Results summarisation using reports and extracts in Nvivo

So far, the module discussed data manipulation, processing and representation of qualitative research in Nvivo, with the last article being on Data Visualisation using Concept Mapping. The last section of the module discusses result summarisation. It comprises of two features:

1. reports & extracts and
2. framework matrices.

Apart from sources, nodes, classifications, queries and maps, the Nvivo main folder also contains the option of ‘Reports’ (see figure below). ‘Reports’ contains a summary of the project. It can be generated periodically (to check the progress) as well as in the end as a summary of the research.

Reports can be created in Nvivo workspace or exported as text, excel or xml files. The ‘Reports’ menu in navigation window contains two sub-folders– ‘Reports’ and ‘Extracts’ (see figure below).

1. Reports: To create reports with any project item within Nvivo workspace.
2. Extracts: To export reports in form of data in text, excel or xml files.

How to create reports in Nvivo?

Click on ‘Reports’ folder in navigation view to see all automatic report types in list view (figure above).

To run a report’, the ‘Explore’ tab provides for two options (see figure below):

• New Reports
• Run Existing Reports

Generating new reports on Nvivo

There are two options to run a new report:

1. ‘New Reports via Wizards’ and
2. ‘New Reports via Designer’ (see figure below).

‘Wizard’ enables building and running reports, while ‘Designer’ lets one to manually design reports.

Run from existing reports

To run a report from existing reports,

1. Select any of one report from list in figure 2.
2. Click on ‘Explore’.
3. Click on ‘Run Report’.

A dialogue box as ‘Filter Options’ will appear (figure below).

Here, manually select the data to show in the reports. For example, here reports is run for the 1^st option, ‘Nodes– Hierarchical Names’ (figure below).

In ‘Comparison’, select the appropriate comparison measures. For example, ‘In’ will help generate a report on ‘stress among students’ (figure below).

‘Values’ pertains to the value of the nodes at which one can run the reports . Click on ‘Select’. A dialogue box ‘Select Project Item’ will appear (figure below). In the case research ‘Stress among students’ is chosen as node for running reports. Then click on ‘OK’.

A report will appear in detailed view (figure below).

Alternative function to open a report

The report can also be opened by:

1. Click on ‘View’.
2. Click on ‘Undock All’ (see figure below).

Report on ‘Coding Summary by Node’ (‘Stress among Students’) opens in a separate window. Here information is organized by a blue ribbon (figure below).

 The report lists all the interview responses for “Stress among Students” under the blue ribbon. It comprises of correlation value, reference number and other elements (figure below).

Similarly, a report can be run by using other available options in figure 2. For instance, generate another report by choosing ‘Source Summary Report’ (figure below).

Extracts

Extracts enables researchers to export a collection of data to an Excel, Text or XML file. This data is useful for complementary analysis in other applications. To run an Extract, click on the ‘Extract folder’ in Reports. All the system generated existing Extract options will appear in List view (figure below).

To run an extract, the ‘Explore’ tab in Ribbon provides for two options (figure below):

1. New Extracts
2. Run from Existing Extracts

New Extracts

To run a new extract i.e. new collection of data, ‘Explore’ tab enables creating extract using ‘Nvivo Extract Wizard’. The extract wizard enables building and running an extract (figure below).

Run from an existing extract

To run an Extract from an existing extract

1. Select any of one extract from list in figure 14
2. Click on ‘Explore’
3. Click on ‘Run Extract’

A dialogue box similar to figure 6 will appear (figure below).

The dialogue box enables filtering the results. Here, manually select the data to show in extracts. The option ‘Node.Hierarchical Name’ will appear in this step (figure below).

Similar to the case of ‘Reports’, ‘Extracts’ also requires ‘Comparison’ Value. In the ‘Comparison’ option, select “In” (figure below).

In ‘Values’ (figure below) select the values of the Nodes/Sources or other project items at which ‘Extract’ can be run. Click on ‘Select’ (Figure 18). A dialogue box ‘Select Project Item’ will appear (figure below). In the case research, comparison diagrams and explores diagrams made in previous articles are selected.

After selecting the project item, click on ‘OK’ (Figure 20). Extracts items are never shown in Nvivo workplace and dircetly exported to the system. Therefore, after clicking ‘Ok’, a window will open to save the extract in system at desired location (figure below).

While saving the extract file, there is an option to select the file type for exporting the material (figure below). Here, MS Excel format was selected to export the extracts on comparison diagrams and explore diagrams.

Next, click on ‘OK’. A pop up saying ‘Extract generation completely successful’ will appear.  At the lower left screen, the extract file is being exported to the system.

Using framework matrices for result summarization

Go to the system at the chosen location to view the extracted files. In this way, extracts and reports assist in maintaining information about the research. Use these files (Text, Excel or XML) to interpret qualitative data. The next and concluding article deals with explaining Result summarisation using framework matrices. Framework matrices are another way of result summarisation for researches of a longer duration.