Copy and paste
Copy and paste is a useful tool during qualitative data analysis with a computer and can be used at various stages:
- Putting quotes into memos
- Pasting memos into writing up/reports
Copy and paste can be done with the mouse or and keyboard.
To copy and paste with a keyboard
- In Microsoft Word move the cursor to the start of the chunk of text you want to copy using the arrow keys. See Figure 1.
- Press: Control key + Shift key + F8 ('+' means to press the named keys at the same time on the keyboard) and then use the use the arrow key to select a specific area of text. The selected area is highlighted in black. Just pressing F8 will select a whole area of text.
- To copy the selected text press: Control key + C ( Alternatively if you want to move a piece of text from one part of a document to another select the text and press Control key + X this cuts the text).
- Place the cursor in the document you want to paste the text and press: Control key + V, the selected text should then appear.
Figure 1. Microsoft keyboard showing the keys used for copy and paste
To copy and paste with a mouse
- In Microsoft Word put the cursor at the start of the text you want to select.
- Click on the left mouse key and hold it down as you drag the cursor to select a specific area of text. Alternatively you can select using mouse clicks if you want to copy a paragraph. double click selects one word, a third click selects all the text before the next carriage return (a fourth click will deselect the text).
- Once you have highlighted the area you want to copy right click in the highlighted area (if you right click outside the highlighted area the text will deselect). A menu will appear click Copy.
- Place the cursor in the document you want to copy the text to and right click, click Paste and your selected text should appear.