How to use the Code and Close tool

Using this tool enables you to analyze the results from open questions, regardless whether these are open-ended only questions or a closed single / multiple question with open (“Other, please specify:”) alternatives.
The data model also includes the functionality called “open driver” which can expand the rows in a grid depending on a previous recall question.

Get started with the coding

Create a Code and close tool
Specify an input data set (with open ended questions)
The tool opens
In the upper part of the screen the tool will list all questions with open ended answers , regardless whether this has predefined categories or not

How to list the open answers

There are several ways of getting hold of the open answers and verbatim texts.

From inside the coding tool:

Above the open answers you have the export options. You may export to either an Excel file, a Word-file, or a tab-separated .csv-file. This example will export question by question to an Excel file.

From the Top-Line tool

Under the data-sets tab, select the data set with open ends
Select “View Top-Line”
From the Top-Line menu you can select “View open-answers”. These may then be copied or saved question by question to a text file

Export data set

If you are to deliver a list of all open ended verbatims, the best way should normally be to export the complete data set into a Triple-S file.
From data sets, select “Export”, then Triple-S.
The data will then contain all precodes and open answers in a tab separated .cvs file. This can then be edited in an Excel-spreadsheet and be delivered to client.

How to code open answers into categories

From the listing of open-ended answers you will probably create a code list. This can be inserted into the coding tool as follows:

On the right hand side, click the “New category” icon.
Specify the code number and code label. Continue until all your codes have been inserted by selecting “Keep adding”.
When you’re finished, select “Add” (enough with next category) or “close”. The code(s) will appear in the list to the right.
Select the open answer on the left (The number indicates how many respondents have answered this category (In this case: Heineken = 2 respondents)

You don’t need to specify the codes in advance. If you want to code “as-you-go”, you can simply select the open answer, specify a number, and if this hasn’t been used yet, the code tool will suggest a label and code value for you. This can be overridden according to your specifications.
To code the answers, simply highlight all answers that you want to code into one category, and then type the code for this category.

The category will now disappear, and turn up under the “Heineken” code to the right.
You can multi-select open answers, for example, misspellings and different brands that belong to the same coded category.
If you want to code an open answer into two different categories, e.g. “Heineken” should both be “Heineken” category and “Dutch beer” category, you can specify 1,7 in the “Move answers” window. Heineken will then move to BOTH code 1 and 7.
If you want to edit the way the open answers are listed, you may do the following:

Sort alphabetically: Click the ruler “Open text” above the list. The list will sort ascending, descending and no sorting
Filter the list: Click the small filter icon on the “Open text” ruler, and you will have access to numerous ways of filtering the open answers.

To delete an answer, select the “D”(Delete)-button

Split answers – long verbatims

Sometimes, the verbatims may have multiple meanings (such as both positive and negative), or are too long. In such cases, you may split the long answers into smaller parts that are easier to handle.

Select the open answer, the select the “Split” icon
The split function dialogue opens

Place the cursor where you want to split and create a new line using the shift button.
Continue until all “splits” are done. One answer for each row will be created. Click “OK”

Run the close tool

When all codes have been coded, you will see on the question list above that all questions have 100% coded.

Save the code and close tool as draft
Select the “Run workflow” button
You may then access the coded data set from the selecting the “View topline / frequencies”

Special features

Saving a code frame for later use

The code frames you have created together with the coded answers may be reused, for example, when you get a second wave of a tracker. The code frames may be stored as their own documents, and can be imported across projects.

If you select the “Edit source” icon to the right (the list to the right of the Sort button) the xml-editor opens. Here you will see the code frame and its structure.

Select all (Ctrl+A) and copy (Ctrl+C)
Close the window (Cancel)
From the Go to menu, select Domain documents
Select “Code frames” tab
Create “new code frame”
Give the code frame an appropriate name and description
Paste the code frame and save as new version

Import an already saved code frame

From the very right icon (seen above) you can import code frames.

Click the icon
Select the code frame to import
OK
All open ends that exists in the new data set will now be automatically coded. New variants can then be coded into the existing code frame and this may now be stored as a new version for later use.

Specify a code-list from an Excel spreadsheet

Sometimes you will create a code list from outside Research Studio, using Excel or other tool. Here is how you can do this:

From a code map that could look similar to this in Excel:

1	Heineken
2	Carlsberg
3	Aas
4	Ringnes
5	Tuborg
6	Other brands

You can add the following extra text

Copy the table and “edit Source”
Paste and “OK”. The Code frame is created.