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Multiple question - age variable
About the age question - I see the ages on the screen, but when you download to SPSS the data is different, and it seems that Qualtrics automatically add labels - which are probably the correct answers.
The question in the questionnaire is defined as a Dropdown List / Multiple choice.
What is the best way to solve this problem?
Thanks, Raphael
Best answer by WaterSampler
There are multiple variables to consider what is the 'best' way to ask a question. Consider the options that you can use for the age:
1. text entry
2. multiple choice
3. drill down (pick age group then actual age)
4. click up/down
Three parameters to consider are how much work is involved to create, and how much effort to use the question, and what is involved in processing the data.
If you used a click up/down method, your 61 year-old respondent might become frustrated and quit the survey. The question is easy to create, and data processing is straight forward.
Options 2 and 3 require more work to implement (as you are finding), and require multiple steps for the user to scroll through or drill down. Once created you have to verify that the coded values are the ages, then the data processing is straight forward.
Option 1 requires 2 keystrokes for most respondents. The data processing is as easy as option 4.
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+11Can you show us a screenshot of what you're seeing that is unexpected?
this is the data & analysis screen
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and this how it looks like in SPSS - question 5.2
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and here are the lables for this variable which are unexpected...
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+1Why use a dropdown list or multiple choice for an age instead of a text entry? It looks like you are seeing the coded values of the DDL/MC question.
I would like the respondents to pick their age, instead of writing it down. but I'm probably missing something... what is the best way to define this question?
+6You can have it as a drop down if you want, but what you are likely seeing is the recoded value for choice selection, which happens to be a number and so could appear similar to age. For example, the first choice of a question is usually coded as "1", then the second "2", but if you delete the second and replace it with a new choice, then the second is coded as "3"; then so on and so forth.
To fix this moving forward, recode the choice selection so that they are equal to the age the represent. 1=1, 2=2, 3=3, etc.
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!1 person likes this
+1There are multiple variables to consider what is the 'best' way to ask a question. Consider the options that you can use for the age:
1. text entry
2. multiple choice
3. drill down (pick age group then actual age)
4. click up/down
Three parameters to consider are how much work is involved to create, and how much effort to use the question, and what is involved in processing the data.
If you used a click up/down method, your 61 year-old respondent might become frustrated and quit the survey. The question is easy to create, and data processing is straight forward.
Options 2 and 3 require more work to implement (as you are finding), and require multiple steps for the user to scroll through or drill down. Once created you have to verify that the coded values are the ages, then the data processing is straight forward.
Option 1 requires 2 keystrokes for most respondents. The data processing is as easy as option 4.
Thank you! I will work on it... As long as I understand what happened, I can solve it out 😀
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