Using Qualitative Software
Presented by
Colleen Dillon, MPH, PhD Candidate University of Washington-School of Public Health

Getting Started with AnSWR
 The hardest part about using AnSWR is getting started. Once started learning how to use AnSWR is very simple. It is important to remember that help is not far away. The individuals at the CDC are committed to the community using this free software. Therefore they are readily available by email to answer questions. If you have any trouble please email them at answr@cdc.gov. In addition if you run into any trouble, the AnSWR help section is great. Once download, this section can be found under your computer’s programs in your AnSWR folder or it can always be found on the AnSWR Main window when the program is open. The help section is very user friendly and gives clear examples.

To get started using AnSWR please follow steps outlined below:
  1. When you first open AnSWR it will ask you to create a Coder/Analyst ID and password. This ID will be used to protect the data that will be analyzed. For the first time the password will be NEWUSER.


  2. The next step will ask you to set up a new password to be used for future sessions. (Remember your ID and password, because you won’t be able to access the data without it.)


  3. You will receive a message verifying the new Coder/Analyst ID has been saved.


  4. Next, the program will ask you to start a New Study in the Study Manager Window. This window will allow you to add, delete and open previously saved studies in the future. AnSWR can manage several studies at once. For example you might have one study looking at “Social Adjustment of Individuals With Diabetes When They Go to College,” while another study might look at “The Benefits of Music With Breast Cancer Patients.”


  5. I recommend having a folder on your computer labeled the name of your study. Therefore when you set the location of your study, it is easy to find on your computer. In order to save a new study, click on the New Study button. Enter the name of your study. When saving your “new study” make sure to set your location to the folder you have designated on your computer.


  6. Next, the project wizard will automatically take you through the steps of creating a new project. Each study must have one project. For some studies, the project name will be the same as the study name. But some studies might have several projects. For example “Social Adjustment of Individuals With Diabetes When They Go to College” might have two projects—one looking at females, the other looking at males.


  7. The project wizard will allow you to name your project and then add descriptive information about the project.


  8. The most important part of the project wizard is adding the text data that will be analyzed. Text can be added in two forms TXT/RTF (Tab delineated or rich text format) or text can be typed directly into AnSWR. I recommend typing your text in Word, and then saving it in a rich text format. (Remember save it to the designated study folder on your computer and it will be easy to find.) Files can be continuously added at any time. Just click on your project manager in your AnSWR window on the right hand corner of your computer screen.


  9. This will ask you if you are entering a TXT/RTF file or directly typing the text into the program. Remember it cannot be a regular word document. A word or excel document must be saved as Rich Text or Tab Delineated.


  10. Locate your saved text file you want to add to the program. It should be in the folder you have designated on your computer. Then click add file.


  11. Say no to SPS (Sensitive Phrase Substitution) option. After you say no, a message confirming the file as been added will be displayed. Repeat steps 8-11 until all files have been added that you desire to analyze.


  12. To directly add text into program, I think it is easier to work in a Word document. That way the information can be accessed outside of AnSWR.


  13. Once all text files have been added to Project, click the next button. Then click Finish button to exit the Project Wizard. You have successfully entered in your files to be analyzed.


  14. AnSWR Main information Window will appear in the top right hand corner of your computer screen. This window allows you to access all AnSWR components.


  15. Basic system functions can be accessed via the toolbar, and additional functions can be assessed via menu items.


  16. The Sourcebook editor can be accessed through the run book (the third icon).


  17. The Sourcebook is defined as who or what provided the textual data to be analyzed. In an interview, the sources are the interviewer and the respondent. In a survey, the source can be the respondent or question one. A project must have at least one source. It is your decision on how you want to label the source of your text.


  18. Sources can be added by using the Sourcebook editor. Once you open the Sourcebook editor by clicking on the red book (third icon) it will open the Sourcebook editor. Click Add Source to enter sources. Enter source label in Source Network ID field. The Source ID label can be up to 20 alpha-numeric characters in length. NO SPACES ALLOWED. Click save button to save source. For the case of the Diabetes study we had the Sources as ServiceProvider and Interviewer Colleen.


  19. The box next to the source must be checked in order for it to be added. Click on close button once all sources have been added.


  20. Next, the Codebook editor can be accessed through the AnSWR Main window as by clicking on the blue book (second icon).


  21. Codes represent the common text you want to find in your text. Examples of codes used for the Diabetes study can be found in the Handout: Codes for 253-Diabetes. Codes can be either predetermined or can appear as you are coding. Usually the project team meets and comes up together with agreed upon code definitions. For example “Social Support” code was defined as: phrases such as: I want people to know I don’t want people to know. People who are there, Activities participate in, inclusion or not included in activities. Anytime this information came up in the interview it was coded under the Social Support code. AnSWR will allow you to highlight a text and label it with your desired code. This is the same as cutting text segments out and sorting them in like piles. AnSWR allows you to sort large volumes of information in an organized way.


    22. Usually there is an “Other” code. Information that is not clear is put in this category. The information will be reviewed later for additional codes or miscoding as a team.

    To add a new code click New Code. Enter the code label in Code Network Name field. Codes can be up to 20 alpha-numeric characters in length. Spaces not allowed.

  22. These slides explain how you can add descriptive information about your codes. It is helpful to have this information stored in the AnSWR program because therefore the coder can access the information if there are any questions. It also helps organize the information so that all team members agree on the codes and so that multiple coders code the same way.


  23. The box next to each code must be checked in order for it to be used. Click close button after all codes have been added.


  24. The next step is to start coding. To get started, click on the yellow sheet (fourth icon).


  25. The Coding Editor will allow you to start coding your text. The text you want to code should appear. To change the file to be coded, the lower left-hand corner, list all files in your project. You can move from file to file by clicking on the appropriate file name.


  26. Handout: Sample Interview for Diabetes Study provides a sample of what a text might look like that can be coded. I have highlighted key words that might represent possible codes that might be coded in an interview such as this.


    27. In order to code text, the text must be segmented, a source must be added and a code must be added. There are two methods for creating segments. One you can highlight a block of text or you can designate a start and an end point in your text.

  27. For example a selected segment to be coded could be “Also exercise helps maintain blood glucose levels.”


    28. Step 1: This sentence would be highlighted with the cursor, the select segment button would be clicked. Once a segment has been highlighted it will slightly appear as a different color.
    Step 2: Click on sourcebook icon on toolbar, and the different sources will appear. Drag the source “ServiceProvider” over to the text and it will be added to the segment.
    Step 3: Then click on the Codebook icon on the tool bar. The different codes will appear. Drag the code “exercise” over to the text and it will be added to the segment.

    Therefore this sentence would be selected as a segment, have a source as Service Provider, and a code as exercise. This sentence can later be clicked on and the two small white boxes in the toolbar will be checked showing that it has a source and a code added. This is very important, because a report cannot be generated without both a source and a code added to a segment.

    Getting the hang of coding takes practice. This is only a very simple introduction. There are more advanced types of coding that can be found in the help section.
Generating Reports - Generating reports can be somewhat tricky, but the handouts provided are a printout of the help section, which is very useful. To access the help section for reports, click on the question mark on the AnSWR Main Window. The Report Wizard will give you examples of Coded Text Reports and walk you through each step. It is important to follow the instructions on how to “Build a Criteria Group”. This can be tricky and mistakes will cause an error in generating a report.

Basically though reports are generated by clicking on the white sheet on the AnSWR Main window (fifth icon). You will click on New Report. Select the study project you want to generate a report for, and then select the type of Report. The most commonly used Report is the Text-based Analysis Reports. Under this heading click coded text report. Click next. A small window will appear. Accept the defaults and click ok. Next a window asking for the Report Selection Criteria will appear. (Samples of Criteria can be found in the help section under Report Wizard).



The desired code is the code you want the report to summarize. The report will list everything you highlighted under this code. If you have trouble please see the help section or email answr@cdc.gov.

Once you have a report you can read through everything that you highlighted about exercise for example and then generate themes about your data. For example a theme might be “Exercise is difficult to maintain in college because diabetic students don’t have enough time.” Codes are usually a topic, while themes have direction and state an opinion or make a statement about a topic. You are now on your way.


Using Qualitative Software | Getting Started with AnSWR | Handout: Codes for 253 - Diabetes |
Handout: Sample Interview for Diabetes Study | Web Links | Back to Agenda | NC Arts For Health