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CDC EZ - TEXT

"CDC EZ-Text" is a software program developed to assist researchers create, manage, and analyze semi-structured qualitative databases. Researchers can design a series of data entry templates tailored to their questionnaire. These questionnaires are usually administered during face-to-face interviews with a sample of respondents. A response to a question may be entered into EZ-Text either as a verbatim transcript (e.g., from a tape recording), or a summary generated from the interviewer's notes. Data from respondents can be typed directly into the templates or copied from word processor documents. Following data entry, investigators can interactively create on-line codebooks, apply codes to specific response passages, develop case studies, conduct database searches to identify text passages that meet user-specified conditions, and export data in a wide array of formats for further analysis with other qualitative or statistical analysis software programs. Project managers can merge data files generated by different interviewers for combined cross-site analyses. The ability to export and import the codebook helps to coordinate the efforts of multiple coders simultaneously working with copies of the same database file.

Additional EZ-Text features include:

  • Import Text File feature: Allows users to easily copy interview data from a text file into an EZ-Text database.

  • Reliability Agent: Calculates statistics and generates reports for the degree of agreement between two coders.

  • Enhancements made to existing functions including the Data Export, Database Merge, and Database Subset Agents.

  • EZ-Text User Guide and other program help files are fully revised, and include sections describing new Version 3.06C features.

Copies of the EZ-Text software and user documentation can be downloaded free of charge from this web site.

Frequently Asked Questions  (Updated on August 14, 2000)

If you have further questions or problems, please send an email message to: eztext@cdc.gov


Note for current users of EZ-Text:

  1. "Version 3.06C" includes one additional function not present in "Version 3.06" or earlier program releases. After executing a database search, users will notice that a "Print" button has been added on the Search Screen. It is located to the left of the "Browse" button (the new "Print" button is NOT shown or discussed in Figure 6.7-2, Figure 6.7-3, or Section 6.7 of the "CDC EZ-Text User Guide" or any of the other program documentation). This new function allows users to print ALL their search results at one time, instead of browsing and printing them one at a time.

  2. On rare occasions, some users have encountered errors when running the Reliability Agent. The new EZ-Text "Version 3.06C" fixes these problems.

  3. If you already have EZ-Text Versions 3.06, 3.06A, or 3.06B installed on your computer, click here for a shortcut on how to upgrade your program to "Version 3.06C." If you do not currently have Version 3.06, 3.06A, or 3.06B on your computer, you must download the entire set of installation files provided below. To check which version you have, click on the "About" item on the menu bar after starting EZ-Text.


If you would like a complete set of the EZ-Text software installation files, follow the steps described below for either "Option 1" or "Option 2." After you have successfully downloaded AND extracted all the files, follow these instructions to install the program on your computer. If you have questions, please see Frequently Asked Questions.

NOTE: Please notice that underlined items on this page are hyperlinks that will display more information when single clicked.

  • Published Articles

  • Instructions

  • Option 1 - Download one (1) file   (Updated - February 7, 2000)
    • Download ezsetup.exe to a temporary directory on a local drive (e.g., c:\ez-temp).
    • Run ezsetup.exe to extract the installation files.
    • Run setup.exe to install the EZ-TEXT program.

    • NOTE: This option is recommended for fast Internet connections
      (e.g., 56Kbps, ISDN, T1).
    
    
    
  • Option 2 - Download four (4) files for Diskette Installation   (Updated - February 7, 2000)
    • Download all four (4) files to a temporary directory on a local drive (e.g., c:\ez-temp).
    • Create installation diskettes by running each downloaded file directing output to a floppy disk drive as follows:

      Insert new diskette labeled "CDC EZ-TEXT (v3.06C) Disk 1/4" into floppy drive and
      run c:\ez-temp\disk1.exe A: (or B:)
      Insert new diskette labeled "CDC EZ-TEXT (v3.06C) Disk 2/4" into floppy drive and
      run c:\ez-temp\disk2.exe A: (or B:)
      Insert new diskette labeled "CDC EZ-TEXT (v3.06C) Disk 3/4" into floppy drive and
      run c:\ez-temp\disk3.exe A: (or B:)
      Insert new diskette labeled "CDC EZ-TEXT (v3.06C) Disk 4/4" into floppy drive and
      run c:\ez-temp\disk4.exe A: (or B:)

    • To install the EZ-TEXT program from the floppy disks, run setup.exe from Disk #1.

    NOTE: This option is recommended for slower Internet connections
    (e.g., 14.4Kbps - 33.6Kbps modems).
  • EZ-TEXT User Manual:
    in HTML - (click here to view the User Manual with your web browser)
    in Word - (self-extracting file: 740,972 bytes; 1.5Mb uncompressed)
    in WordPerfect - (self-extracting file: 675,803 bytes; 6.5Mb uncompressed)

    Note: The WordPerfect and Word files were created for use with the following printer driver: HPPCL5MS.DRV (4.00.950, GPC 3.78). If you experience problems with the layout or appearance of the graphics and text when viewing or printing either of these two files, consult your printer's documentation or your LAN support personnel for help in making appropriate adjustments.


  • Published Articles:


    Adobe Acrobat (TM) Reader v3.0 or higher needs to be installed on your computer in order to read documents in PDF format.
    Download the Adobe Acrobat (TM) Reader


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    Last Updated: August 14, 2000
    Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
    National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention
    Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention
    Behavioral Intervention Research Branch
    Please send comments/suggestions/requests to: eztext@cdc.gov