This describes the body (most of) the Entry details window when looking at a question entry.
This window enables you to create or amend a question, using the following tabs:
Question tab
This tab has the basic information about an entry:
Name
The question name is used to identify the entry, see Entry name rules.
It is usually also shown with the text in reports.
You cannot change the name for an existing entry, use Entry rename instead.
Type
The type of answer, see Question types.
Execute
This can only be set for question type "None (text for interviewer)".
If this is set to A and a file or web page is set in the Project global settings Input tab, the file or page will be invoked using the system default program.
The file setting can include carry forward text as arguments to the program.
If not A, or the File setting is not present, then it is used to call a program called ProcessRecordname.exe in the project folder passing over the serial number, the question name, and Telnum as arguments.
The name at the end of the program name is the text put in the "Execute" box.
You can have a number of different such questions in a project that cause external program(s) to perform different tasks.
Structure and data locations
Depending on the question type selected:
•Individual response locations for responses
•Width (number of data locations)
•Max responses allowed (for multi-coded)
•Decimal places (for float)
•First data location
If responses have individual data locations these are relative to the start location. For example, adding 1 to the start data location will add 1 to the data locations of all the responses; the codes are unchanged.
Text
This is the actual question asked. See Text rules.
Interviewer instructions
During data input this text is used to give instructions. A colour can be used to indicate the type of instruction or to draw attention to itself.
Responses
For convenience the responses to single-coded and multi-coded questions are shown on this tab. Double clicking in this response list will switch the view to the "Responses" tab where responses can be added and altered.
Extra tab
This tab enables you to add additional text before or after the question on the questionnaire document as well as data entry instructions. See Text rules.
These extra texts are not seen during data entry.
Filters tab
This tab has a list of the filters applied to the question, see User Guide, Filters, Applying a filter for more details.
You can set a base text (filter description) to use if more than one question filter is applied. For analysis this text will be used instead of the text in the filters applied to the entry.
The toolbar and context menu enable you to:
Apply a filter to the whole entry with Entry choose.
Apply a negative (NOT) filter to the whole entry with Entry choose.
Apply a response restrictor from another entry with Entry choose.
Apply a negative response restrictor from another entry with Entry choose.
Select all the applied filters.
Cut selected applied filters to clipboard.
Copy selected applied filters to clipboard.
Paste applied filters from clipboard.
You can also drag entries from the main window and drop them into the list. This will add them to any filters and response restrictors already present.
If all the applications are selected then copy (and paste) will also copy the base text.
If more than one filter or restrictor is applied, they are sorted into entry sequence order.
Settings tab
This tab enables you to amend these infrequently used features:
Automatic locations
When the program sets the data locations you can request that this question is placed in one of three sections
•Beginning
•As in list
•End
Putting all the ZZZ questions and associated entries at the beginning can reduce the size of the data files. If you are going to strip out these entries from the data file before delivery, these entries should be placed at the end.
Answer checking
For most questions you can set:
•Blank is allowed - this question can be left empty when data in entered, for paper projects all questions can be left empty
For questions with a value answer you can set:
•Minimum value allowed
•Maximum value allowed
•Plus 3 additional specified values
For questions with textual answers you can set text to be converted on input:
•Upper case
•As typed
•Lower case
For questions with responses you can set:
•Randomise response order - except for paper input, the responses to this question will appear in random order, see Randomise questions and responses.
•You can opt to select a named random entry (ZZZRAN...) for the responses. All questions using the same random entry will show the responses in the same order provided the number of responses to be shuffled (not fixed) is the same.
For CATI
In CATI projects you can specify that this question is a:
•Sample point entry - used to control which sample records are to be selected, must be single-coded
•Quota point entry - used to stop interviewing when a specified number of interviews have been completed for each response, must be single-coded
•Lock answer - used to prevent manual changes to this question if it contains data (not empty) when the record is loaded, can be used to prevent interviewers changing sample data
TIP: If some sample data entries may be empty (for example some address questions) mark these as "Blank allowed" so that interviewers can pass over them without having to enter something.
Code text to entry
For verbatim and character questions this sets the question name to code the answers to. This will be put in the "Entry" column in the Verbatim file.
Preselect from entry
By selecting this you can choose an entry that contains the probable responses needed in the current entry during data input. There are three settings:
•Preselect that presets the answer to this question from an earlier question or variable, using Entry choose. This can save time if the answer is almost always going to be the same as that given earlier.
•Auto-select causes the question to not be seen at all. The answer is preselected, using Entry choose and cannot be changed.
•Constant. Only available for character questions. Puts the text given into every record when this entry is reached in input. The input user cannot change this text.
Auto-select can be used in order to store a calculated variable in the data.
The entry used for preselect or auto-select must have the same answer type as the question, except that an integer entry can be used on a multi-coded question to cause the first few responses to be selected. This is very useful for CATI projects where the responses can be randomised so that a set number of responses are selected at random.
Image
In a None (text for interviewer) question an image or a video clip can be attached to the question. The image or clip are shown following the question during data input.
Routing after question
This gives a text to appear on the printed questionnaire to tell the interviewer which question to ask next. It can be:
•No routing
•Question routing - this prints this question name in the appropriate place using Entry choose
•Text routing - this prints the text specified (usually "close") in the appropriate place
IMPORTANT: This will not route past questions in data input or analysis, see User Guide, Filters, Applying a filter.
Responses tab
This tab has the response list for a question. For a description of a response see User Guide, Project components, Responses.
The toolbar and context menu enables you to:
Add a block of responses after the selected response using Responses add.
Insert a new response after the selected response.
Insert a new response before the selected response.
Reserve responses at the end of the response list.
Select all the responses.
Cut selected responses to clipboard.
Copy selected responses to clipboard.
Paste responses from clipboard after the response with focus.
To move all selected responses one space up the list of responses.
To move all selected responses one space down the list of responses.
Select the first response in the response list.
Select the response above the currently selected response (previous).
Select the response below the currently selected response (next).
Select the last response in the response list.
You can also drag a filter from the main window and drop it onto response. This will apply the filter to the response, or all selected responses if the drop target is selected before the drop.
TIP: if a number of filters are dragged and dropped onto the same number of selected responses then the filters will be applied in turn, one to each response.
When copying and pasting responses with individual data locations, these are preserved relative to the start location for the question.
Response settings for selected response
Each response has a response text that identifies it. If there is no response text it is called an "unallocated" response.
A response with [Supplemental reject] will be selected if no other responses are chosen. A [Supplemental reject] does not appear on the printed questionnaire, nor when you enter data. It is not allocated a data location (or code) when the questionnaire is columnated. A supplemental reject must be the last response and only one reject response (embedded or supplemental) is allowed in a question response list.
A data location and code are allocated if the "Individual locations" box is checked on the "Question" tab. See User Guide, Handling raw data, Matching data locations.
Response input settings for selected responses
Individual responses can have input settings to control data entry. These are allocated using the "Response input settings" tool window.
You can view the "Response input settings" tool window from the Entry details window menu or toolbar. The tool window remains open until you close it and can be used to change the input settings for all the responses selected for questions.
Response analysis settings for selected responses
Individual responses can have analysis settings for reports, including a score value for use in mean score calculations. These are allocated using the "Analysis settings" tool window.
You can view the Response analysis settings tool window from the Entry details window menu or toolbar. The tool window remains open until you close it and can be used to change the analysis settings for all the responses selected for questions and variables.