CAQDAS NETWORKING PROJECT: WINMAX PRO 97   

I append my own description of WINMAX Pro 97 for two reasons:

a)     because I want to remind potential users of the following training:
b)    it might be useful to see my summary of the useful attributes and 
characteristics of the software. 

20. May 1998 Introductory 1-day WINMAX PRO 97 hands-on training day  at the 
University of Surrey, Guildford UK. See description of software below.

I will definitely be there teaching the software and we very much hope that 
Udo Kuckartz,(the developer)of the Free University of Berlin,  will also be 
with us.

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WINMAX Pro 97 was released in 1997 and whilst not losing its user friendly,  
interface  has added considerably to its range of tools.

THE USER INTERFACE
-----------------
Consists of 4 basic windows which can be opened or closed by thE click of a 
button at the top button bar.  Auto re-sizing makes it easy to select the 
windows to view an optimum display for any function.
1. List of texts  (data file list)
2. Working Text  (working file - for on screen coding etc.)
3. List of codes
4. List of Coded segments  (automatically displayed - with current segments 
depending on activation of texts and codes - see below)


THE PRINCIPLE OF ACTIVATION
--------------------------

Winmax makes it very easy to decide how to see particular coding themes on a 
particular selection of documents. The text or the codes are activated or 
de-activated to include or exclude in any operation.  Activation tools 
include a logical activation by variable - and by Codes with weight see 
STATISTICAL SUPPORT below.


CODING/ MEMO attributes
----------------

HIERARCHICAL CODING STRUCTURE: choosing to reveal coded segments associated 
with a higher order code will display  everything -i.e. all the coded 
segments belonging to codes within, i.e. below that hierarchy. IMPORTANT: 
These can be sorted in text order - or code order.  

MEMOS can be applied to text or codes: the presence of the memo is flagged 
against codes or in the margin of text.  Memo's can be sorted and filtered.

MARGIN DISPLAY: codes and memo's which apply to the text are displayed in a 
margin beside working text window -  with icons and a line showing range of 
text coded. The code can be removed from the text at this margin display point.

CODED Retrieval - in CODED SEGMENTS Window is automatic  on the basis of 
activated codes and activated text files. The activation principle means no 
complicated Retrieval  search expression needs to be 'built' in order to see 
quite complex retrieval.  The text activation principle can also be 
engineered by means of Variables that have been applied to the data - e.g. 
by age groups.   I.e. on a 'logical' activation basis .

SORTING CODED SEGMENT
Superb and easy sorting facility.  Almost unique attribute in terms of its 
user friendliness and 'instant' utility to the researcher on ANY type of 
coded segment retrieval.  Coded segments can easily be sorted BY Code (i.e. 
topically)  or BY Text.  So that if the priority is to see how  documents 
are coded as whole units - it would be done BY text.  If the priority is to 
compare how topics or themes have been coded across files  the sorting would 
be BT text.  A one button selection process - alters the 'sort' order.


AUTOCODING  using TEXT SEARCH  - a string or selection of strings can be 
entered and searched for and coded as required, either immediately or after 
rigorous interactive testing.  The 'text search' can be performed both on 
data files and on the coded segments.  e.g.  a text search for the words and 
phrases  'education' or 'lack of funding' or 'government' can be performed, 
only on those respondents who have been coded say as 'angry' (!!) 
The results of any text search can then be 'autocoded' to an existing or new 
code to include lines either side or the paragraph surrounding the 'hits'.

THEORY BUILDING / QUERY TOOLS -USING 10  ANALYTIC STRATEGIES: In varying 
ways ask how different codes occur in the text , are they...
Intersecting with each other,   Near to,  Followed by, etc., etc,  ....in 
the text?

CODES can be applied to text with WEIGHT if this is needed.


DATA   ASPECTS
------------------
Once the data is added to a project it should be complete: memos can be 
added to lines of text - but the text itself is not editable.
Data can be any transcribed 'text' file.  It can be Word processed using 
most WP applications but it must be saved as Text only.

PRE-PROCESSOR TOOL: using a particular syntax, many different respondents' 
data  can be incorporated into one file, without losing individual sorting 
and filtering control over the different groups which might be incoprorated 
in these large aggregated files; at time of data import, the file is divided 
into small 'text files' within the file   e.g. Survey data - using open 
ended questions for many respondents.  This then allows easy application of 
the quantitative(?) variables to the these 'files within files'  : this in 
turn means that work on individual subsets of these small responses  can be 
activated (filtered in or out) on the basis of these variables.  e.g. just 
the females who fall into a particular age groupand are also married.  This 
also means that retrieval of coded segments within these files within files 
always identifies the exact source (e.g survey repsondent number).


STATISTICAL/QUANTITATIVE  SUPPORT
---------------------------------

CODE WITH WEIGHT:  codes applied to text have a default value of 100.  See 
report attached of coded segments.  This can be varied.  So searches or 
activation can be done on a Codes with weight basis.

VARIABLES: easy application of variables: both to 'documents' as a whole 
e.g. Interview files., also to files which incorporate more than one case or 
respondent: e.g. focus groups, survey files, clinical reviews. Providing the 
file has been prepared in correct way, and the Pre-processor tool utilised. 
(see example in DATA ASPECTS)

FILTERS/ACTIVATION: use of variables to filter enquires, retrieval and work  
- ACTIVATE  text    on a 'logic' basis: making use of VARIABLES:  i.e. just 
work on  the 20 year olds, or the 'Singles' or the singles who are in their 
20's AND  who share accommodation.

EXPORT DATA MATRIX -  export a Variable matrix - based
on socio demographics or subset groups?  Exports in Dbase format - can be 
imported into SPSS or standard spreadsheet files. Also code frequency files 
can be exported in this format.

OUTPUT:
Very easy to build output in useful way depending on how you want the report 
ordered and sorted.


Ann Lewins
___________________________________________________________________________
Ann Lewins, CAQDAS Networking Project, Dept of Sociology
University of Surrey, GUILDFORD GU2 5XH, U.K 
tel +44(0)1483 259455 fax +44(0)1483 259551
CAQDAS WWW page: http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/caqdas/
software demo version ftp address: ftp.soc.surrey.ac.uk
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