for literature reviews, one of the first steps is to import and code your sources. Sources can be imported from various sources such as computers, online databases, reference management software, or web browsers. Additionally, memos and annotations can be created to record notes and reflections. To code your sources, two methods exist: in-vivo coding, which involves using the exact words or phrases from the source as codes; and descriptive coding, which involves using one's own words or concepts to describe the content of the source. Coding can be done manually or automatically depending on preference and purpose. Hierarchies and subcategories of codes can also be created to organize data.

Using NVivo for literature reviews requires searching and filtering your data. You can use text search to locate specific words or phrases in your sources or codes, utilizing operators like AND, OR, NOT, NEAR, or SAME. Furthermore, query functions allow you to ask questions and explore your data in different ways. Additionally, filters let you narrow down your data by applying criteria such as source type, date, author, attribute, or node. You can also create sets and groups to group your data by common characteristics.

The final step in using NVivo for literature reviews is to visualize and map your data. You can utilize charts to show the distribution and frequency of your data, such as bar, pie, donut, or stacked charts. Models like mind maps, concept maps, or project maps can be used to represent data relationships and connections. Furthermore, framework matrices like thematic, case, or cross-case matrices can be used to organize data summaries and comparisons.

Qualitative Research

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