TSQCA Reproducible Code (English)

In TSQCA: Threshold Sweep Extensions for Qualitative Comparative Analysis

knitr::opts_chunk$set(
  collapse = TRUE,
  comment = "#>"
)

This document provides reproducible code for TSQCA analyses.
It is designed to be inserted directly into a research article's appendix
or provided as supplementary analysis documentation. All code is fully executable and ordered for reproducibility.

Note (v1.2.0): If you previously used intermediate solutions (with dir.exp), please re-run your analyses. Version 1.2.0 fixed a bug where intermediate solutions were incorrectly extracted. Reports now also display the Solution Type and include optional QCA package output for verification.

---

1. Load Packages

library(TSQCA)
library(QCA)

---

2. Load Data

# Adjust the file name as needed
library(TSQCA)
data("sample_data")
dat <- sample_data

# Outcome and conditions
outcome  <- "Y"
conditions <- c("X1", "X2", "X3")

# Quick inspection
str(dat)
summary(dat)

---

3. Baseline Thresholds

thrY_base <- 7
thrX_base <- 7

# Fixed X thresholds (for OTS–QCA)
thrX_vec <- c(
  X1 = thrX_base,
  X2 = thrX_base,
  X3 = thrX_base
)
thrX_vec

---

3.5. Three Types of QCA Solutions (New in v1.1.0)

As of v1.1.0, TSQCA defaults match the QCA package:

| Solution Type | include | dir.exp | When to Use | |--------------|-----------|-----------|-------------| | Complex (default) | "" | NULL | Conservative analysis | | Parsimonious | "?" | NULL | Maximum simplification | | Intermediate | "?" | c(1,1,...) | Theory-driven (most common) |

# Example: Three solution types at single threshold
thrX <- c(X1 = 7, X2 = 7, X3 = 7)

# Complex (default)
res_comp <- otSweep(dat, "Y", c("X1", "X2", "X3"), sweep_range = 7, thrX = thrX)
cat("Complex:", res_comp$summary$expression, "\n")

# Parsimonious
res_pars <- otSweep(dat, "Y", c("X1", "X2", "X3"), sweep_range = 7, thrX = thrX,
                    include = "?")
cat("Parsimonious:", res_pars$summary$expression, "\n")

# Intermediate
res_int <- otSweep(dat, "Y", c("X1", "X2", "X3"), sweep_range = 7, thrX = thrX,
                   include = "?", dir.exp = c(1, 1, 1))
cat("Intermediate:", res_int$summary$expression, "\n")

---

4. CTS–QCA (ctSweepS)

Sweep a single condition X (example: X3).

Default: Complex Solution

sweep_var   <- "X3"   # Condition (X) whose threshold is swept
sweep_range <- 6:9    # Candidate threshold values to evaluate
thrY         <- 7     # Outcome (Y) threshold (fixed)
thrX_default <- 7     # Threshold for other X conditions (fixed)

# Default: Complex solution (include = "", dir.exp = NULL)
res_cts <- ctSweepS(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_var      = "X3",
  sweep_range    = 6:9,
  thrY           = 7,
  thrX_default   = 7,
  return_details = TRUE
)

summary(res_cts)

Intermediate Solution (Theory-Driven)

# Intermediate solution: specify include = "?" and dir.exp
res_cts_int <- ctSweepS(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_var      = "X3",
  sweep_range    = 6:9,
  thrY           = 7,
  thrX_default   = 7,
  include        = "?",
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1),
  return_details = TRUE
)

summary(res_cts_int)

Export:

write.csv(res_cts$summary, file = "TSQCA_CTS_results.csv", row.names = FALSE)

---

5. MCTS–QCA (ctSweepM)

Sweep multiple X thresholds simultaneously.

Default: Complex Solution

# Create a sweep list specifying thresholds for each condition
sweep_list <- list(
  X1 = 6:7,
  X2 = 6:7,
  X3 = 6:7
)

# Default: Complex solution
res_mcts <- ctSweepM(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_list     = sweep_list,
  thrY           = 7,
  return_details = TRUE
)

summary(res_mcts)

Intermediate Solution (Theory-Driven)

# Intermediate solution: specify include = "?" and dir.exp
res_mcts_int <- ctSweepM(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_list     = sweep_list,
  thrY           = 7,
  include        = "?",
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1),
  return_details = TRUE
)

summary(res_mcts_int)

Export:

write.csv(res_mcts$summary, file = "TSQCA_MCTS_results.csv", row.names = FALSE)

---

6. OTS–QCA (otSweep)

Sweep only the outcome threshold (Y).

Default: Complex Solution

sweep_range_ots <- 6:8

# Default: Complex solution
res_ots <- otSweep(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_range    = sweep_range_ots,
  thrX           = thrX_vec,
  return_details = TRUE
)

summary(res_ots)

Intermediate Solution (Theory-Driven)

# Intermediate solution: specify include = "?" and dir.exp
res_ots_int <- otSweep(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_range    = sweep_range_ots,
  thrX           = thrX_vec,
  include        = "?",
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1),
  return_details = TRUE
)

summary(res_ots_int)

Export:

write.csv(res_ots$summary, file = "TSQCA_OTS_results.csv", row.names = FALSE)

---

7. DTS–QCA (dtSweep)

Two-dimensional sweep: X thresholds × Y thresholds.

Default: Complex Solution

sweep_list_dts_X <- list(
  X1 = 6:7,
  X2 = 6:7,
  X3 = 6:7
)

sweep_range_dts_Y <- 6:7

# Default: Complex solution
res_dts <- dtSweep(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_list_X   = sweep_list_dts_X,
  sweep_range_Y  = sweep_range_dts_Y,
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1),
  return_details = TRUE
)

summary(res_dts)

Intermediate Solution (Theory-Driven)

# Intermediate solution: specify include = "?" and dir.exp
res_dts_int <- dtSweep(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_list_X   = sweep_list_dts_X,
  sweep_range_Y  = sweep_range_dts_Y,
  include        = "?",
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1),
  return_details = TRUE
)

summary(res_dts_int)

Export:

write.csv(res_dts$summary, file = "TSQCA_DTS_results.csv", row.names = FALSE)

---

8. Using extract_mode (New in v0.2.0)

Extract all solutions or essential prime implicants for robustness analysis.

Extract All Solutions

res_all <- otSweep(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_range    = 6:8,
  thrX           = thrX_vec,
  include        = "?",           # Include logical remainders
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1),    # Intermediate solution
  extract_mode   = "all",
  return_details = TRUE
)

# View results with n_solutions column
head(res_all$summary)

Extract Essential Prime Implicants

res_essential <- otSweep(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_range    = 6:8,
  thrX           = thrX_vec,
  include        = "?",           # Include logical remainders
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1),    # Intermediate solution
  extract_mode   = "essential",
  return_details = TRUE
)

# View results with essential prime implicants, selective terms, and unique terms
head(res_essential$summary)

---

9. Generating Reports (New in v0.2.0)

Create comprehensive markdown reports for documentation.

Full Report

generate_report(res_ots, "TSQCA_OTS_report_full.md", dat = dat, format = "full")

Simple Report (for manuscripts)

generate_report(res_ots, "TSQCA_OTS_report_simple.md", dat = dat, format = "simple")

---

10. Negated Outcome Analysis (New in v0.3.0)

Analyze conditions sufficient for the absence of the outcome.

Standard vs Negated Outcome

# Standard: conditions for Y >= threshold (intermediate solution)
res_Y <- otSweep(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_range    = 6:8,
  thrX           = thrX_vec,
  include        = "?",           # Include logical remainders
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1)     # Intermediate solution
)

# Negated: conditions for Y < threshold (intermediate solution)
res_negY <- otSweep(
  dat            = dat,
  outcome        = "~Y",
  conditions     = c("X1", "X2", "X3"),
  sweep_range    = 6:8,
  thrX           = thrX_vec,
  include        = "?",           # Include logical remainders
  dir.exp        = c(1, 1, 1)     # Intermediate solution
)

# Compare results
res_Y$summary
res_negY$summary

# Check negation flag
res_negY$params$negate_outcome
# [1] TRUE

---

11. Accessing Analysis Parameters

All parameters are stored for reproducibility.

# View stored parameters
res_ots$params

# Example output:
# $outcome
# [1] "Y"
# $conditions
# [1] "X1" "X2" "X3"
# $thrX
# X1 X2 X3 
#  7  7  7 
# $incl.cut
# [1] 0.8
# $n.cut
# [1] 1
# $pri.cut
# [1] 0

---

Configuration Charts (New in v0.5.0)

Configuration charts are now automatically included in reports. You can also generate them separately:

# From path strings
paths <- c("A*B*~C", "A*D")
chart <- config_chart_from_paths(paths)
cat(chart)

For reports:

# Charts are included by default
generate_report(result, "report.md", dat = dat, format = "full")

# Use LaTeX symbols for academic papers
generate_report(result, "report.md", dat = dat, chart_symbol_set = "latex")

---

References

For more information on TS-QCA methodology, see:

• Ragin, C. C. (2008). Redesigning Social Inquiry: Fuzzy Sets and Beyond. University of Chicago Press. DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226702797.001.0001
• Duşa, A. (2019). QCA with R: A Comprehensive Resource. Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-75668-4
• Oana, I.-E., & Schneider, C. Q. (2024). A Robustness Test Protocol for Applied QCA: Theory and R Software Application. Sociological Methods & Research, 53(1), 57–88. DOI: 10.1177/00491241211036158

12. Session Information

sessionInfo()

TSQCA documentation built on Feb. 18, 2026, 5:06 p.m.