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Nfield Code Version 1.1

Coding an Open-Ended Answer

Now that you are reviewing your open-ended answers, it is time to select the codes that match it.

If any codings have already been made for the current open-ended answer, they are listed in the Codings edit field. In addition, these codes are highlighted in the Code Frame at the left of the screen. Note that the Code Frame displays the code labels in the currently selected working language - if you see codes but no labels, the Code Frame might not have been translated for the selected working language.

Note that the order of coding may be of importance to the analysis department, in case there is a need to store the order of mentions for a respondent. The order in which the codes are listed in the edit box specifies the order in which the codes are stored in the export.

An audio recording of an open-ended answer is coded in the exact same manner as a text answer, except that multi-media controls appear to control playback. Obviously, for recording playback a sound device is required. For more information on using the multimedia playback controls for audio, see Multimedia Controls for Wave Playback.

An open-ended bitmap answer from devices such as tablet PC's is coded in the exact same manner as a text answer except that a scaled bitmap image of the answer appears. For information on viewing bitmaps, see The Bitmap Viewer.

An open-ended answer can be coded by either keyboard or by mouse. You cannot enter more codes than the maximum configured for the question.

To code an open-ended answer using the keyboard (method 1)

1. Make sure the Codings edit box has the focus of your cursor.
2. Type the relevant code numbers in the edit box. You can use keyboard keys 0-9 and the numeric keypad to do this.
   
   
   
   Multiple codes are automatically separated by semicolons as soon as the entered code matches a code in the Code Frame. The match is made when the code and the number of digits match. For example, in order to recognize code 4 in a list that has 99 codes, enter it as 04. Alternatively, type a semicolon to split codes.
   
   Use the mouse scroll-wheel to scroll the Code Frame up and down.
3. Press ENTER to go to the next open-ended answer in the selection.

To code an open-ended answer using the keyboard (method 2)

1. Make sure the Codings edit box has the focus of your cursor.
2. Press ALT+UP or ALT+DOWN to navigate up and down in the Code Frame.
   
   
   
3. Press INSERT to add the selected code to the codings.
4. Press ENTER to go to the next open-ended answer in the selection.

To code an open-ended answer with the mouse

1. In the Code Frame, click once on each code number of the code to add it.
2. Double-click the last code to go to the next open-ended answer in the selection.

At the bottom, the progress bar shows the amount of codes answers in your selection. Partially coded answers are not counted.

While coding, you can add new codes to the Code Frame on the fly when required.