TRANSANA’S REPORTS

Transana provides a variety of reports that allow you to explore the database of valuable information you have created. Some reports are text-based, while others are graphical in nature. All of them give you the flexibility to analyze your data from multiple perspectives, providing a depth of insight you can’t get from note cards, text documents, or spreadsheets.

Please note that while some of the reports that follow may look very similar, they can serve very different analytic functions based on where in your database tree you request the report.

Library-Based Reports

The Library Report is a text-based report that lists all Documents and Episodes in the selected Library, including providing information about assigned Keywords.

To generate a Library Report, right-click a Library in the Database Tree and choose Library Report from the pop-up menu. This report can be customized in a variety of ways. The filter dialog allows you to specify what Documents, Episodes, and Keywords should be included or excluded in the report and what data is provided about each. You can edit this report directly, save it as a word processing or HTML document, and print it. When you have finished looking at the report, click Close to exit.

The Library Keyword Sequence Map is a graphical report which displays normalized Keyword Maps (see below) for multiple Episodes in a Library. This type of map is useful for comparing patterns across media files such as the density, co-occurrence, and proximity of coding. Each bar in the Library Keyword Sequence Map is clickable, and will load the Clip or Snapshot underlying the bar in Transana’s main interface. The Library Keyword Bar Graph and the Library Keyword Percentage Graph are variations on the same display which aggregate information across Clips and Snapshots. See Library Keyword Graphs in the Transana Manual for more information.

To view any of these reports, right-click a Library and select the map or graph you desire. These reports can be customized in a variety of ways using the filter dialog, saved as JPEG images, and printed.

The Library’s Analytic Data Export function allows you to export information about Quotes and Clips created from all Documents and Episodes in a Library, including coding, to a tab-delimited text file. This data file can be imported into other software packages, such as SPSS and Excel, to allow for additional analysis. In this way, Transana can serve as a data provider for mixed methods analysis.

Document-Based Reports

The Document Report is a text-based report which lists all Quotes created from the selected Document, and can optionally include Quote file and position information, Quote text, Quote Keywords, Quote comments, and Quote Notes. When Keywords are included in the report, a summary of Keyword usage is included at the bottom of the report.

To generate a Document Report, right-click a Document in the Database Tree and choose Document Report from the pop-up menu. This report can be customized in a variety of ways. The filter dialog allows you to specify what data elements should be shown, and what Quotes and Keywords should be included or excluded in the report. You can edit this report directly, save it as a wod processing or HTML document, and print it. In addition, if you click a hyperlinked Quote ID in the report, the associated Quote will be loaded in Transana. When you have finished looking at the report, click Close to exit. Please note that this is structurally similar but analytically very different from the Collection Report.

The Document Keyword Map, available for all Documents, is a graphical report which provides a representation of how Keywords have been applied to Quotes made from that Document. Color can be configured to represent different Quotes, so multiple bands of the same color at the same point in the Document’s span indicate a single Quote with multiple Keywords, or color can be configured to represent Keyword. The presence of the same Keyword at the same location in different Quotes is represented by a multi-colored band.

To generate a Document Keyword Map, right-click a Document in the Database Tree and choose Document Keyword Map from the pop-up menu. This map can be customized in a variety of ways using the filter dialog, saved in JPEG format, and printed. In addition, if you click a band in the report, the associated Quote will be loaded in Transana’s main interface. When you have finished looking at the map, click the Close button.

The Document Word Frequency Report presents word frequency data and a word cloud for the selected Document. This report can be helpful in exploring what language and specific terms are contained in your data, indicating for example what concepts your participants talk about a lot. This can suggest themes worth exploring in the data.

The Document’s Analytic Data Export function allows you to export information about Quotes created from a Document, along with their coding, to a tab-delimited text file. This data file can be imported into other software, such as SPSS and Excel, to allow for additional analysis. In this way, Transana can serve as a data provider for mixed methods analysis.

Episode-Based Reports

The Episode Report produces a list of all Clips created from the selected Episode and all Snapshots associated with the Episode. It can optionally include Clip file and position information, Clip Transcripts, Clip and Snapshot Keywords, comments, and item Notes. When Keywords are included in the report, a summary of Keyword usage is included at the bottom of the report.

To generate an Episode Report, right-click an Episode in the Database Tree and choose Episode Report from the pop-up menu. This report can be customized in a variety of ways. The filter dialog allows you to specify what data elements should be shown, and what Clips, Snapshots, and Keywords should be included or excluded in the report. You can edit this report directly, save it as a word processing or HTML document, and print it. When you have finished looking at the report, click Close to exit. Please note that this is structurally similar but analytically very different from the Collection Report.

The Episode Keyword Map is a graphical report available for all Episodes, providing a representation of how Keywords have been applied to Clips made from and Snapshots associated with that Episode. Color can be configured to represents different items, so multiple bands of the same color at the same point in the Episode’s time line indicate a single Clip or Snapshot with multiple Keywords, or color can be configured to represent Keyword. The presence of the same Keyword at the same location in different Clips or Snapshots is represented by a multi-colored band.

To generate a Keyword Map, right-click an Episode in the Database Tree and choose Episode Keyword Map from the pop-up menu. This map can be customized in a variety of ways using the filter dialog, saved in JPEG format, and printed. In addition, if you click a band in the report, the associated Clip or Snapshot will be loaded in Transana’s main interface. When you have finished looking at the map, click the Close button.

(In this example, the Keyword Map has been filtered heavily to reduce the speaker’s entire argument to a few main points. This allows us to capture the gist of a complex argument in a relatively simple format.)

The Episode Word Frequency Report presents word frequency data and a word cloud for all Transcripts contained in the selected Episode. This report can be helpful in exploring what language and specific terms are contained in your data, indicating for example what concepts your participants talk about a lot. This can suggest themes worth exploring in the data. Each Episode Transcript can be used to create a Transcript Word Frequency Report as well.

The Episode’s Analytic Data Export function allows you to export information about Clips created from an Episode, along with their coding, to a tab-delimited text file. This data file can be imported into other software, such as SPSS and Excel, to allow for additional analysis. In this way, Transana can serve as a data provider for mixed methods analysis.

Collection-Based Reports

The Collection Report produces a list of all Quotes, Clips, and Snapshots gathered together in the specified Collection. When Keywords are included in the report, a summary of Keyword usage is included at the bottom of the report.

To generate a Collection Report, right-click a Collection in the Database Tree and choose Collection Report from the pop-up menu. Selecting Collection Report from the Collections Root node will give you a report for all items in all Collections. This report can be customized in a variety of ways. The filter dialog allows you to specify what data elements should be shown for the different types of data presented, as well as specifying what elements should be included or excluded in the report. By default, data in nested Collections are included in the report, though this can be changed through the filter dialog.

You can edit this report directly, save it as a word processing or HTML document, and print it. In addition, if you click a hyperlinked Quote ID, Clip ID, or Snapshot ID in the report, the associated data item will be loaded in Transana’s main interface. When you have finished looking at the report, click Close to exit. Please note that this is structurally similar but analytically very different from the Episode and Document Reports.

The Collection Keyword Map provides a graphical display of the coding for all Clips that have been gathered together into a Collection and all Snapshots that are linked to Episodes in that Collection. Quotes in the Collection are not included in this report. Since Clips and attached Snapshots can be taken from many different Episodes, Transana constructs an artificial time line for this report by placing the Clips and Snapshots next to each other. Whether this time line is meaningful and can be interpreted depends upon whether the order of the Clips and Snapshots in your Collection is meaningful.

To generate a Collection Keyword Map, right-click a Collection in the Database Tree and choose Collection Keyword Map from the pop-up menu. This map can be customized in a variety of ways using the filter dialog, saved in JPEG format, and printed. In addition, if you click a band in the report, the associated Clip or Snapshot will be loaded in Transana. When you have finished looking at the map, click the Close button.

The Collection Word Frequency Report presents word frequency data and a word cloud for all Quotes and Clips contained in the selected Collection and all of its Nested Collections. This report can be helpful in exploring what language and specific terms are contained in your data, indicating for example what concepts your participants talk about a lot. This can suggest themes worth exploring in the data.

The Collection’s Analytic Data Export function allows you to export information about Quotes and Clips gathered into a Collection, along with their coding, to a tab-delimited text file. Snapshots in the Collection are not included in this report. Selecting Analytic Data Export from the Collections root node will give you this information for all Quotes and Clips in all Collections. This data file can be imported into other software, such as SPSS and Excel, to allow for additional analysis. In this way, Transana can serve as a data provider for mixed methods analysis.

Text-based Reports

Transana’s Text Reports

This ScreenCast describes and demonstrates Transana‚Äôs text-based reports, including the Library Report, the Document Report, the Episode Report, the Collection Report, the Keyword Summary Report, and Notes Reports. (11:03, Transana 3.00 shown.)

Word Frequency Reports

Transana’s Word Frequency Reports and Word Clouds

This ScreenCast demonstrates the use of Word Frequency Reports and Word Clouds in Transana. (7:42, Transana 3.10 shown.)

Keyword Maps

Transana’s Keyword Map Reports

This ScreenCast describes and demonstrates Transana’s graphical Keyword Map reports, including the Document Keyword Map, the Episode Keyword Map, and the Collection Keyword Map. (11:33, Transana 3.00 shown.)

Filter Dialogs and Filter Configurations

This ScreenCast describes Transana‚Äôs Filter Dialogs and Filter Configurations. Filter Configurations allow you to save Filter Dialog settings, essentially allowing you to preserve a particular analytic view of your data from anywhere where Transana uses Filter Dialogs. (6:16, Transana 3.00 shown.)

Keyword-Based Reports

The Keyword Summary Report lists all Keywords in one or more Keyword Groups, along with their definitions.

Right-click a Keyword Group and select Keyword Summary Report to produce the report for a single Keyword Group. Initiate the report by right-clicking the Keywords root node to produce the report for all Keywords in all Keyword Groups, or use the filter dialog to select which Keyword Groups to display. (This report can be used as your coding dictionary.)

Notes Reports

Reports about Transana’s Notes can be created by manipulating the filter dialogs for the Document, Episode, and Collection Reports.

There are also several Notes reports available from the Notes Browser, which are discussed in the context of that tool.

Named Reports

Most of the reports described above can be customized using the filter dialog. Filter configurations can be saved from within the filter dialog, allowing you to create individually named reports. You can design a filter configuration, and then easily reuse it later when your data may have changed. This is one of the ways Transana gives you flexibility in capturing your analytic insights.