Tosmana

Tosmana is a tool for Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). The software can be used for csQCA (Crisp-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis) and mvQCA (Multi-Value QCA) calculations.

The simple way to include data with TOSMANA is to copy data directly from a spreadsheet program. To do so, open the data set in a spreadsheet program. Select all cells with data in the data set and copy. Remember to include variable names in the first row. In TOSMANA, select File>Import from Clipboard in the menu.

The data will be loaded to the software and will replace existing data. After the successful import, users should save their file in the format used within TOSMANA. The software saves the data as a XMLFile, so users can edit the data outside of TOSMANA with a XML-Editor as well.

TOSMANA tries to identify the type of data imported. A variable containing string data will be marked as a possible case identifier with a green flag (1, this is the case for CASEID in this example). In addition, metric data is identified and marked with a subdivision symbol (2, here e.g. GNPCAP).

The yellow warning sign indicates that the condition has no thresholds attached to it yet. If the software does not show a flag or a subdivision symbol, TOSMANA will use the data as it is for analysis. Before performing a QCA calculation, users have to define thresholds for conditions with metric data.

To do so, click on the column header and select Edit Variable in the opening context menu. The Edit Variable dialogue opens and users can set a number of properties. To set a threshold for a specific condition, used thresholds must be set as value in the Conversion drop-down box.