The "Start of interview with sample file" dialog box is used in Telin to start entry of a new questionnaire and it appears when the program is started and whenever a questionnaire is finished with.
Closing this dialog box will terminate the program.
There is a test mode which allows a dummy run through the questionnaire without storing any data, see section Test input.
If appointments have been saved then they are listed and particular questionnaires can be recalled and continued by serial number.
Usually in CAPI or Telephone modes, new records will be allocated a serial number by the program.
For details about how to enter data for a project see section Input data.
At the end of each paper questionnaire the "End of interview" dialog box is displayed.
IMPORTANT: The [Add new serial] button should NEVER normally be used to enter an interview. The only time [Add new serial] should be used is if only a few more interviews are required and interviewers are calling "new" potential respondents from a separate list (they have not been included in the Sample data file).
Respondents to interview are either in the Sample data file waiting to be contacted, or they are in the Partial data file waiting to be called back. Interviewers should select either [Sample], or type in the required serial number and select [Get serial] to retrieve a specific interview, or double click an appointment to make the call-back. When [Sample] is selected QPSMR selects a fresh sample first and then sample with the least number of tries.
The name of the Sample data file is displayed at the bottom. If sample points have been specified by your supervisor, information from the Sample data file will be listed in the "Sample selection" boxes. If you do not wish to call specific sample points from the sample, simply use the {any} selection which is always listed if sample points are used. To call up contacts from a particular sample point use the pull-down arrows and make your selections. For example, if the first sample point entry was "Type of Business" and the second was "Size of business" you might select a business type from the first pull down menu and a size from the second.
Alongside each sample selection box the "Quota to do" is shown. This is the number of interviews that are still needed to fill the quota, assuming that the set percentage of any "In progress" and "Finished" interviews will be successfully completed. The number of interviews currently being undertaken (those that are "In progress" or "Finished" multiplied by the set percentages) for each sample point is shown in the "Current" box. The sample point entries need to have also been used as quota entries for these figures to show.
The "Total" sample box shows the total number of contacts available (in the whole sample data file, if no sample points have been chosen). If sample points have been selected this will be the number of contacts available in the particular sample points.
The "Fresh" sample box shows the number of contacts that have not yet been tried (those who have never been called up).
The "Left" sample box is the most important box, as it shows the number of contacts that are still "live" and available for contact (even though they may have already been tried, contact was not made). This figure includes those already shown in the "Fresh sample" box.
If Invade PDS is used Fresh and Left are not shown.
In summary - if the:
Total sample=100
Fresh sample=20
Remaining sample=40
this would mean that out of 100 contacts, 20 had not yet been tried, 40 were still "live" (including the 20 not already tried) and 60 respondents were either "dead" (contact could not be made), or they are appointments (partial interviews waiting to be called back, see section Partial data file), or they are "terminated" (aborted, out of quota or ineligible) or they are completed interviews.
TIP: QPSMR will not issue sample known to be out of quota in the sample points selected.
For CATI it is possible to use a quota file to control which respondents should not be interviewed. If a quota file is being used (it was included when the QIF file was generated), the name and folder path of the Quota file is displayed at the bottom of the "Start of interview" dialog box. The quota remaining for each sample point entry is shown alongside the "Sample selection" boxes. To look at the Quota Control file in detail select [Quotas view], see section View quota control file.
Concise information about appointments is displayed at the "Start of interview with sample" dialog box; the serial number, when the call back should be made, the priority setting, any short comments and who should make the call-back are shown. The appointments contained in this concise appointments listing can be altered by making selections, as follows.
The total number of appointments available is shown (if a sample point is selected the total number of appointments for that sample point will be shown). It is also possible to use the [Appointment] menu to show the number of appointments available in each priority response. See also section Making an appointment (CATI).
Interviewers can choose to show only their own appointments, by checking the "Mine only" check box. If an appointment is late the icon changes and will appear on the appointment list of all interviewers, regardless of the "who should call back" setting - see section Icons used with CATI appointments.
When an appointment is due the word "NOW" appears under the heading "When". Alongside the word "NOW" the acceptable delay is counted down, then "NOW =" will be displayed for 1 minute, after which time the appointment will be marked as LATE (with the length of time it is overdue shown).
It is possible to choose how far in advance appointments should be displayed, by making selections from the pull down list view. You can choose from various times starting with those due in [15 minutes] through to [Ever], when all appointments will be shown.
The [Details] button may be used to see more information about the appointments (see Appointment list details below).
To call-back an appointment shown in the concise list, simply double click the serial number (alongside the appointment icon).
It is also possible to retrieve a partial interview (one for which some information has already been collected, often simply contact and call-back details) if you enter the required serial number and select [Get serial], alternatively use the [Partial list view] button to see a list of partially completed interviews (appointments). See also section Partial data file.
Appointment list details
Full details about each appointment are shown, as well as the concise information;
serial
when
priority
short comment
who should make the call back
percentage of the interview that is complete
number of calls (tries) today and ever
date
time
result of previous calls
sample points
You can double click an appointment from this list to make a call-back or simply select [OK] to return to the "Start of interview with sample file" dialog box.
TIP: when deciding what percentage of the questionnaire has been completed QPSMR does not include any questions up to and including the last entry marked as a sample point.
If the "Start of interview with sample file" dialog box has been left on the screen for some time the "Refresh display" button can be used to update the concise list of appointments and sample point figures.
Once you have made your selections from the "Start of interview with sample file" dialog box, you will see the "Retrieved serial information" dialog box from where you will hopefully make contact with and continue on to interview the contact shown. At the end of a successful interview you will see the "End of interview" dialog box.