Once you have created a list of codes, you can start to group codes together into families using two main moves - Merging and Expanding.
Merging: you may choose to combine multiple codes that have a similar meaning in order to reduce redundancy and to have a sharper definition of a code. For example, from the list below, you could choose from any code in the list to consolidate into one single code.
Expanding: you may also choose to create more abstract codes from the same list, so that you can capture each of the codes under different umbrella terms.
In Fora Insights, you could create a code family with the parent code “Mental Health” and the child codes “Lonely” and “Sadness.” You could create another code family with the parent code “Negative Feelings from the Pandemic” and the child codes “Depression” and “Anxious.”
Ultimately, the decision is yours on how to construct code families. Refer to our article regarding Categories of Codes for more guidance on constructing code families for your codebook.