How to code

Assigning codes to text, image or video segments in MAXQDA is known as “coding”.

You can code a document or document segment with any desired number of codes. The technical limit for the number of coded segments per document is so high that it usually has no practical significance. Moreover, coded segments can overlap, intersect, or be completely contained within other coded segments.

Coding a segment with drag and drop

Coding in MAXQDA follows this simple principle: the segment to be coded is marked and dropped onto a code with the mouse.

Alternatively, you can also do the reverse, that is, drag your desired code to the selected segment and then release the mouse button.

Please note: MAXQDA makes sure that the same code is not assigned to the same segment multiple times. Segments assigned with the same code will therefore never overlap.

Notes on specific types of documents

Coding texts and image segments in a PDF

You can select text segments in a PDF as usual by highlighting them with the mouse.

If you want to select an image in a PDF, for example, because you want to analyze a scanned PDF whose text cannot be converted into a “selectable” text using OCR (character recognition), you can use the mouse to draw a frame. To do this, you only have to start the selection process in an area that does not contain any selectable characters. You can adjust the selected area later by clicking the corners and dragging them to a suitable size.

Selecting segments of images

In image files, you can drag a frame with the pressed mouse button in the same way as in PDF documents. The edges of the frame can be adjusted later by clicking and dragging the corners.

Selecting texts in tables

To select a text in a table, double-click the cell. As soon as the cell shows an orange frame, you can select text in this cell with the mouse. You cannot select multiple cells at the same time.

Selecting segments of videos

Videos are analyzed and coded in a separate window, the "Multimedia Browser". In the Code Videos section, you'll find detailed explanations for how to code videos.

MAXQDA 24 Manual