Group query

Use Group queries to find items that are associated in a particular way with other items in your project. The items could be associated by coding, attribute value, relationships, 'see also' links or maps. For example, you might have a hunch that Interview with Franz and Interview with Vikram covered very different issues and therefore have been coded differently. You could explore that hunch with a Group query. When you run the query, the results are displayed in Detail View with the coded nodes grouped under Interview with Franz and Interview with Vikram.

You can look for various types of associations with a Group query.

Look For...

Example

Items Coding What are the nodes that I've used to code Interview with Franz and Interview with Vikram?
Items Coded At Which interviews have been coded at water conservation or water treatment?
Items by Attribute Value Find any participants who live in Riverside or Mountain View.
Relationships Find any relationships in my project that include water quality.
See Also Links Find any 'see also' links to Diary Notes or Glossary of Terms.
Map Items List the project items that are included in the map, Stakeholder Views on Water Contamination.
Maps Find any maps that include homeowners, fishermen or farmers.

You cannot use the Query Wizard to run a Group query—these queries must be set up outside the Wizard.

Limit the size of Group query results

You can limit the size of the Group query results by selecting which items are included in the scope and range, or even who has performed the coding.

  • Scope refers to the items that you want to look in—for example, Interview with Franz and Interview with Vikram.
  • Range refers to the items that you want to find if they are associated with the scope items. This could be general—for example all nodes, or more specific—for example, solar power, wind power, hydro power and biofuels.
    The available options for scope and range vary depending on the type of association you are looking for. For example, if you are looking for any maps that include the node renewable energy, the scope is the node 'renewable energy' and the range is 'All Models'.
  • Coded By allows you to select specific users who have performed the coding. This is only available when you look for Items Coding or Items Coded At.

The results of a Group query are displayed in Detail View. The range items are grouped together under the scope items.

Understand the results of a Group query

When you run a Group query the results are displayed in Detail View. The Result tab is displayed by default:

The results tab of a Group query.

1Scope Items  contain the items you want to find the associations with—for example, Interview with Franz and Interview with Vikram.

2Range Items  contain the items you want to view at the second level if they have associations with the scope items. This could be all nodes in your project, or just a selected few—for example, solar power, wind power, hydro power and biofuels. The range items are grouped together under the scope items.

3Finds  refers to the number of range items that are associated with each scope item—for example, How many of the range nodes code Interview with Franz?

4 Click the Connection Map tab (on the right of Detail View) to display a connection map that shows any associations between scope items and range items.

Viewing the results of a Group query as a connection map.

1Scope Items  contain the items you defined in the Group query—for example, the files Interview with Franz and Interview with Vikram.

2Range Items  contain the range items that have associations with any of the scope items. This could be all nodes in your project, or just a selected few—for example, solar power, wind power, hydro power and biofuels.

3Finds  Each line represents an association found between a scope item and a range item.

Create a group query

  1. On the Explore tab, in the Query group, click Group.
  1. In the Look For box, select one of the following options:
    Look ForDescription

    Items Coding or Items Coded At

    Find nodes that code specific files—for example, which nodes code Interview with Franz and Interview with Vikram? Alternatively, you can find files coded at specific nodes—for example, which interviews have been coded at water conservation or water treatment?

    Items by Attribute Value

    Find files or cases with specific attribute values. This can help you to check that you have consulted a variety of files—for example, have I relied too heavily on journal articles published in a particular country?  

    Group queries can also be used to find out which participants belong to a certain demographic group—for example, Who are the participants from Riverside and Mountain View?

    Relationships

    Find files or nodes that are associated by a relationship. For example, which files or nodes are associated by a relationship with water quality?

    Under Relationship Criteria select:

    • Direction to specify that you want to find only relationships with a specific direction.
    • Types to specify that you want to find only relationships of a specific type and  click OK.

    See Also Links

    Find project items that are associated by 'see also' links.

    Map Items or Maps

    Find the maps that contain selected items—for example, which maps contain the nodes homeowners, fishermen or farmers?  

    You can also use a Group query to view a list of the items that are part of selected maps.

  2. (Optional) Define the Scope, Range or Coded By. Use the Select button to choose specific project items.
  3. Click Run.

NOTE  To save the Group query, click the Add to Project check box, and enter the name and description (optional) in the General tab.