Here are some helpful hints to help you make a solid catalog system with your nodes while coding, which ultimately aids in having an effective node structure:

– Keep like with like – when moving a node to make it a ‘child’ node, ask yourself the question “in the context of my project, is this a ‘type of’ or an ‘aspect of’ the node above?” If not, leave it at the higher level.
– Never duplicate a node that means exactly the same as an existing code elsewhere in your hierarchy.
– Don’t force a node in a hierarchy – if it doesn’t fit, allow it to remain at the top level.
A few more tips for reviewing your node structure:
– If you discover some nodes that are really the same thing, you may want to merge them.
– As you review your nodes, make sure that you use the Description area to define them. I find this especially useful when you need to create a codebook. If you have done your job correctly, you will not have to recreate a codebook because you should be creating this information as you code and identify themes and categories.

You can easily get to your codebook by going to the Ribbon, select the Share tab, then go to Export Codebook. Select the nodes you want in the report, usually all of them with the exception of the Autocoded nodes, and then Select OK. Your codebook is then created inside of a word document so you can make it APA 7th compliant if you include it in your dissertation or article.