QUALTRICS 101 - 7/10 - SURVEY FLOW AND EMBEDDED DATA

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Video 7 – Survey Flow and Embedded Data

Summary of Topics Covered:

• Introduction to survey flow

• Screening participants based on their answers

• Using embedded data

• Implementing branching logic

• Setting up conditions based on previous answers or scores

Script:

Welcome to the seventh video! In this video, I’ll introduce you to survey flow. This is where the magic happens in Qualtrics. I’ll show you how to screen people out of a survey or show certain blocks of questions to specific participants based on their previous answers or other criteria. For example, the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) block will only be shown to people who gamble, and the help-seeking block will only be shown to those with a certain score or higher.

To start, let’s talk about survey flow. Click “Survey Flow” at the top. This is a new screen where we can do some powerful things. You’ll see that survey flow focuses on blocks rather than individual questions. This is where you can determine the order of blocks and who sees what.

You can move blocks around. For example, if you decide to ask demographics questions before information and consent, you can simply drag and drop the blocks to reorder them. Additionally, you can add new elements to the survey flow. These elements are what give Qualtrics its versatility.

The elements available include blocks (your question blocks), branches (to determine who sees which questions), embedded data (an amazing tool), randomizers (for experimental research), and end-of-survey elements (to customize the end of the survey).

Let’s set up a branch to handle participants who do not consent. Click “Add Below” and choose “Branch”. The condition for this branch is that if a participant says “No” to consent, they will be routed down this branch and end the survey. This is done by setting the condition based on the consent question and then adding an “End of Survey” element. The end-of-survey element allows you to customize what happens when a participant reaches the end, such as redirecting them to a URL or sending a thank you email.

Now, let’s discuss embedded data. Embedded data allows you to add variables to your dataset based on criteria you set. For example, I’ll add a variable called “GC” to track survey completion. If a participant completes the survey, GC will be set to 1. If they are screened out, GC will be set to 2, and I’ll add another variable to indicate why they were terminated (e.g., “No Consent”).

You can also use embedded data to label participants based on their responses. For example, I can create a variable called “Gambler” and set its value to 1 if a participant gambles. This is done by setting a condition based on their responses to gambling frequency questions.

Once the embedded data variable is set, you can use it in survey flow logic. For instance, you can create a branch that only shows the PGSI block to participants labeled as gamblers (Gambler = 1). This is similar to display logic but applies to entire blocks rather than individual questions.

Finally, let’s use the PGSI score to determine who sees the help-seeking block. First, create an embedded data variable called “PGSIScore” and set its value to the score calculated from the PGSI questions. Use piped text to pull the score into the embedded data variable.

Create a branch based on the PGSIScore variable. Set the condition so that participants with a score of 3 or higher see the help-seeking block. This way, only those experiencing a certain level of gambling-related problems will be asked about help-seeking.

In this video, we’ve covered how to use survey flow to manage the order and visibility of blocks, set up embedded data to enhance your dataset, and implement branching logic based on responses and scores. In the next video, I’ll show you how to start testing your survey and getting it ready for launch.

See you in the next video!