Nvivo as a Handy Tool in Qualitative Meta-Synthesis Studies in L2 Research

Although quantitative paradigm still appears to occupy a significant place in social sciences (more specifically in second language acquisition research), there has been a widespread interest in qualitative studies in these areas since the last quarter of the twentieth century. As more qualitative studies are being conducted, there emerges a need to synthesize their findings to draw generalisable conclusions to inform practice. This paper provides an overview of qualitative meta-synthesis by highlighting its key aspects. Then it goes on to discuss how NVivo, a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) program, can be used to facilitate, speed up and improve the quality of qualitative meta-syntheses by increasing their depth. NVivo can be quite useful in qualitative meta-synthesis studies, not only because it helps organise the data but also because it facilitates such key activities during data analysis as coding, writing analytic memos, conducting keyword searches and comparing coding and analytical notes. Besides these, a highly practical tool is framework matrix, which helps prepare a neatly organized synthesis of research studies in spreadsheet format. This paper discusses the use of these tools in the context of meta-synthesis and offers some practical suggestions in this regard.