Some studies are re-run multiple times and so gather data for the same fields for multiple iterations of fielding. The Topline report's Trend feature enables longitudinal analysis for data in these studies, so that data from different waves of fielding can be compared readily.
Creating a Trend tile
Trend analysis relies on the presence of a survey field which identifies to which field iteration each record belongs. This field is used to generate X axis values for the Trend Chart and the columns for the Trend Grid. After identifying which field this is for a given study, it must be used to create a comparison group with data cuts therein for each possible value. For more information about creating a comparison group, see Comparison Groups. The name of the comparison group must be prefixed with "Trend:" in order for the system to identify it as a filter intended for use with Trend.
In the above example, a survey is fielded monthly for six months. A variable tracks which month of fielding each record is from, called QWAVE. QWAVE is then used to create a comparison group titled "Trend: Wave" in the Data Cuts applet. Each month of fielding is a different data cut within the group. The counts for each option show the number of records in the dataset for each month.
To use this newly created cut to build a Trend Topline tile, create a Topline Report containing the tile targeted for analysis. From the tile's Gear Menu, select Analysis > Trend, which reveals the newly created Comparison Group.
Trend chart
The Default view for a Trend tile is the Trend Chart.
The Trend Chart plots the differences in in the selected metric against the different values in the Trend Comparison Group. As with other summary tiles, different fields can be enabled and disabled by clicking the buttons to the right of the chart.
Trend grid
To view values as a grid instead, select Trend Grid from Gear Menu > Display As.
This displays a grid instead of a chart, where each data cut in the selected comparison group is a column. Questions in the summary tile below are the rows:
To change the Y-axis values displayed in the Trend Chart or the cell values displayed in the Trend Grid, navigate to Gear Menu > Trend Value, which has the following options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Percent | The percent of responses selecting each response option. This option appears in regular Closed end tiles. |
| Count | The counts for each response option. |
| Total Count | The total base size for the question. |
| Min Base Size | Filter out values below a given base size. If a count cell falls below the threshold, it is labeled N/A. |
| Custom |
See Below |
Custom columns
Trend Grids permit the creation of up to three custom columns, each accessible from the Custom 1/Custom 2/Custom 3 items within the Trend Value menu. Each column features the following configuration options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Off |
Disable the column |
| Raw Value | Display the raw calculated value in each cell |
| % Value | Displays the calculated value in each cell |
| 5 Scale Arrows | Transform the calculated value as a node on a 5 point scale. The midpoint is reflected as an equal sign, with up/down arrows for values above or below the midpoint. |
| 7 Scale Arrows | Transform the calculated value as a node on a 7 point scale. The midpoint is reflected as an equal sign, with up/down arrows for values above or below the midpoint. |
| Header | The text to use in the column heading |
| Expression | Perl evaluation to perform computations which populates the cell values. Expressions utilize Perl, where $data is a hashref mapping each option ID to its count. |
Export
It is also possible to export Trend data. With Trend data displayed in the tile, navigate to Gear Menu > Export > Excel:
The Excel file contains periodized field data as well as a Trend chart:
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