I'm using MAXQDA for qualitative analysis and need guidance. Help me: 1) Set up document system organizing by groups and subgroups

Prompt

I'm using MAXQDA for qualitative analysis and need guidance. Help me: 1) Set up document system organizing by groups and subgroups

ClaudeAnthropic

I'm using MAXQDA for qualitative analysis and need guidance. Help me: 1) Set up document system organizing by groups and subgroups

Setting Up Your Document System in MAXQDA

Basic Structure Overview

MAXQDA uses a hierarchical Document System to organize your qualitative data with groups and subgroups.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Access the Document System

Look at the left side of your MAXQDA window

You'll see the "Document System" window (top-left quadrant)

2. Create Document Groups

Right-click on "Document System" at the top

Select "New Document Group"

Name it appropriately (e.g., "Interview Transcripts," "Focus Groups," "Observations")

Press Enter to confirm

3. Create Subgroups

Right-click on any Document Group

Select "New Document Group" again

This creates a subgroup nested under the parent group

Name it (e.g., under "Interviews" you might have "Teachers," "Students," "Administrators")

4. Organize Multiple Levels

Document System
├── Interviews
│   ├── Teachers
│   ├── Students
│   └── Administrators
├── Focus Groups
│   ├── Group A
│   └── Group B
└── Field Notes
    ├── Observations
    └── Memos

Best Practices

Strategic Organization Options:

By Participant Type:

Demographics (age, gender, profession)

Roles or positions

By Time:

Phase 1, Phase 2

Pre/Post intervention

Year or semester

By Location:

Site A, Site B

Geographic regions

By Data Type:

Interviews, surveys, documents, images

Tips:

✅ Plan your structure first - Sketch it out before creating groups

✅ Keep it simple - Don't create too many levels (2-3 levels max is usually sufficient)

✅ Use consistent naming - Establish a naming convention early

✅ Color-code groups - Right-click group → "Document Group Color" for visual organization

✅ Use document variables - For additional categorization (age, gender, etc.) without creating too many subgroups

Adding Documents to Groups

Import documents:

Right-click on the desired group/subgroup

Select "Import Documents"

Choose your files

Move documents:

Drag and drop documents between groups

Or right-click document → "Move to Document Group"

Modifying Your Structure

Rename: Double-click on group name

Delete: Right-click → "Delete" (documents can be moved first)

Reorder: Drag groups up or down

Would you like help with:

Setting up a coding system next?

Creating document variables?

Specific organization strategy for your research type?

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GrokxAI

I'm using MAXQDA for qualitative analysis and need guidance. Help me: 1) Set up document system organizing by groups and subgroups

Setting Up a Document System in MAXQDA: Organizing by Groups and Subgroups

MAXQDA is a powerful tool for qualitative data analysis, and its Document System allows you to organize your documents (e.g., interviews, texts, PDFs) hierarchically using groups and subgroups. This helps manage large datasets, especially for thematic or categorical organization. Below, I'll guide you step by step to set this up. I'm assuming you're using MAXQDA 2022 or later (the interface is similar in older versions, but menus might vary slightly). If you're on an older version, let me know for adjustments.

Step 1: Import Your Documents

Before organizing, you need documents in your project.

Open MAXQDA and create or load your project (File > New Project or Open Project).

Import documents:

Go to Documents > Import Documents (or drag-and-drop files into the Document System window).

Supported formats include TXT, DOCX, PDF, audio/video for transcription, etc.

Import all relevant files. They’ll initially appear as a flat list in the Document System pane (left sidebar, tab labeled "Documents").

Step 2: Open the Document System

Ensure the Document System is visible: If not, go to View > Document System or click the Documents tab in the left pane.

You'll see a tree-like structure where documents are listed. By default, they're ungrouped.

Step 3: Create Main Groups

Groups act as top-level categories (e.g., by theme, data type, or participant group).

Right-click in the empty space below the document list (or on an existing group if you want a sibling).

Select New Document Group (or use the toolbar button: the folder icon with a +).

Name the group (e.g., "Participant Interviews" or "Themes").

Repeat for as many main groups as needed. Groups appear as folders in the tree.

Step 4: Create Subgroups (Hierarchical Nesting)

Subgroups are nested under main groups for finer organization (e.g., under "Participant Interviews," subgroups like "Male Participants" > "Age 20-30").

Right-click on an existing main group.

Select New Document Group (this creates a subgroup nested under it).

Name the subgroup (e.g., "Urban Residents").

Drag-and-drop to nest further: To create a sub-subgroup, right-click a subgroup and select New Document Group, or drag an existing group onto another to make it a child.

You can also use Cut (Ctrl+X) and Paste Special > As Subgroup (right-click target group) to reorganize.

Step 5: Assign Documents to Groups and Subgroups

Documents can belong to multiple groups (via links) without duplicating files.

Select one or more documents in the list (hold Ctrl for multiple).

Right-click and choose Add to Group (or use the toolbar: the arrow icon pointing to a folder).

In the dialog, select the target group or subgroup. Check "Create link only" if you want non-destructive assignment (recommended to avoid duplicates).

To move a document entirely: Drag-and-drop it onto the group/subgroup folder. It will nest under it.

Tip: Use colors for visual organization—right-click a group > Properties > Color to assign a color, which highlights assigned documents.

Step 6: Advanced Organization Tips

Working with Large Projects: Use the search bar in the Document System to filter documents by name or content. You can also create "Smart Groups" (in MAXQDA Analytics Pro or higher): Right-click > New Smart Group to auto-populate based on criteria like keywords or codes.

Memos and Links: Attach memos to groups (right-click group > New Memo) for notes on the category. Link documents across groups without moving them.

Export/Backup: To save your structure, export the Document System (Documents > Export > Document Groups) as a .mqd file or CSV for reports.

Permissions and Teams: If collaborating, use MAXQDA's team features (Project > Teamwork) to share group structures.

Common Pitfalls:

Groups don't import automatically—always assign post-import.

If documents are in subfolders during import, MAXQDA can mirror the file system hierarchy (check the import options).

Example Structure

Main Group: Interviews

Subgroup: Region A

Sub-subgroup: Farmers

Sub-subgroup: Urban Workers

Subgroup: Region B

Sub-subgroup: Students

Main Group: Secondary Sources

Subgroup: Articles

Subgroup: Reports

This setup keeps your analysis organized as your project grows. For coding or retrieval next, you can now assign codes directly to grouped documents. If you need help with subgroups for codes, linking data, or troubleshooting (e.g., version-specific issues), provide more details! For official resources, check MAXQDA's help menu (Help > Online Manual) or their tutorials at VERBI's website.

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MistralMistral AI

I'm using MAXQDA for qualitative analysis and need guidance. Help me: 1) Set up document system organizing by groups and subgroups

Certainly! MAXQDA is a powerful tool for qualitative data analysis, and organizing your documents effectively is crucial for a smooth analysis process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set up your document system by organizing it into groups and subgroups:

Step 1: Import Your Documents

Open MAXQDA: Launch the MAXQDA application.

Create a New Project: Go to File > New Project and give your project a name.

Import Documents:

Go to Documents > Import Documents.

Select the documents you want to import. MAXQDA supports various file formats like text, PDF, Word, Excel, and more.

Step 2: Create Document Groups

Open the Document System: In the main window, click on the Document System tab.

Create a New Group:

Right-click in the Document System area.

Select New Document Group.

Name your group (e.g., "Interviews").

Step 3: Create Subgroups

Select the Parent Group: Click on the group you just created (e.g., "Interviews").

Create a Subgroup:

Right-click on the selected group.

Select New Document Group.

Name your subgroup (e.g., "Phase 1 Interviews").

Step 4: Organize Documents into Groups and Subgroups

Move Documents:

Drag and drop the imported documents into the appropriate groups or subgroups.

Alternatively, you can right-click on a document, select Move Document, and choose the desired group or subgroup.

Step 5: Verify and Adjust

Review the Structure: Ensure that all documents are correctly placed in their respective groups and subgroups.

Adjust as Needed: You can always move documents between groups or create new groups/subgroups as your analysis progresses.

Tips for Effective Organization

Consistent Naming: Use clear and consistent naming conventions for your groups and subgroups to make navigation easier.

Hierarchical Structure: Think about the hierarchical structure that best fits your data. For example, you might have a top-level group for "Interviews" with subgroups for different phases or themes.

Document Metadata: Use the document properties to add metadata (e.g., date, location, participant details) which can help in filtering and sorting later.

Example Structure

Interviews

Phase 1 Interviews

Interview 1

Interview 2

Phase 2 Interviews

Interview 3

Interview 4

Surveys

Pre-Survey

Survey 1

Survey 2

Post-Survey

Survey 3

Survey 4

By following these steps, you should be able to set up a well-organized document system in MAXQDA, making your qualitative analysis more efficient and manageable. If you have any specific questions or run into issues, feel free to ask!

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Analysis

This comparison demonstrates the different approaches each AI model takes when responding to the same prompt. Here are the key differences observed:

Response Characteristics

Claude: Provides a detailed response with 15 sentences.

Grok: Provides a direct response with 73 sentences.

Mistral: Provides a direct response with 43 sentences.

Key Takeaways

Each model brings unique strengths to this type of query
Response styles vary significantly between models
Consider your specific use case when choosing between these models

Try This Comparison Yourself

Want to test these models with your own prompts? Visit SNEOS.com to compare AI responses side-by-side in real-time.

This comparison was generated using the SNEOS AI Comparison ToolPublished: October 15, 2025 | Models: Claude, Grok, Mistral