Automatic coding techniques (NVivo 15 Windows)

You can use a variety of automatic coding techniques to speed up the coding process.

In NVivo, you can:

• Autocode based on structure and Autocode using coding patterns and sentiment. Both uses algorithms that are internal to NVivo.

• Automatically detect and code sentiment. With NVivo 15.4.0, the Autocode Sentiment feature leverages generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver more faster and improved sentiment analysis.

• Autocode using AI Assistant. Generate subcodes and autocode using AI Assistant.

Autocode based on structure

Autocode documents based on structure, style or speaker

If you have applied paragraph styles in your documents you can use them to automatically code the content. You can apply paragraph styles in Word before you import the file, or you can apply them in NVivo

• You can choose to autocode a single file or multiple document files. Memos and externals can also be coded this way.

Alternatively, if one or more documents are tightly structured—for example, paragraph 1 in each document is about fossil fuel and paragraph 2 is about government policy—you can autocode 'by paragraph'. NVivo makes a code for each paragraph and uses the paragraph number as the code name. You can rename the codes as required.

If a document has multiple 'speakers' (for example, the participants in a focus group) you can automatically create a case for each speaker and code the content at the case. This means you can open a case to see everything a particular participant said. You can also assign attribute values to the cases and use them to make comparisons - What do women say?How does it compare to what men say?

Autocode documents (NVivo 15 Windows)

Autocode audio or video transcripts based on structure

You can use the values in custom transcript fields to automatically code transcripts. For example, if you added the custom field Speaker, NVivo can create a code for each speaker and code the content at that code—this way you can gather everything said by a specific person.

Autocode surveys based on structure

You can automatically code content in codable columns or you can use values in classifying columns to automatically code content. For example, if your survey contains survey results, you can autocode to create a case for each respondent and code their responses to their case. You might use this option if you're using an earlier version of NVivo or if you need to repeat the autocoding process.

NVivo provides special autocode options for surveys containing social media data—for example, in a Twitter survey, you could create and code to a code for each hashtag.

Autocode Surveys (NVivo 15 Windows)

Range coding

Range coding is also an easy way to get paper-based coding into NVivo.

You can also print out transcripts and picture logs, mark up the rows that you want to code, and then use range coding to quickly code the rows.

For example, code paragraphs 1-5 or transcript rows 3-6 at selected codes.

Autocode using coding patterns and sentiment

Autocode files based on existing coding patterns

(This feature is only available in NVivo installations with coding enhancements enabled.)

Pattern-based autocoding is designed to speed up the coding process for large volumes of textual content.

When you autocode using existing patterns, NVivo compares each text passage—for example, sentence or paragraph—to the content already coded to existing codes. If the content of the text passage is similar in wording to content already coded to a code, then the text passage will be coded to that code.

Pattern-based autocoding may work better for some projects than others. Automatic coding using existing coding patterns (NVivo 15 Windows)

Automatically detect and code sentiment

(This feature is only available in NVivo installations with coding enhancements enabled.)

With NVivo 15.4.0, the Autocode Sentiment feature leverages generative AI to deliver faster and improved sentiment analysis. For further details, see Automatically detect and code sentiment (NVivo 15 Windows).

If you are working with large volumes of data, or have limited time, you can quickly identify sentiment in your files using the Autocode Wizard.

This process uses a different engine to pattern-based coding—it uses linguistic processes and a specialized sentiment dictionary to produce results.

Automated insights may work better for some projects than others. Automated insights (NVivo 15 Windows)

Autocode using AI Assistant

AI Assistant is a generative artificial intelligent tool that is embedded within NVivo to enhance your data analysis. Using AI assistant, you can leverage coding suggestions to create subcodes as you work through the files. For more information, see AI Assistant: Suggest Child Codes (NVivo 15 Windows).