4. Project Maps
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A project map is a graphic representation of all the items in your project. These items are things like memos, nodes, annotations, files, cases, and classifications. Essentially any individual piece of data in NVivo can be represented in a project map
Project maps are important ways of exploring and engaging with your research. They can be a create tool to identify patterns, to build theories, and to develop ideas. They can also be used to record research stage that you are in during your project, and multiple maps can help to track your thinking and research over time.
Using the files, nodes, and cases that we've been working on throughout this course, try to create a project map to explain and explore your research.
I've found that the best way to test whether my project map makes sense, is to try explaining it as if I were presenting in front of people at a conference or lecture
This module has aimed to introduce you to the key ways that NVivo can help you manage your research data. We've looked at memos, annotations, file classifications, and project maps to accomplish this
By the end of this module, you should know how to:
Create a memo
Write annotations
Create a file classification and assign values to attributes
Design and create a project map
More broadly, I hope this module has introduced key methodological concepts around research data management such as the importance of metadata.
In the next module, you'll explore the ways in which you can create a range of visualisations in NVivo to derive valuable research insights and to maybe answer that pesky research question.
If you have any feedback on this module, please fill in the feedback form here.
To stay up to date with the NVivo community, you can join the University of Melbourne's NVivo Facebook group here or you can sign up for the monthly community newsletter here.
This module was prepared by Alex Shermon. You can follow him on Twitter here or on LinkedIn here.
If you have any questions about this module, or NVivo more broadly, you can get in touch with Alex via email at alex.shermon@unimelb.edu.au