5.1: Steps in Creating a Database

1. Opening the Administration Screen,
2. Providing EZ-Text with a new database file name,
3. Completing the Study Information fields,
4. Defining each open-ended question from the questionnaire,
5. Defining the Interview Information variables, and
6. Setting unique passwords to protect the templates and the codebook from unauthorized changes.

5.2: Administration Screen Overview and Default Password

To start this process:

Step 1: Close any open databases.

Step 2: Select Administration on the File Menu on the Menu Bar. (See figure 5.2-1.)

Step 3: The program will prompt for the password to enter the Administration Screens. The default password is Admin. Note: This password is uppercase and lowercase sensitive. Enter the password into the space provided and press Enter or click on the Continue button. (See figure 5.2-2.)

The Administration Screen will appear. The following steps will assist in allowing the user to Create a New Database or Exit Administration.

5.3: New Database File Names

To name a new database file:

Step 1: Click on Admin on the Menu Bar. Select Create New Database. (See figure 5.3-1.)

Step 2: Enter a file name and path into the Save As dialog box. Any standard eight character DOS file name and path is acceptable, although all file names must have the ".mdb" extension. If a user enters the name of an existing database, the program provides a warning prompt before it is overwritten. Click on OK. (See figure 5.3-2.)

5.4: Defining Database Structure with Administration Screen Tabs

Once the EZ-Text database has been named, the user may perform the following functions, using the steps defined below:

1. define the study name in the Study Information Screen;
2. define open-ended questions in the Open-Ended Questions Screen;
3. add interview information in the Interview Information Screen; and
4. delete, modify, or add codes corresponding to themes present in open-ended responses in the Codebook Screen.

To perform any of these functions, click on the appropriate tab at the top of the screen.

5.4(a): Study Information Tab

After creating an EZ-Text database, the program defaults to the Study Information tab.

To continue:

Step 1: In the field labeled Study Name:, New Database appears. Using the mouse, highlight New Database and then type the name of the study. (See figure 5.4-1.)

Step 2: After entering the study name, go to the Codebook Password field. Enter the password to be used to access the codebook for this study. The default password is Admin. For more information concerning passwords, see Section 5.5.

Step 3: Click on the Save button to save the Study Name and Codebook Password.

This study name will be used on all reports and data entry screens. Note that the Date Created and Date Modified fields are maintained by this program and cannot be modified by the user.

5.4(b): Open-ended Questions Tab

The next step is to add open-ended questions to the EZ-Text database.

To add open-ended questions:

Step 1: Click on the Open-Ended Questions tab on the Administration Screen. (See figure 5.4-2.)

Step 2: Click on the New Question Command Button.

Step 3: For each question in the database, EZ-Text prompts for the completion of three fields: Question Sequence, Question Number, and Question Text.

Question Sequence field - a unique decimal number which controls the sequence in which the data entry screens will appear to the person entering the interview data (e.g., a screen with 2.5 as its Question Sequence number appears after a screen with a Question Sequence number of 2.0). In most cases, the values of these numbers will reflect the order of the questions on the original questionnaire.

Question Number field - accepts any combination of letters and numbers (e.g., "1," "2a," "2b," "IV," etc.). These labels correspond to the question numbering system used on the original interview questionnaire. Typically this field would be used to store the question identifier.

Question Text field - used to store the actual text of the open-ended question as it appears on the questionnaire.

Step 4: After entering the fields for a question, click the Save button to store the question in the database.

Step 5: Follow the above procedures to provide information for the other open-ended questions from the questionnaire.

The other buttons on this screen can be used to move throughout the defined questions in a database. Questions may be modified at any time after they have been defined. Make the desired changes to the fields and click the Save button. Note that deleting a question from the database will also delete any responses to that question.

5.4(c): Interview Information Tab

After creating the screens for the open-ended questions, the next step entails defining the Interview Information variables. Each EZ-Text database can have an unlimited number of user-defined fixed length fields to store interview information. Fixed length means fields which are limited to a set number of characters or responses.

To define fixed length fields:

Step 1: Click on the third tab on the Administration Screen labeled Interview Information. (See figure 5.4-3.)

By default, all EZ-Text databases have one field, ID Number, already defined. While the field length of this field can be modified, it cannot be deleted. The field length cannot exceed nine digits.

Step 2: The Interview Information Screen displays a grid of fixed length fields which have been defined for a database. To add a new field, click on the Add Field button, which displays the Add Field Screen. (See figure 5.4-4.) Notice that the grid on the Interview Information Screen consists of twelve rows. If the number of fields in a template exceed twelve, a scrolling feature has been provided at the right side of the Interview Information tab to access more rows. (See figure 5.4-3.) To use the scrolling feature, click on the down arrow to move down in the list of variable fields, or click on the up arrow to move up in the list of variable fields.

The Add Field Screen displays at least four fields depending on the "Field Type". If the field type is numeric, six fields are displayed.

Field Order Number - a decimal number that controls the placement of the variable on the Interview Information Screen (e.g., a variable with 2.5 as its Field Order Number appears after a variable with a 2.0 Field Order Number). Note that the field number must be greater than 1.0, which is reserved for the ID Number field.

Field Name - stores the name of the variable (e.g., "Age," "Sex," "Interviewer Name," "Date of Interview," etc.). Use descriptive field names, but limit them to 20 characters.

Field Type - defines the field as a numeric variable (e.g., age), a text variable (e.g., interview location), or a selection list. The selection list provides the option of creating a pull-down list of responses. (See steps 8 through 10 on the following pages.) An example of a selection list variable is a field called " Interview City" that might include Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles in the pull-down list of possible responses that can be selected during subsequent data entry for a respondent.

Field Display Length - controls the number of characters that can be entered in the field. If the field type is numeric, the field length can be up to 9 characters. However, if the field type is text or a selection list, the field length can be up to 60 characters.

Step 3: Enter the Field Order Number and Field Name.

Step 4: To enter the Field Type, choose from the options in the selection list. To activate the selection list, click the down-arrow button to the right of the Field Type field and click on the desired choice or use the arrow keys on the keyboard. If the Field Type is defined as a number, two additional types of information will pop up on the Add Field Screen: Minimum Value and Maximum Value. These items control the minimum and maximum values that can be entered into a field. This is helpful for ensuring valid data entry of numeric variables.

Step 5: Enter the Field Display Length. Remember, if the field type is numeric, the field length can be up to 9 digits. However, if the field type is text or a selection list, the field length can be up to 60 characters.

STEP 6 IS NEEDED ONLY IF THE FIELD TYPE IS NUMERIC.

Step 6: If the field type is numeric, two extra fields will appear: Minimum Value and Maximum Value. (See figure 5.4-5.) Enter the minimum and maximum values allowed to be entered into the field by data entry personnel.

Step 7: Click on the Save button on the Add Field Screen to save the settings for a field. Or to cancel the addition of a field, click on the Cancel button.

STEPS 8 THROUGH 10 ARE NEEDED ONLY IF SELECTION LIST IS CHOSEN FOR THE FIELD TYPE.

Step 8: After saving the settings for the field, the program will prompt the user to add the selection list values. Either add the values at this time, or, to add them later, highlight the field on the Interview Information field grid and click the Modify Selection List button. Either method will bring up the Selection List Maintenance Screen. (See figure 5.4-6.)

Step 9: The Selection List Maintenance Screen displays the current selection list values and provides the option of adding new values to the list or removing existing values. To add to a selection list, type in the list item beside New List Value and click on Add to List. To delete an item from a selection list, highlight the item to be deleted and click on the Remove button.

Step 10: After modifying the selection list, click on the Return button to return to the Interview Information Screen.

Note that from the Interview Information Screen, the field order and the field display length may be modified. To change the field name or type, delete the field and add a new field. Caution: Deleting a field removes any data associated with that field.

5.4(d): Codebook Tab

The fourth tab on the Administration Screen is used to create the codebook. This will be discussed in greater detail in the next chapter.

5.5: Changing Administration and Codebook Passwords

After defining an EZ-Text database, assigning it a password is strongly recommended to protect its definition.

To assign an Administration Password:
Step 1: Select Admin on the Menu Bar and click on Change Database Password. (See figure 5.5-1.) The Change Database Password Screen will appear. (See figure 5.5-2.)

Step 2: After entering the new password and verifying it, click on the Save button.

Note: This password is uppercase and lowercase sensitive.

Write the database password down and save it. If the database definition ever needs to be changed, this password will be needed to gain access to the administration system.

After the codebook for the database has been written (writing the codebook will be explained in the next chapter), protect it by setting a password.

To assign a Codebook Password:

Step 1: Click on the Study Information tab on the Administration Screen.

Step 2: The last field on the screen is the Codebook Password field. Type in the desired password and click on the Save button. (See figure 5.5-3.)

Note: This password is uppercase and lowercase sensitive.

The administration and codebook passwords may be different (default for both is Admin). Different passwords should be used for different database files.

After defining the database, select Exit Administration on the Admin Menu to view the new database.

Go to Chapter 6