Word Cloud becomes available in a list of chart types when a dataset contains at least one text variable.
A word cloud chart is a data visualization technique used in iconography to reflect the frequency of mentions of a word or brand. This straightforward visualization is nevertheless quite vivid and most expressively represents the research results in social media publications.
How to use a word cloud
To start open a database → create any crosstab → switch to the chart mode → choose the word cloud in the chart types menu.
By default, the word cloud is generated using the first text variable in the codebook. If multiple text variables are available, you can switch to a different one directly in the word cloud settings pane.
Word Cloud settings
A word cloud consists of words displayed in different sizes and colors and occupying space in a specific order. Here’s what can be adjusted in word cloud settings:
Words
There is a ‘words’ tab for this type of chart, where you can adjust:
the number of words in a cloud using a filter (e.g., use the expression ">70" to see only words that were mentioned by more than 70 respondents). Note, that a maximum of 100 words can be used in total;
the visibility of words using the ‘eye’ icons;
specific color for each word.
Colors
By default, the colors of words are from a project palette, but they can be customized one by one using the ‘words’ tab on the chart settings pane.
Background colors and alternative colors for the chart field can be chosen as usual in the chart style pane.
Sizes
You can resize the chart itself as usual by dragging the borders. You can also use margins and spacing to enhance the chart's layout;
The size of words is defined in points (from a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 25). You can only customize the minimum and maximum size, not the specific size.
Angles
The words in the cloud are arranged in a spiral - rectangular or archimedean - you can choose;
Words can also have a slope from -90 to 90 degrees with a given number of slopes to use.
Text variable settings that allow you to limit word inclusion by the number of characters and exclude specific words from the word cloud are available in the Meta-Editor when the auto tokenizer is enabled.