QUALTRICS 101 - 3/10 - MORE QUESTION TYPES AND RECODING

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Video 3 – More Question Types and Recoding

Summary of Topics Covered:

• Introduction to new question types

• Setting up demographic questions

• Using the Rich Content Editor for formatting

• Recoding values for data analysis

• Setting up forced response

• Adding multiple response options with exclusive answers

Script:

Welcome to the third video! In this video, I’ll show you a few new question types using demographics as examples. These question types include single answer, open-ended text box with numeric validation, and multiple answer options. I’ll also discuss some issues around forced response with each question type.

In this video, I’m going to show you how to set up a new block and program questions for gender, age, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status. These questions need to be asked and answered in different ways, allowing me to demonstrate various question types and considerations.

To start a new block, click “Add Block”. Nice and easy. Remember to rename your blocks to make life easier when dealing with survey flow. I’ll call this one “Demographics”. You can have more than one block covering demographics. For example, you might want to ask age-related questions early in the survey to ensure participants are over 18, but ask marital status questions later.

For this survey, all demographic questions will be in this block. Click on “Create New Question” to add a question. The first question is about gender: “What is your gender? Please select one.”

Qualtrics provides two response options by default: male and female. However, it’s important to include other genders and allow participants to opt out. I’ll add options for “A gender other than male or female” and “Prefer not to say”. Forced response ensures participants see and answer the question, even if they choose “Prefer not to say”.

Rename the variable for easier analysis later. I’ll also recode values for this question. Click the gear icon and select “Recode Values”. Assign values like 0 for female, 1 for male, 2 for a gender other than male or female, and 99 for “Prefer not to say”. This makes analysis more straightforward.

Next, I’ll add an age question. Click the plus button and type, “What is your current age? Please enter numerals only.” Rename the variable to “Age”. Instead of a long list, use a text entry question type, allowing participants to type their age.

Use content validation to ensure participants enter a number, not text. Set a range from 0 to 100 and specify no decimal places. Enable forced response to ensure participants answer the question.

Finally, let’s add the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status question. Rename the variable to “ATSI” and ask, “For statistical purposes, do you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander?” Allow multiple answers: “Yes, Aboriginal”, “Yes, Torres Strait Islander”, and “No, neither Aboriginal nor Torres Strait Islander”.

To avoid conflicting answers, set “No, neither Aboriginal nor Torres Strait Islander” as an exclusive answer. This prevents participants from selecting both “Yes” and “No”. Enable forced response to ensure the question is answered.

Preview the survey to see how it looks on desktop and mobile devices. Check that the questions are clear and that forced response works as intended.

In this video, I’ve shown you how to set up various question types, use the Rich Content Editor, recode values for data analysis, and ensure questions are answered with forced response. In the next video, I’ll show you how to set up a matrix table question and create a block with questions for specific respondents.

See you in the next video!