Qualitative research is a time-consuming exercise that depends on a strict methodological discipline on the part of the researcher at every step in order to ensure the required scientific rigor.
Although NVivo cannot help you map out the appropriate methodological path or indeed execute the analysis for you, the software does accommodate a wide host of research approaches and methods, from grounded theory and phenomenology over literature reviews to discourse and conversation analysis.
Furthermore, NVivo can help you organize and make sense of most types of unstructured and semi-structured text-based and multimedia data, whether of your own making (interviews, surveys, etc.) or ready-made and harvested from online platforms such as Twitter and YouTube via NCapture, a simple browser plug-in.
Through NVivo you can probe your data in a number of ways: Use the word frequency option to get an initial idea about topics discussed; run a text search to verify relevance and establish quick connections; or implement a traditional encoding regime for a deep dive into the nooks and crannies of your data.
Every semester CBS Library hosts a series of NVivo workshops that help you get off to a good start. Check out the library course calendar for more details on times and places.