CREATE A COLLECTION

Create a Collection

The first step in creating analytic data items in Transana is to create a Collection. A Collection holds Quotes, Clips, and Snapshots, and can be used to group data items that are analytically similar together in a common place.

Create a Collection

Quotes, Clips and Snapshots are organized into Collections. A Collection is simply a container used for holding data items that are related to each other in some way that you designate. In Transana, you need to create at least one Collection before you can create your first Standard Quote or Clip. Otherwise, there is no place to put it.

Create a Collection

In the Data window, right-click the Collections node, and select Add Collection. You see a dialog box that looks like the one on the right.

You can also right-click an existing Collection and select Add Nested Collection to add a sub-collection to represent a subset of the data in your category.

Type in a name for a collection of quotes, clips, and snapshots in the field labeled Collection ID.

Click OK when you are done. Your Collection will appear under the Collections root node.

Make a Collection Note

Right-click (Ctrl-click on the Mac) the Collection you just created and select Add Collection Note from the popup menu.

Enter a name for the Collection Note in the Note ID and your initials as Note Taker. Click OK to create the Note.

Press Ctrl-T to insert a date-time stamp into the note and record information about your analytic process, including explaining why you created the collection. Close the note when you are finished.

A Note on Collections

At the start of many types of analysis, including Grounded Theory analysis, you may not yet have an idea what kinds of Quotes, Clips, and Snapshots you will be making. In this case, you can create a catch-all Collection with a general title like “Interesting Data” or “Open Coding” or whatever else you want. The Collection name doesn’t need to be theoretically meaningful, but Transana needs a place to store your data items until you figure out what you want to do with them.