Variables: DocGroup & comparing codes across variable values

[cloutie3]

Hello everyone,

I have two related questions please.

1- When I created the document group names, I built in information that served as variables. For example:

- LBJ_PRECRISIS: This document group name refers to the LBJ presidency and the time "pre crisis"
- NIXON_CYPRUS: This document group name refers to the Nixon presidency and the time "Cyprus crisis"

I now want to activate documents by variables (via Mixed Methods). When I go to select the "Document Group" variable, however, the values that come up are numbers (1-20), instead of the actual names of my document groups. This is not too probablematic since I can just click on the DocGroup to activate it, but I'm wondering where the numbers come from.

2- My code system is organise based on the 3 items I am tracking: Policy, Justifications and Goals. I have a variable for Policy called "NATURE", which indicates if policy statement is an INSTRUCTION or a RECOMMENDATION.

I want to be able to compare the Justifications and Goals that are given for INSTRUCTION vs. RECOMMENDATION. Similarly, I want to be able to compare the Justifications and Goals that are given by LBJ vs. Nixon (see Q1).

Is the only way to do this is to use Mixed Methods / Activate by Variable (Activate and create set), choose NATURE-INSTRUCTIONS, and count up all the different justifications by hand, and then repeat with NATURE-RECOMMENDATION? Or is there another way? It seems too time consuming, especially since I have about 3100 coded segments.

Many thanks in advance!

Rachelle

[Stefan Rädiker]

Hello Rachelle,

1. At the moment you can't see the document group names in MAXQDA 10, only the internal database number. We are already working on this issue for further versions. Please create a new document variable called "Group" and enter the name of the document groups in it. Now you can use this variable instead of the document group itsself for analysis.
(If you have lots of documents, you can export the variable matrix as an Excel file, copy the column document group into a new column named "group" and import the Exel file again).

2. Please have a look at the function "Mixed Methods > Crosstabs". You can define two columns with the help of the new variable "group" and activate the codes you like, which will be compared in the cross tab. Please see the help function on the crosstabs window for more details.

Hope this helps,
Stefan

[cloutie3]

Thank you, I will try all that!

Best,

Rachelle