The codebook contains an overview of all variables and all encodings used in a project. I.e. it shows which memory locations have been created for your questions and how the answers have been encoded. The codebook is used, for example, whenever you want to incorporate control information into your survey, e.g. when setting filters or defining triggers, and when analysing the survey results.
Viewing the Codebook
Click on the Codebook menu item in the submenu for the respective function. This will open a new browser window, and the codebook will appear.
It lists the question texts and answer options by page, along with the variable names (e.g. v_1) data type and the various characteristics (“codes”, e.g. 1-4). The final page doesn’t contain variables and is therefore not displayed.
In the upper part of the codebook, you will find several fields containing additional options which allow you to show further information, change the language of text elements displayed, edit variables and export the codebook. These fields can be displayed or hidden.
Data types of variables
Data Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
int | The “int” column stands for “integer”, i.e. the variable will only accept integer values. In the example above, this would be the value 1 for the “Marketing” answer, etc. |
varchar | Questions with open-ended text input fields use the “varchar” variable type in which strings can be saved. |
Displaying Additional Information
In the “Display options“ section you have the option of displaying the following additional information:
Show filters
Show triggers
Show plausibility checks
Show hiding conditions: Hiding conditions for questions and answer options can be displayed. Please mind: Hiding conditions for matrix columns cannot be dis- played in the codebook.
Show direct links to edit the questionnaire: Next to each question, an Edit question link and a link to the Language editor will be shown.
Show fill-in instructions: When checking the box, fill-in instructions for questions will be displayed in the codebook.
Show table of contents: The codebook will show a list of the questionnaire pages. You can click on the page titles, so even with very long questionnaires you will easily find the respective page in the codebook.
If you tick the special checkbox “Show field positions in export template” in the codebook and select the suitable export template, the codebook will show the width, beginning and end of the columns.
Adjust column widths to effective size of data (excluding missing values): If you tick both this checkbox and the preceding “Show field positions in export template” checkbox, the column widths displayed will be those that result when exporting in Fixed Format with adjusted column widths for further processing in Quantum.
In the case of personalized projects, you can select “Show participant variables” to display these variables.
Show survey variables: When checking this option, the survey variables will be displayed in the codebook. Depending on the variables used in the project, this may be e. g. language, dispositioncodes, date or meta information such as location and device variables.
With “Display groups and group assignment of items and groups” grouping infor- mation can be displayed in the codebook.
The most recently saved display options will be saved as default and will be used for future projects.
Selecting the Language of Text Elements
In the case of multilingual projects, you can use the drop-down list under “Select lan- guage” to specify the language in which the question texts and answer categories are to be displayed in the codebook.
Editing Variable Names
The codebook contains a range of functions which enable effective centralized editing of user-defined variable names in the “Edit variable names” section.
Editing variable names
When the option “Edit variable names directly in this form” is selected and then confirmed with the Save settings button, entry fields are displayed in which you can edit the external variable names. After entering the new names, click on the Save variable names button.
Changing variable names according to a preset algorithm
You can allocate a unique label to the external variable names of a project in accordance with a predefined scheme.
Available options are:
Consecutive internal variable name (v_x): Default in new projects
User-defined prefix consecutive item number
User-defined prefix consecutive question number_consecutive item number (per question)
User-defined prefix consecutive question number|consecutive item number (per question)
Please proceed as follows:
In the codebook click the Select algorithm for creation of variable names link in the “Create new variable names in accordance with selected algorithm” field. This opens the Projects->{Selected project}->Project properties menu.
Set the desired labeling option in the select box.
Enter the desired prefix in the “Algorithm for creating the external variable names” field. Default preset is “v_”.
Switch back to the Codebook.
Activate “Create new variable names in accordance with selected algorithm”.
Confirm by clicking on Save settings.
Systematically naming variables in dynamic answer blocks
The “Rename variables in dynamic answer blocks” option allows you to automatically change the names of variables, for example, in a list or a loop in such a way that the link to the original variable can be read from the name. If, for example, a dynamic list is incorporated into a question, all variables that were generated via the dynamic list will have the name v_sourcevariablea once renaming is complete. If the questionnaire contains a second question that draws on the same dynamic list, then the corresponding variables will be named v_sourcevariableb.
Editing variable names externally
You can export external variable names, edit them outside EFS and then re-import them:
The “Export variable names for external editing” will create a CSV file containing the variables information, which you can load onto your workstation. You can specify which character set is to be used.
When editing you enter the new external variable name in the “New varname” column.
The “Import externally edited variable names” option allows you to re-import the externally edited list in CSV-format into EFS Survey. Here, too, the correct character set must be specified.
Undoing changes
Changes to external variable names can be undone applying the “Restore original vari- able names” options.
Printing and Exporting Codebook
The codebook can be printed out or exported as a whole:
By clicking on the Print version icon in the codebook header you can call up your PC's print functions and print out the code book.
In the “Export” section of the codebook, you can download the codebook to your workstation. First set the desired character set, then choose the format (CSV and Excel can be selected) and confirm with the Export button.