Survey variables

While programming a survey, it may be necessary to create hidden questions to fulfill logical requirements. A common example of a logical instruction might be: "Of all options selected in a given checkbox question, pick 3 brands to deep dive on." In this scenario, it is necessary to build a helper, background multi-select question so that follow up questions are only asked about the subset of three brands. Any additional criteria further specifying what brands are eligible, and how they are weighted relative to one another, also would be defined at this hidden question.

Such questions are called survey variables. Though they use standard question types and often have standard question labels, they are not questions in the traditional definition. They usually are not defined in the questionnaire, but they are part of the machinery that makes the survey work the way its designer intended. In this article, we will discuss some of the tags commonly used with survey variables.

invisible tag

The invisible: y tag hides a survey question from respondent view, thus making it a survey variable. The invisible field generates no page content.

In the following example, the survey variable Q3TOTAL is used to calculate the sum of the three rows from Q3. Later, it is used in the question text of Q4. Q3TOTAL does not display to respondents due to the inclusion of the invisible: y tag.

See example See code Restart example

invisible and hidden

A type: hidden question is materially different from a question widget with an invisible: y tag. Invisible questions do not generate HTML, and will not force a page to display if no other content is visible. A type: hidden question, on the other hand, does create HTML.

selectby tag

The selectby tag can be added to a closed-end question to instruct the software to automatically assign a value to the question where the tag is placed. Questions with a selectby tag are hidden from respondents and are punched by the system upon submission of the form where they are located. This is useful when creating quotas or other hidden variables such as coded variables. When combined with the exclusive tag, specified options cannot be chosen at the same time.

See example See code Restart example

Related tags 

For programming and reporting consistency, IntelliSurvey automatically renders all question labels, including survey variables, as uppercase, and with a leading 'Q'. It is possible to manipulate the case and drop the leading Q, if desired, by using the following tags.