Online surveys/Qualtrics/Advanced

Some more advanced functions

This page describe some more advanced work-arounds/customisations of Qualtrics surveys that may be useful.

Collect identifying information into a separate survey

In order to collect identifying information (such as an email address) and store separately to the survey data (to maintain anonymity):

1. create an additional, separate survey with questions that collect the identifying information of interest (e.g., email address and/or student ID number)
2. Activate this additional survey and copy the URL
3. In the main survey, go to Survey Options - Survey Termination - Redirect to a URL - and enter the additional survey URL

Scoring function with branching

Researchers may wish to set a minimum number of questions to be answered before participants can qualify as having completed the survey e.g., for research participation credit or entry into a prize draw.

It is not ethical to make all questions compulsory, but neither is it ethical for students to click through a survey without responding and then claim credit or prize draw entry. So, a compromise is to set up an online survey such that an option to apply for credit or prize draw entry only appears to respondents who have completed a minimally sufficient amount of the survey.

Additionally, for privacy reasons, it is not ethical to collect and store identifying information (such as student number or email address) with anonymous online survey responses. So, after completing the main survey, respondents are redirected to a different survey for collection of any relevant personal details.

This can all be achieved in Qualtrics by using Scoring and Embedded Data in the Survey Flow.

1. Turn on scoring from the 'Tools' menu in the 'Edit Survey' interface:
   1. On the page that pops up score each answer choice by clicking on the hashtag next to each answer choice.
2. Open the 'Survey Flow'
   1. At the end, add in 'Embedded Data' and a 'Branch'.
   2. In the Embedded Data add the field "Score" by typing it in to the text box and click the "Set a Value Now" link. Insert Piped Text by following these steps: http://screencast.com/t/Oiz4yZEB
   3. Add a Branch.
   4. Click the "Add a Condition" link and set the condition by selecting "Embedded Data" in the first drop down menu.
   5. Type in "Score" in the first text box.
   6. Select "Greater Than or Equal to" from the next drop down menu.
   7. In the last text box type in the number of questions that you want them to answer before they can progress to the 'Exit Survey - Research Participation and Results Summary'.
   8. Add End of Survey - Customize - Override - Redirect to a URL - Insert the URL for the activated Exit Survey - Research Participation Credit and/or Prize Draw.
   9. Add another Branch as per instructions above, except select "Less Than" and go to the 'Exit Survey - Results Summary Only' (a respondent should still be able to leave their email address for receiving a summary of the results even if they did not complete sufficient items to get warrant registering for research participation and/or prize draw).

The screenshot below shows the set up in Survey Flow: