MAXQDA - Webtutorial

The use of Text Retrieval function enables you to purposely search for coherences and patterns in your data and then look at your results in the Retrieved Segments window.

The text retrieval dialog box allows you to choose from 9 different combination options. You can furthermore switch back to the default analysis in which the selection of codes happens through activation and all codes are included into the text retrieval with the sense of an Or-combination.

You would like to see all codings that are followed by another specific coding with a specific distance.

First of activate all the texts needed. The text retrieval window is called on by the menu Analysis – Text Retrieval. The „Text Retrieval“ may also be accessed from (1) the upper menue bar (just click the fx button) as well as from (2) the RETRIEVED SEGMENTS window (right click into the column on the very left, choose „fx Text Retrieval“ from the list).

The Text Retrieval-Window allows you, at first, to select the function for the definition of parameters. Fittingly to the selected function (e.g. near) a graphical explanation will appear in the right section, as well as textual explanation at the very bottom of the screen. This will clarify as to which calculations the function conducts. Crucial are the windows A, B, and, possibly, C. This is where the codes which are important to the specific function are entered (e.g. with activation). For the function “near” one has to, for instance, specify which code has to appear in proximity of which other code and how large the maximal distance between the codings should be (in paragraphs).

The selection window for complex retrieval functions generally allows for the following actions:

Window A refers to the activated codes, which means that if one were to place a code into this window to, for instance, determine intersections with another code, both codes have to be activated first. The two codes will then be moved into window A after clicking on the button All active codes.

do not require any other parameters. Clicking on “Execute” starts the text retrieval.

The windows B and C are active for more complex functions, where specific selections are being made. Window B works with the Quickcode list. For example, we are testing if there are text segments within the activated texts where the code listed in window A is completely inside the text segment, which has been coded with the code listed in window B.

The Quicklist of code will be presented for selection by clicking on the icon consisting of three dots. It could be that you first have to transfer the desired codes, by clicking on them, into the Quicklist. Which combination mode is currently selected, will be illustrated in the status bar below.

Function	Description
Intersection	Finds text coded with all of the codes in section A. The only text retrieved is that which is coded with all of these codes.
Intersection (Set)	Only lists those text passages where a minimum of x codes of the codes listed in section A are present. The only text retrieved is that which is coded with these x codes.
Overlapping	Only text segments containing exactly one of the codes in section A are retrieved.
Only one code	Only text segments containing exactly one of the code in section A are retrieved.
Only this code	Similar to „Only one Code“, but only fort he code selected in section B. Only lists text segments where the code in section B but none of the codes in section A is present.
If inside	Text segments, that are coded with the code in section A and which are completely contained within a segment coded with the code in section B , are retrieved. Alternatively, larger section B segments are retrieved. Multiple codes can be selected in section A.
If outside	If text segments coded with codes listed in section A are completely outside of segments coded with the code of section B, the segments are retrieved.
Followed by	If text segments coded with code(s) in section A are followed by text segments coded with the code in window B within a distance of x paragraphs, the segment will be retrieved.
Near	If the code in section A and the code in section B are within a distance of x paragraphs, then the segment will be retrieved.

Please consider this for complex text retrieval also: all functions of complex text retrieval only apply to activated texts. A more elaborate description of the single functions can be found in the manual.

G: Complex Types of Text retrieval

1. Complex Text retrieval