Building a coding frame for responses

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. Which best describes a coding frame?

A A table of categories, each with a definition and an example

B A list of every response in the order it was received

2. Two categories in a frame: 'Cost' and 'Money problems'. Is this a good frame?

A No - the categories overlap, so they are not mutually exclusive

B Yes - more categories always make a better frame

3. Why does a coding frame include an 'Other' category?

A To store responses the coder does not want to read

B To catch responses that do not fit any other category

4. Why does each category in a coding frame have a definition and an example?

A So different coders apply the same code to the same response

B So the frame looks longer and more detailed

5. A response 'The app crashes and is too slow' fits two categories. What is the best fix?

A Let each coder pick whichever category they prefer

B Rewrite the category definitions so each response fits only one

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Category: Too expensive \| Definition: Mentions price or cost \| Example: "Lunches cost too much"		A"Too pricey" -> PRICE \| "Costs too much" -> PRICE \| "Overpriced" -> PRICE
2Category: Other \| Definition: Any response that fits no other category		BPrice = mentions cost only \| Quality = mentions taste or freshness only
3Categories must be mutually exclusive, so each response fits only one category		CThe categories overlap, so a response about price could be coded as Cost or Value. Categories must be mutually exclusive.
4Consistent coding means the same type of response always gets the same code		DThere is no Other category, so unexpected responses have nowhere to go and may be forced into the wrong category.
5Cost = mentions price \| Value = mentions price or quality		EOne row of a coding frame: a category with its definition and an example response
6Price \| Taste \| Variety \| (no Other category)		FA catch-all category so every response gets a code, even unexpected ones

Definitions

coding frame

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

Code,Category,__________,Example T,Transport,Bus or train problems,Bus late F,Food,Canteen food or prices,Too dear

Code,Category,Definition,Example F,Food,Canteen food or prices,Too dear O,_____,Fits no other category,Parking

T,Transport,Bus or train problems,Bus late F,Food,Canteen food or prices,Too dear Canteen is too dear -> Code: _

=_______(C2:C30,"T")

=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("bus",B2)),"T","_")

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A 1 Food: meals and snacks

B 2 Cost: food prices

C 3 Other: fits no category

Question 2

A 1 Wait time: queues, slow

B 2 Staff: friendly, rude

C 3 Other: staff, anything else

Question 3

A FOR each response in survey

B IF text contains 'queue'

C code ← 1

D ELSE code ← blank

Question 4

A Code|Name|Definition|Example

B 1|Price|About cost|too dear

C 1|Wait|About time|slow

D 3|Other|Fits none|n/a

Question 5

A Categories: can overlap

B Each has a definition, example

C Other: catches the rest

Answer Key

Building a coding frame for responses

Section A: Quick Questions

A — A table of categories, each with a definition and an example

A — No - the categories overlap, so they are not mutually exclusive

B — To catch responses that do not fit any other category

A — So different coders apply the same code to the same response

B — Rewrite the category definitions so each response fits only one

Section B: Match the Pairs

Category: Too expensive | Definition: Mentions price or cost | Example: "Lunches cost too much" → One row of a coding frame: a category with its definition and an example response

Category: Other | Definition: Any response that fits no other category → A catch-all category so every response gets a code, even unexpected ones

Categories must be mutually exclusive, so each response fits only one category → Price = mentions cost only | Quality = mentions taste or freshness only

Consistent coding means the same type of response always gets the same code → "Too pricey" -> PRICE | "Costs too much" -> PRICE | "Overpriced" -> PRICE

Cost = mentions price | Value = mentions price or quality → The categories overlap, so a response about price could be coded as Cost or Value. Categories must be mutually exclusive.

Price | Taste | Variety | (no Other category) → There is no Other category, so unexpected responses have nowhere to go and may be forced into the wrong category.

Section C: Definitions

coding frame — A table of categories, each with a definition and example, so every response gets one consistent code. Categories do not overlap, and an Other category catches the rest.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Code,Category,Definition,Example
T,Transport,Bus or train problems,Bus late
F,Food,Canteen food or prices,Too dear

Code,Category,Definition,Example
F,Food,Canteen food or prices,Too dear
O,Other,Fits no other category,Parking

T,Transport,Bus or train problems,Bus late
F,Food,Canteen food or prices,Too dear
Canteen is too dear -> Code: F

=COUNTIF(C2:C30,"T")

=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("bus",B2)),"T","O")

Section E: Spot the Error

B — Cost: food prices overlaps with category 1 (Food), so a response about food prices could take two codes. Categories must be mutually exclusive, so it should be 2 Price: cost of items.

C — The Other category should only catch responses that fit no other category. Mentioning staff overlaps with category 2, so it should be 3 Other: fits no category.

D — Every response must get a code. Responses that match no category should be coded 99 (Other), not left blank. It should be ELSE code ← 99.

C — Code 1 is already used by Price. Each category needs its own unique code so responses are coded consistently. It should be 2|Wait|About time|slow.

A — Categories in a coding frame must be mutually exclusive, not overlapping, so each response fits only one. It should be Categories: mutually exclusive.