How to use Babbage and Terry's Macro in Qualitative research - a short explanation. Babbage, D. R., & Terry, G. (2023, April 19). Thematic analysis coding management macro. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ZA7B6

1. Professor Katrina Pritchard
School of Management, Swansea University
October 2023

2. • This short presentation provides an overview
of using the macro developed by Babbage
and Terry in the early stages of a qualitative
research project
• The macro is available free to download with
full instructions provided: https://osf.io/jdea2.
Please ensure you always fully reference this
source when you use this macro in your work
• I will explain how to use the macro and its
use in qualitative research but I will not be
covering how to install the macro
Babbage, D. R., & Terry, G. (2023, April 19).
Thematic analysis coding management
macro.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ZA7B6

3. • This macro helps with the process of coding qualitative data – the first step in many qualitative
analytic methods.
• Your data need to be available in Microsoft Word and you must use a Windows NOT Mac
operating system for the macro to function.
• However, you only need to run the macro on a Windows PC, other steps can be performed on a
Mac.
• It is always recommended to work on a specific version of your data files during each stage.
That is to say you should keep a ‘clean’ version so that you can return to this at any stage.
• You should also ensure you have completed any data anonymisation, checking and review
before starting this process.
• You are also advised to keep a notebook to record observations, issues or ideas about your data
as you go through the coding exercise

4. STEP ONE:
• Open your Word file
• Highlight text and use the comment function in Word to tag this text with
the appropriate code
• You can insert more than one code in a single comment box as long as
there is a return between them
• Progress through your document until your coding is complete.
• Save!
TIP: Develop a code book as you progress to ensure consistency across
different data documents. In my research I have completed and reviewed all
coding across a data set before running the macro on individual Word
documents. You can tidy up coding once the codes are extracted however.
TIP: You can add also add notes or observations too, however to keep these
separate you can add a prefix such as ‘Note: …..’. Later you will be able to
select and extract these notes from the Excel spreadsheet created through
using the macro
Example of a comment
box with a note

5. STEP TWO:
• Once you have completed the coding in your Word document, run the macro.
• Depending on the set up, you may need to reselect the file name you wish to run
• You will be asked if you wish to create a new excel spreadsheet or add the extraction to a
previous spreadsheet.
• Once you make a selection, your extracted codes will be presented in an open excel file
• Save the excel file and word document!
TIP: I always create a new spreadsheet as it is very easy to combine these at a later date
TIP: Have a very clear file name convention and keep a version control log
Example of the excel
generated

6. STEP THREE
• Name the sheet in the excel file (e.g. P1 for participant 1)
• Move comments/notes to a separate sheet in the excel book and name this (P1 notes etc.)
• Add a filter to the column headings to allow you to sort your codes
• Do a thorough check for coding consistency e.g. misspelt words, close variations that should be
merged and deviation from your coding book.
TIP: Ensure you note any decisions made at this stage if you change your coding approach and
update your code book for use with subsequent files
Now repeat steps 1-3 for all your data files

7. STEP FOUR
• Consolidate all the excel sheets – copy rather than move these into one book and a single sheet
• Do a further coding consistency check across all your data sources (as you did in step three for a
single data file)
• Spend time reviewing the coding in relation to your research question and at this stage you will
probably find that you are starting to construct themes from the coded data.
• You can add an additional ‘theme’ column to your spreadsheet to enable you to start to sort and
re-sort these data to explore further.
Example of consolidated spreadsheet with added initial themes

8. • Steps 1-4 align closely with stages 2 & 3 of Braun and Clarke (2021) reflexive thematic analysis
which you can read more about on their excellent website: https://www.thematicanalysis.net/
• Many qualitative approaches begin with a similar process of coding and developing initial themes
and so this macro can be used at the start of other methods too
BUT
• This is only the start of the analytic process, Braun and Clarke (2021) have another three stages
in their reflexive thematic analysis approach.
• No macro or any other software does the analysis for you – the analysis is something you need
to do yourself
• This coding is just the start of your qualitative analysis journey!