Attribute

Description

Alias

Alphanumeric characters (maximum 12), beginning with a letter (underscore is also allowed), which uniquely identify the question.

Examples: Q12A  SEX  TOWN  Q14_1

This alias may be used anywhere in the Design module as a reference to the question. If no alias has been defined for a question, it is given, the default alias _nnn where nnn is the question number. Some aliases have special meanings (see Special Questions): INT, CB, LANG, SEL, NAME, TZONE, NOTES, F6...F10 ALTA...ALTZ, END.

Warning: Certain aliases must not be used, since they might be interpreted as functions, operators or arguments by the questionnaire syntax parser. These are:

Active/Inactive button

Click this button to make the question active or inactive.

Completion Question

This checkbox designates the questionnaire's 'Completion Question'. Since there can only be one Completion Question, this simultaneously unchecks the question that may have this attribute.

An interview (case) is flagged in the database as being "completed" the moment that a designated question, called the Completion Question has been reached. If you skip to any question beyond it, up to the INT question, the case will also be flagged as completed. On the other hand, if you skip to the INT question or beyond, the case will not be flagged as completed.

• The frequency counter of any stratum in which the completed case is a member will be increased.

• It is possible to filter for completed cases in the Browse module.

• Any case that is completed is written to the external backup file if used (.TXT ). Any interview that does not reach this question will not be written to the appropriate file.

Important:

• The Completion question must be located before the INT question (see Interruption question: INT).

• If a Completion question is not designated, every case record that is touched is considered to be completed, i.e. strata frequency counters will be increased where applicable.

• Even though the Field has been started, you may still change the designated Completion question.

TIP: It is good practice to include a specific INTnn question (ex: INT99) as the completion question (before the INT question). Bearing a single result code, the one chosen by the designer to designate a completed call/case (ex: CO, 99 etc.), this question captures the intended call result at the same moment that the case is classified as 'completed'.
NB:  If the completion code is collected more than once i.e. several calls, the sum of calls for this code will exceed the number of completed cases. It is important to bear this in mind in relation to Productivity reports (in the Reporting module).

Has Open-end

You cannot edit this check-box. It is provided to indicate whether the any of the question's choices possesses the 'O'  (open-end) attribute.

Message to the interviewer

This message (specific to each language) will be displayed at the top of the interviewer's screen. You can include the following system variables both in the message and the question's long label:

Example: Today is $D Elapsed: $T

To copy a message, see Using the Questions list.

Tip: To display a permanent message at the bottom of the screen, use the Message option in the Project Options. This is useful for displaying a "status line" or menu of available hot-keys.

Note: This field is specific to each language.

Exit URL

The Message field can also be used to exit the questionnaire and go to a specified URL. To do this, insert the command URL="url".

The feature is particularly useful when conducting CAWI studies involving external panel providers. When the panelist arrives at the question, the URL can be designed (according to the panel provider's specification) to return completion data for the case. The data is included in the URL by means of a recall field (see Recalls).

Example:

URL=http://www.panelcompany.com/PIN=<PIN>

Long label

The long label comprises the text of the question, and optionally 'INCLUDE' instructions which control the appearance of the question.

Specifying the text of the question

• You can recall the response to a previous question, specifying the alias of that question enclosed in < > brackets.
  
  Example: Q13: Why do you prefer <Q12 > for your shopping ?
  
  During the interview, the response to question Q12 will be included in the long label of question Q13. (For details see Recalls)

• You may include the same system variables that can be displayed in a message (see above):
  
  Example: Have I reached $N ?
  
  To copy a long label, see Using the Questions list.

Note: The content of the long label is specific to each language.

Editing the long label

A right-click in the long label field brings up a menu of options, mainly controlling the appearance of the question:

Short Label

Text of a sub question or item within a question. To copy a short label, see Using the Question list. You can recall the response to a previous question, specifying the alias of that question enclosed in < > brackets.

Note: This field is specific to each language.