Tools and Software for Dissertations

To help you in your dissertation or research project, we have collated a list of the tools, software packages and platforms that will help you gather, organise and analyse your findings.

These digital tools below will enable you to:

Collect data using surveys or interviews
Conduct sophisticated analysis of quantitative or qualitative research data
Keep track of your literature and create bibliographies

Surveys

Below are our recommended platforms that can be used to design and distribute surveys as part of your dissertation research.

Software	Details	Available from	Help and support
JISC Online Surveys	JISC Online Surveys allow you to develop, deploy and analyse online surveys. Surveys are easy to set up and offer a variety of question formats and presentation options. In addition the tool also provides useful analysis features and further export options for manipulation in Excel.	This service is available to all postgraduate and final year undergraduate students subject to approval from your academic supervisor. Your supervisor will need to complete a form to arrange your account set-up.	JISC Online Surveys Help
Survey Monkey	The web's most well known survey tool. Create a simple survey with a maximum of 10 questions for free. Note the free version has a cap at 40 respondants. Additional, more advanced functionality is available with a subscription.	Access basic level for free at SurveyMonkey.com	SurveyMonkey Help SurveyMonkey Essential Training
Microsoft Forms	All staff and students have access to Microsoft Forms through their Office365 account. Microsoft Forms are really easy to use and are great for taking simple surveys or polls online.	Forms can be found by clicking on the 9-dots menu icon (top left) of and Office 365 product (Outlook email, OneDrive, Teams, Word, etc.) when working in a web browser.	Microsoft Forms

Software

Details

Available from

Help and support

JISC Online Surveys

JISC Online Surveys allow you to develop, deploy and analyse online surveys. Surveys are easy to set up and offer a variety of question formats and presentation options. In addition the tool also provides useful analysis features and further export options for manipulation in Excel.

This service is available to all postgraduate and final year undergraduate students subject to approval from your academic supervisor. Your supervisor will need to complete a form to arrange your account set-up.

JISC Online Surveys Help

Survey Monkey

The web's most well known survey tool. Create a simple survey with a maximum of 10 questions for free. Note the free version has a cap at 40 respondants. Additional, more advanced functionality is available with a subscription.

Access basic level for free at SurveyMonkey.com

SurveyMonkey Help

SurveyMonkey Essential Training

Microsoft Forms

All staff and students have access to Microsoft Forms through their Office365 account. Microsoft Forms are really easy to use and are great for taking simple surveys or polls online.

Forms can be found by clicking on the 9-dots menu icon (top left) of and Office 365 product (Outlook email, OneDrive, Teams, Word, etc.) when working in a web browser.

Microsoft Forms

Conducting and Recording Interviews

Conduct interviews and focus groups online and create transcripts using the tools below.

Software	Details	Available from	Help and support
Microsoft Teams	Microsoft Teams can be used to schedule and record 1-1 interviews and focus groups. Create calendar invites for your attendees, record the meetings and make use of the closed caption function to create transcripts.	Available with the Office 365 package that's available to you for free as a student. See Free Office for download instructions or use Microsoft Teams on the web.	Microsoft Teams
Otter.ai	Voice to text app that be used to record interviews and generate transcriptions which can be exported as Word or Text files. Otter.ai can be installed on your phone or in your internet browser	Free online or via your app store	Otter.ai Help Pages

Data Analysis

SAGE Research Methods contains a wide range of resources on both quantitative and qualitative data analysis from introductory to advanced level. Search for your methodology, data collection tool or statistical test for guidance on how to conduct your research effectively and make sense of your findings.

Your supervisor is best placed to direct you on the kinds of analysis you need to perform to suit your research needs. If you are struggling to complete something specifically in relation to your research, contact them to arrange a tutorial.

We have made the following statistical analysis software available for you to use in your studies and research projects:

Software	Used for	Available from	Help and support
NVivo	NVivo is a software program used for qualitative and mixed-methods research. Specifically, it is used for the analysis of unstructured text, audio, video, and image data, including (but not limited to) interviews, focus groups, surveys, social media, and journal articles.	NVivo is available to use directly via the Student Remote Desktop. Remember to save all of your work prior to exiting the Remote Desktop service. Contact the IT Servicedesk in the first instance who will send you the necessary information. Phone: 01228 888888 Email: itservicedesk@cumbria.ac.uk Online: IT Service Desk Portal	NVivo Essential Training Learn NVivo: The Basics
ATLAS.ti	ATLAS.ti is used for the qualitative analysis of large bodies of textual, visual and audio data. Tools help you develop data coding systems and present your findings in innovative ways.	ATLAS.ti is available to use directly via the Student Remote Desktop. Remember to save all of your work prior to exiting the Remote Desktop service. Or you can install it, see Free Software for details Contact the IT Servicedesk in the first instance who will send you the necessary information. Phone: 01228 888888 Email: itservicedesk@cumbria.ac.uk Online: IT Service Desk Portal	Tutorials on the ATLAS.ti Youtube channel Friese, S. (2014) Qualitative data analysis with ATLAS.ti. London: SAGE.
SPSS	SPSS is used for quantitative data analysis and has an interface that closely resembles Excel. It allows you to perform statistical analysis and tests for survey or experimental data in order to make sense of your research findings.	Available as a free download for UoC students. Please contact the IT Servicedesk in the first instance who will send you the necessary information. Phone: 01228 888888 Email: itservicedesk@cumbria.ac.uk (using your student email account) Online: IT Service Desk Portal	SPSS Statistics: Essential Training SPSS for Academic Research

Software

Used for

Available from

Help and support

NVivo

NVivo is a software program used for qualitative and mixed-methods research. Specifically, it is used for the analysis of unstructured text, audio, video, and image data, including (but not limited to) interviews, focus groups, surveys, social media, and journal articles.

NVivo is available to use directly via the Student Remote Desktop. Remember to save all of your work prior to exiting the Remote Desktop service.

Contact the IT Servicedesk in the first instance who will send you the necessary information.

Phone: 01228 888888
Email: itservicedesk@cumbria.ac.uk
Online: IT Service Desk Portal

NVivo Essential Training

Learn NVivo: The Basics

ATLAS.ti

ATLAS.ti is used for the qualitative analysis of large bodies of textual, visual and audio data. Tools help you develop data coding systems and present your findings in innovative ways.

ATLAS.ti is available to use directly via the Student Remote Desktop. Remember to save all of your work prior to exiting the Remote Desktop service.

Or you can install it, see Free Software for details

Contact the IT Servicedesk in the first instance who will send you the necessary information.

Phone: 01228 888888
Email: itservicedesk@cumbria.ac.uk
Online: IT Service Desk Portal

Tutorials on the ATLAS.ti Youtube channel

Friese, S. (2014) Qualitative data analysis with ATLAS.ti. London: SAGE.

SPSS

SPSS is used for quantitative data analysis and has an interface that closely resembles Excel. It allows you to perform statistical analysis and tests for survey or experimental data in order to make sense of your research findings.

Available as a free download for UoC students. Please contact the IT Servicedesk in the first instance who will send you the necessary information.

Phone: 01228 888888
Email: itservicedesk@cumbria.ac.uk (using your student email account)
Online: IT Service Desk Portal

SPSS Statistics: Essential Training

SPSS for Academic Research

Managing literature

Software	Used for	Available from	Help and support
Refworks	Refworks is an online reference management system that allows you to collate reading material and reference information from a range of databases in a single place. You can organise literature into folders, generate bibliographies in Cite them Right format as well as use the Reference Citation Manager to cite sources as you write.	Refworks.ProQuest.com Select option to 'Login from my institution' and sign in with yoru university account.	Getting Started with Refworks Refworks video tutorials Managing your citations

Software

Used for

Available from

Help and support

Refworks

Refworks is an online reference management system that allows you to collate reading material and reference information from a range of databases in a single place. You can organise literature into folders, generate bibliographies in Cite them Right format as well as use the Reference Citation Manager to cite sources as you write.

Refworks.ProQuest.com

Select option to 'Login from my institution' and sign in with yoru university account.

Getting Started with Refworks

Refworks video tutorials

Managing your citations