The MerQur Interface: An Integrated Desktop Platform for Academic Data Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53463/merqur.20260444Keywords:
MerQur, user interface, statistical software, academic data analysisAbstract
The value of a statistical software in academic research is determined as much by the clarity of the interface that brings the user to its methods as by the breadth of methods it offers. This study introduces in detail the user interface of MerQur, a free desktop application developed for the Turkish academic community. Built on Python/PyQt6, the software integrates the entire research workflow — from data management through advanced analysis to reporting — within a single window organised under eight main tabs: Data, Encoding, Statistics, Machine Learning, Map, Report, Survey and Tools. The Data tab provides a ten-button toolbar offering column-wise search, summary, encoding, merging, missing-value management (ten methods including KNN), transformation (ten transforms), column add/remove, and twenty-step undo/redo. The Encoding tab consolidates row-wise composite scoring (mean/sum/Z-score, reverse coding, Cronbach α preview) of multi-item Likert scales in a single dialog. The Statistics tab presents 102 analyses organised in fifteen categories under an accordion sidebar, each invoked through a common form–result layout; a modal busy dialog prevents UI freeze during long-running analyses. The Map tab converts point data to Folium-based interactive HTML maps and supports spatial autocorrelation analyses. The Report tab transforms all session analyses into a Word document with a single click. Light and dark theme support, EULA management, and Turkish/English/Spanish localisation underline the academic orientation of the software. This review evaluates each interface component from both functional and design perspectives.
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