A coding system consists of predefined expressions (Codes) that are used to categorize a situation.
In most cases, the implementation of your Coding System is a process that grows during your observations. There is no need to think of everything up-front.
You can also use INTERACT without any sort of Coding System.
▪Skip this and read Explorative Data Collection for more information.
Basics
If you do have a Coding System you want to use, its expressions (Codes) must be made available within in INTERACT:
oYour observational 'Codes' need to be entered into a Code Definition file.
oThe basics of defining Codes in a single Code definition file are plain and simple.
oEach Code definition file serves as a coding template during your observations.
Note: There are many different ways to actually collect the required data, so setting up big and more complex coding system can turn into a challenge after all!
Your perfect setup depends on:
oThe research questions to be answered
oThe number of different types of information to be collected (= number of Classes and Codes) .
oThe complexity of those Codes in detection as well as in hierarchy
oThe Observation Method you plan to use: Event-based or Interval-based
oThe number of passes through each video that are needed to capture all interesting behavior
oThe coding mode that suits your Codes and/or personal preferences
Creating an Using a Coding System in INTERACT
Codes
'Codes' are labels or tags that describe (part of) a specific time slot. You can use these ‚Codes‘ to describe Subjects, Behavior, Modifiers or anything else that is worth logging. How you name them and on which level of abstraction or in what combination you apply them is up to you. We have no intention to prescribe a certain way of coding, but you can find several 'best-practice' examples in this documentation and within the descriptions of the different Coding methods.
But no matter what, you can change, extend, re-arrange and restructure your collected data anytime later, if you discover during analysis that something is not quite the way you need it!
Classes
While setting up Code definitions, it is important to know that a Class in INTERACT is designed to logically group different types of Codes. You could also refer to them as Behavior Groups. Each Class is represented by a separate column in the data file. Ideally, Codes within one class do exclude each other, but this is not obligatory.
▪Read Subjects, Behavior and Modifiers for some details about how these are handled in INTERACT.
▪Read the section Define Observation Codes for details.
Some general advice about setting up your Code Definitions, is listed in Coding System Clues.
Note: A clever classification of your Codes often simplifies analysis a lot, because: the way your data is structured, does influence the available results in the default analysis reports tremendously!
Observation Methods
You can use a wide range of sampling methods in INTERACT. We narrow them down to three 'main' approaches:
oEvent-based coding (Event Sampling)
oInterval-based coding (Time Sampling)
oPin-point (fixed Event distance)
These basic methods allow you to implement most of the common sampling methods as described in Observation methods.
Most examples in this documentation are based on Event-based coding, but often a Coding system works for both approaches.
Note: In most cases, we strongly advice to use the event-sampling method.
- Read Event-Sampling vs. Time-Sampling for details.
The following differences you need to keep in mind while setting up a Coding for Time Sampling-based coding:
oAll Codes that can occur simultaneously, within the same interval, need a separate Class.
oCodes can overwrite each other, because each line can hold only one entry per Class.
oSeparate Events that do overlap in time, can hold different codes within the same Class for the same period.
IMPORTANT: It is possible to log your observations event-based and export data interval-based!
Coding Mode
The selected Coding mode influences the possibilities for your code definitions AND the complexity of your coding system influences what Coding mode is best. Details on those coding modes and how to select the one you need etc. is discussed in the section Observation Methods.
INTERACT offers the following codings modes:
oStandard (ad-hoc) - For coding systems with a limited number of Codes per pass. Best for mutual exclusive Codes and regular overlaps. Each Code creates a new Event.
oLexical (post-hoc) - For sequential post-hoc coding and multi-level, complex coding systems, allowing you to enter multiple Codes to describe the same Event.
oComplex - Designed for live observation using multi-level Codes. All top-level Codes are logged with duration and require a specification for each situation.
oRefine Existing Events - For Interval based coding and adding Codes to existing Events.
Many users stick with the coding mode Standard (ad-hoc), because that works for them.
| TIP: | Head mounted eye tracker videos however are usually best coded using the coding mode Lexical (post-hoc), because it is easier logging all start- and en times with the SPACEBAR; the gaze-pointer can only be at one point at a time, so there are no overlapping positions to be logged. |
General Code Definition Rules
oCode behavior you cannot accurately observe simultaneously in separate coding sessions (multiple passes through the video).
oTry to use mutually exclusive Codes whenever possible; this simplifies the coding process.
oUse the possibility to define multiple ‚strings’ of mutual exclusive Codes per Code Definition file.
oWe recommend to store only Codes, that can be observed in one pass into, a singleWe recommend storing only Codes you can observe simultaneously in one pass into a single Code Definition file (less to choose from = fewer mistakes).
oPer coding-session, you can start with a different Code Definition file.
oEvents from different codings sessions can be collected inside the same data file AND within the same DataSet, even if they belong to different Code-Definitions.
oFor multi-level coding systems: Only first level Codes can be used to create Events.
oSub-level Codes can only be used, to further specify already logged behavior.
oIndependent first-level Code Definitions, can share the same Sub-level Code definitions.
oAll Codes that can be applied to the same Event require a different Class.
oEach partly overlapping behavior requires a separate Event.
oMutual exclusiveness works best in coding mode Standard (ad-hoc).
oYou can mix durational with none durational behavioral Codes on the first level only.
oSub-level Code Definitions are opened automatically if the coding mode Lexical is active.
You are able to extend a Code Definition file at any time!
Note: Doing research means exploring and investigating new areas; so it is impossible to present a setup that works for everybody.