Codification

This page allows you to codify your project documents. In LiGRE, data codification can either be an inductive or deductive process; however, more often than not, it starts by establishing a list of analytical categories, or, as we call them in LiGRE, leaves, based on the researcher’s knowledge of theory and his/her data. The researcher then reads the data and assigns codes/leaves to text fragments such as words, lines or paragraphs. This is done simply by highlighting a text excerpt and selecting a leaf from the codification menu appearing under the selected paragraph.

This page displays the document that you previously selected in the Codification and Data page on the right side of your screen and shows you your Codification Tree on the left side. The Codification page also includes three menus:

  • Codification
  • Paragraph
  • Advanced Options

The Codification Tree and the options of each of these menus are explained in detail in the sections below.

* Step-by-step tutorials have been added to this page to help you get started and better understand its functionalities.


Codification Tree

This area displays the elements (e.g., roots, branches and leaves) of your Codification Tree. You can create new elements or edit old ones using the Codification Tree menu on this page or the Codification Tree Management page.

Aside from this information, the Codification Tree shows the color and the number of text excerpts that are coded in the current document for each leaf of your tree.

* All Independent Variables are highlighted in light grey in your Codification Tree. For more information, see the Independent Variables page.

** You can reorder any child elements within the same parent category by dragging/dropping them.


Codification Menu

Located above your Codification Tree, the Codification menu has six options: Edit Codification Tree, Codification Tree Management, Independent Variables, Unfold All, Fold All, and Fold Leaves.

Edit Codification Tree

Starting from the left, Edit Codification Tree is the first option in this menu.

When you click on this option, a modal window allowing you to promptly add, edit or delete elements – such as roots, branches and leaves – to your tree appears.*

  • Roots make the first level of your Codification Tree. Their function is to organize your tree branches.
  • Branches are on the second level of your tree. They are used to order leaves and create Independent Variables**. All branches that are not linked with a root are automatically assigned to the Orphan Root of your tree.
  • Leaves constitute the third level of your Codification Tree. They are required since they are the only element that can be used to organize and classify relevant text excerpts from your documents. Leaves created without a parent branch are automatically assigned to the Orphan Branch of your tree.

To create a new element, select the proper tab, insert a new value in the required field and press Enter on your keyboard to validate your choice. Once your value has been processed and is displayed in a grey box, you are free to choose to fill the remaining fields. Click on Save to finish.

To edit an element, click on the proper tab and select the desired element from the list appearing under the required field (see picture below). Once the proper element is selected, you can rename, change (if applicable) its parent, edit its note or delete it.

   

* All changes made to your Codification Tree through the Codification page will impact your whole codification. Think carefully before deleting an element from your tree.

** You must select the Independent Variable option under the Branch Name field to create an Independent Variable. Once created, an ordinary branch cannot be changed to an independent variable and vice versa, an independent variable cannot be turned into a branch. Independent Variables are populated in the same way as a regular branch, that is, by adding leaves to it.

*** Once created, all branches and leaves are displayed within their parent elements.

Codification Tree Management

This option, second from the left, redirects you to the Codification Tree Management page.

When you click on this option, a modal window allowing you to set or change the value assigned to the Independent Variables of your tree appears.

Independent Variables

The Independent Variables option is the third option from the left.

Clicking on this option will make appear a modal window that will enable you to set or change the value assigned to the Independent Variables of your tree.

* Independent Variables can only be accessed through this option. You cannot select them through the usual codification process.

** Visit the Independent Variables page to learn more about their functionalities.

Unfold All

This option unfolds all three levels of your Codification Tree.

Fold All

This option will fold all three levels of your Codification Tree. You can fold/unfold the child elements of a root or branch individually by clicking on them.

Fold Leaves

This option automatically folds all the leaves of your tree, therefore only showing the roots and branches of your Codification Tree.


Paragraph Menu

Codification is paragraph oriented in LiGRE. As such, the Paragraph menu is critical to the codification process. Some options of this menu display permanently, others appear as you hover over a paragraph and, finally, other options only appear if you highlight a text excerpt. These options are all detailed below.

Add a Bookmark

The Bookmark is also displayed on the right of the paragraph number. Clicking on the Add Bookmark icon will automatically set your document’s bookmark on the current paragraph. Once set, you can access your document’s bookmark through the Go to Bookmark option.

The Go to Bookmark option only appears if you have set a bookmark for the document that you are viewing. It will appear in the text header, next to the blue “Advanced Options” button. Clicking on this option will automatically bring you to the paragraph where you set your bookmark.

Click on the Add Bookmark icon of another paragraph to replace your current bookmark. Click on the Add Bookmark icon of your current bookmark to erase your bookmark.

* You can only set one bookmark for a document.

Play and Edit Paragraph (or Edit Paragraph)

The Play and Edit Paragraph option appears on the right of the Add Bookmark icon when you hover over a paragraph.

When you click on this option, a window (see image below) appears allowing you to listen (or, if your original file is a video, watch) to the extract of your interview corresponding to the selected paragraph while you edit or correct its transcription.

   

Here are the options of the Play and Edit Paragraph window:

Media player options
  • Start Time and End Time – This option will only play the snippet corresponding to the start and end time of the paragraph. Once the clip is over, click this option again to restart the playback.
  • Speed – To ease your review of the transcription, this option allows you to slow the playback speed of the media player.
  • Play – This option will only play the snippet corresponding to the start and end time of the paragraph. Once the clip is over, click this option again to restart the playback.
  • Volume
  • Fullscreen
  • Download
Text editor options
  • Bold
  • Italic
  • Underline
  • Insert/Remove Numbered List – Adding a numbered list to an existing paragraph will automatically split its content into two paragraphs. Plus, only one text format can feature in one paragraph.**
  • Insert/Remove Bulleted List – Adding a bulleted list to an existing paragraph will automatically split its content into two paragraphs.
  • Block Quote – Adding a block quote to an existing paragraph will automatically split its content into two paragraphs.
  • Paragraph Format – Only one format can be applied in a paragraph. Adding more than one text format to a paragraph will automatically cause it to split.
  • Image – You can insert an image using its URL. Image and text will be automatically separated as they cannot be featured in the same paragraph.
  • Table – This option allows you to insert a table.

* Paragraphs are always organized chronologically.

** Insert carriage returns into the text of a paragraph to rapidly split its content into multiple paragraphs. 

*** To facilitate reading on the screen, the maximum size of a paragraph is 2,000 characters. Any paragraph that exceeds this limit is automatically split.

Merge with Next Paragraph

As you hover over a paragraph, this option appears on the left of the Play and Edit Paragraph option.

This option allows you to quickly merge the content of two paragraphs. If applicable, the start and end time of the two merged paragraphs is automatically combined.

Add a Paragraph

Like the two previous options, the Add a Paragraph option only appears when you hover over a paragraph. It allows you to add a new paragraph after the one that you are currently viewing.

Delete Paragraph

Like the three previous option, the Delete Paragraph option only appears when you hover over a paragraph. It allows you to delete a paragraph. Please note that once removed, a paragraph cannot be brought back.

Add Paragraph to Public Content

This option allows you to add a copy photo of a paragraph to your project’s public page. All colored text excerpts are included in a paragraph’s picture.

Move Paragraph

This last option allows you to reorder paragraphs by dragging/dropping them.

Codification Menu

Highlighting a text excerpt in a paragraph will automatically make the Codification menu appear under the paragraph. This menu allows you to linke a text excerpt to a leaf of your Codification Tree.

To codify a text excerpt, you only need to select a leaf and hit the Save button. You are free to add Weight or a Note to your excerpt. The weight and notes you add to your text fragments appear in the Codification Report and can be exported.

Once codified, the text excerpt automatically takes the leaf’s color.

You can codify the same text excerpt into several leaves. If you do, know that the color will mash up.

Hovering over a codified excerpt displays the root, branch and leaf under which it has been classified in a tooltip. It also displays its weight, note and creation date.

Clicking on a colored text excerpt brings back the Codification menu, allowing you to edit the information assigned to the text excerpt.


Advanced Options Menu

The Advanced Options menu is located on the upper right-hand side of the Codification page. The options in this menu allow you to manage the codification of the text document that you are currently viewing.

Bibliographic Record

This option allows you to edit the bibliographic record of the document that you are currently viewing.

Codification Report

This option redirects you to the Codification Report page. This page lists all the text excerpts that have been codified in the document that you are currently viewing.

Export

This option allows you to download your work on your computer.

The export takes place in two stages. You first need to choose the type of export you want to perform. You can either export the fragments, the text with its codification or only the text of the document that you are currently viewing.

  • Fragments – Export all the text excerpts codified in this document.
  • Text Only – Export the document without its codification.
  • Text and Codification – Export the document with its codification, as you see it on the Codification page.

You then need to choose the file type in which you want to export. You can either select HTML or Word.

Reassign Codification

This option allows you to change your project teammates who can codify the document that you are currently viewing.

Users can only codify the data that has been assigned to them; however, all project teammates can see the project codifications.

* Document codifications are, by default, assigned to the person who added them.

Move to Recycle Bin

This option moves the document that you are currently viewing and its codification to the recycle bin of your project.

* All text excerpts included in its codification will be subtracted from your project.

Restart Codification

This option allows you to start your work over quickly by deleting the codified text excerpts in the document that you are currently viewing.

* If you want to use this option, know that you cannot undo what has been done once it has been processed.

Transcribe Again

This option allows you to launch a new transcript of your data. To do so, you must have the required amount of transcription time.

* This option is only available for audio and video data transcriptions.

Group Paragraphs per Minute

This option allows you to group all the paragraphs of an overly sparse transcript per minute.

* This option is only available for audio and video data transcriptions, and if the length of the paragraphs of your document does not exceed a minute.

Complete/Open Codification

By default, the codification of any text data is open, which means that text excerpts can be assigned to the leaves of your Codification Tree. Once its status is set to “complete”, it becomes impossible to alter the text and its codification.

* Completed codification can always be reopened. 

Did this article answer your question?

Leave a Reply