NVivo

Creating a Code

• Click on Create in the action panel at the top and select Code. 

In the dialog box for creating a code:

• Enter the Code Name and a Code Description to capture details of how the code will be used. 
• Click OK.

Assigning References to a Code: Code Selection

• Highlight the excerpt you wish to code. 
• Click on Code under the Document tab in the action panel. 
• Select Code Selection. 

OR

• Right-click on the highlighted excerpt you wish to code. 
• Click on Code Selection from the right-click menu. Refer to the second image below.

Assigning References to Codes: Confirm Selection

• Select the appropriate code from the list of codes that opens in the new dialog box. 
• Click the blue button at the bottom of the new dialog box. 

Assigning References to Codes: Drag and Drop

• Open the list of codes by clicking on the system folder for Codes from the navigation panel on the left. 
• Highlight the excerpt you wish to code in the transcript. 
• Press on to the highlighted selection with a left-click. Do not release the click. 
• Drag the selection to the code. 
• Release the left-click. 

Viewing Codes 

• Created codes, along with the number of files and references associated with those, will be updated in the system folder for Codes in the navigation panel on the left. 

Viewing References Assigned to a Code

• Double-click on a code from the list in the Codes folder to open it. This will open a view that lists the references (data excerpts) assigned to a code. 
• Click on the hyperlink above the reference for broader context of the data excerpt.  

Creating Subcodes by using the Create -> Code Option

Subcodes are used to segment additional characteristics of an existing code. NVivo labels these existing principal codes and their subcodes as parent and child codes, respectively. 

• Highlight the relevant principal/parent code from the list in the system folder for Codes. 
• Click on the Create tab at the top action panel. 
• Select Code. 

Creating Subcodes by Right-clicking on the Parent Code

• Right-click on the relevant parent/principal code in the list within the system folder for Codes. 
• Select New Code from the right-click menu that opens. 

Entering Details of the Subcode/Child Code

Both, creating a child code through the Create -> Code option or right-clicking on the parent code to select New Code will lead to the dialog box for creating a new code. 

• Enter the Code Name and Code Description for the child code. 
• Check the hierarchical name to ensure that it contains the name of the principal/parent code. 
• Click OK to confirm. 

Viewing and Assigning References to a Subcode/Child Code

The process of assigning references to child codes is the same as assigning references to independent or parent codes. The only difference is in how the child codes appear in the code list in the system folder for Codes and in the dialog box for Code Selection, as is shown in the images below. 

Viewing Child Codes in the Codes Folder

• Click on the system folder for Codes in the navigation panel to view the list of codes.
• Click on the + sign to the left of a principal/parent code to view the child code. 
• References can be assigned to the child code in this list by using the drag-and-drop function. Refer to the section on Assigning References to Code: Drag and Drop for a description of this process.

Viewing  and Assigning References to Child Codes in Code Selection

• Highlight a chosen reference in a file on NVivo. 
• Right-click on the reference or click on Document and then Code in the action Panel. 
• Click on Code Selection in the right-click menu or under Code in the Document tab. 
• Click on the pointer on the left side of a parent code to view the child code. 
• Highlight the child code. 
• Click the blue button at the bottom of the box to confirm selection.