A number of statistical and mathematical software options are available for researchers and research students to use at Victoria University.

NVivo

NVivo can assist you to organise and analyse complex non-numerical or unstructured data, text and multimedia, it also supports some statistical analysis functions. NVivo accommodates a wide range of research methods, supports documents in many languages and is useful for qualitative research and data analysis. It's used by researchers in a broad range of fields including:

  • humanities
  • social sciences
  • medical/health sciences.

You can import references from your EndNote library into NVivo and use it to assist with your literature review.

Access NVivo via your student login on computers in the library and learning commons. Staff and research students may also request installation on their office computer via ITS.

Staff and students can also use NVivo at home. Please follow the IT self-service procedure to install NVivo on your personal computers:

  1. Visit the online IT Service Desk
  2. Log in with your Active Directory credentials (s + student number, e+staff number and password)
  3. From the Services Catalogue select NVivo from the All Categories listing
  4. Agree to the end user agreement and you will be emailed the download link and licence key
  5. Download and install NVivo, enter the licence key provided in the email and fill in user information

Please note: you need an active internet connection to download the software and authorise the install code.

NCapture

NCapture is a free web browser extension that enables you to gather material from the web to import into NVivo. You can collect a range of web content such as:

  • web pages
  • online articles
  • blog posts
  • social media data from:
    • Facebook*
    • Twitter*
    • YouTube*

* If you are using a Mac computer, some content types that you can capture with NCapture can't be imported into your project, this may depend on the version of the Operating System you are using.

There are two options for installing NCapture:

  • install on your computer as part of the installation of NVivo (Version 10 or later, or
  • download the NCapture browser extension from the web. Download NCapture for Internet Explorer or go to NCapture for Chrome.

After you install, the NCapture icon will be visible on the command bar at the top of your Internet Explorer window or the browser toolbar at the top of your Chrome window.

To capture the content:

  1. Go to the page you want to capture
  2. Click the NCapture icon to capture the content. You can also add additional information such as description, memo, etc. about the content.

Visit QSR NCapture for guides and resources.

SPSS - Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

SPSS is a computer application that provides statistical analysis of data. It allows in-depth data access and preparation, analytical reporting, graphics and modelling.

SPSS is available on campus use for all research students and staff. It's installed in most of the VU computer labs, library computers and all computers in Library Research Lounge (P416) at Footscray Park Campus. If SPSS software is not available on your office computer, please contact ITS for installation.

Off campus SPSS access is limited to teaching, learning and non-profit research staff. Staff are encouraged to contact ITS on x2777 to have SPSS installed on their desktop if required.

Stata

Fast and easy to use, Stata is a powerful statistical package with smart data-management facilities, a wide array of up-to-date statistical techniques and an excellent system for producing publication-quality graphs.

Stata can be purchased online from StataCorp LP, VU does not have an institutional license for Stata.

Supporting documentation for the latest version of the software is available from the Stata website and from within the Help menu within the Stata application. Documentation includes a user’s guide and specific guides for Windows and Mac.

MATLAB

MATLAB® is a high-level language and interactive environment that enables the performance of computationally intensive tasks faster than with traditional programming languages.

MATLAB is generally available for students from College of Sport, Health and Engineering. The software has been installed in the most of the laboratories and computers available through the College.

Interested staff or research students can contact ITS on x2777 for assistance and MATLAB installation.

An older version of MATLAB can be borrowed via the Embedded Systems Officer.

MATLAB support material is available from the Mathworks website including Getting Started with MATLAB. Online training programs are also available.

AMOS - Analysis of Moment Structure

AMOS is an added SPSS module for Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis. AMOS includes confirmatory factor analysis, measurement analysis and path analysis. Basic steps in AMOS are: draw the model, attach data, select outputs, and run. 

AMOS is available on campus for all research students and staff. It's installed in most of the VU computer labs, library computers and all computers in Library Research Lounge (P416) at Footscray Park Campus. If the software is not available on your office computer, please contact ITS for installation.

SPSS usage by the University is limited to teaching, learning and non-profit research. Staff are encouraged to contact ITS on x2777 to have SPSS installed on their desktop if required.

PLS (WarpPLS, SmartPLS)

PLS (Partial Least Square) is an alternative analysis of structural equation modelling (SEM). Two common softwares for conducting this analysis are WarpPLS and SmartPLS. These two softwares are currently not provided by VU but it can be freely downloaded and used for a certain period of time. The advantage of PLS over AMOS is the less-stringent requirement of the sample size and distribution type.

Support

NVivo, SPSS, AMOS, PLS & STATA

Support for most of the statistical and mathematical software used on campus can be provided by the Research Ambassadors.

This includes support for NVivo, SPSS, AMOS, PLS and STATA.

The Research Ambassadors can also assist with any enquiries related to Microsoft Excel.

MATLAB support

Tien Do
Embedded Systems Officer
College of Sport, Health and Engineering
Victoria University
Phone: 61 3 9919 4289
Fax: 61 3 9919 4139
Email: tien.do@vu.edu.au