Examples of QPL Question Types, etc.

U.S. Government Accountability Office

Introduction Optional Beginning

 
INTRO1A		 Welcome to the U.S. GAO Survey on "Enter Subject of Survey Here". To begin the survey, please click on the "Next Section" button in the center of the screen. (Note: Some designers wish to start with this short page or screen, while others do not use this approach. It is optional.)
 

More Information for Beginning

 
INTRO1B		 The first few pages the respondent sees after login contain basic information and instructions.

Information about the survey might include:
  • What GAO is
  • Content, requester, and purpose of the survey request
  • Why the survey request is important; an appeal to respond
  • Who is being asked to complete the survey, and how they were selected
  • How the respondent's answers will be maintained and reported; confidentiality status; security/access control of the survey
  • Voluntary/mandatory status of survey
  • Burden - how long it will take to complete the questionnaire, what records might be needed.
  • How the respondent can get a copy of the report
Note: Do not put deadlines or time frames for responses in the body of the survey. Those change often and making the change within a survey takes time and is problematic to an ongoing live effort. It is best to put such information in the activating and follow-up emails.

General instructions on using the web survey might include how to:
  • Scroll to see all the questions on a page that doesn't fit on one screen
  • move back and forth between pages
  • leave the questionnaire and come back later
  • print a blank or filled-in copy of the questionnaire
  • contact someone from GAO to get help
  • indicate that final answers are ready and can be used by GAO
  • how to answer questions using the radio buttons, check boxes, and text boxes
 

Introduction - Example from Former Project

 
INTRO1C		 You will need to use the scroll bar on the right hand side of the screen to read all the information on each page of this survey.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent agency of Congress, is conducting a review of management issues at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As part of our study, we are soliciting the views of the FERC staff in the Office of Markets, Tariffs, and Rates and related sections of the Office of General Counsel to obtain their opinions about a variety of topics relating to the work of the FERC.

Most of the questions in this survey can be answered by checking boxes or filling in blanks. Space has been provided at the end of the survey for any additional comments. The survey should take about 30 minutes to complete.

GAO will take steps to prevent the disclosure of individually identified data from this survey. Only GAO staff assigned to this study can access and view your responses. No one at the FERC will see your individual responses. The PIN number associated with the survey is included only to allow you to access the survey and enter your responses, and to aid us in our follow-up efforts. Survey results will be reported in summary form. If individual answers are discussed in our report, no information will be included that could be used to identify individual respondents.

Your participation is very important and we urge you to complete this survey. We cannot provide meaningful information to the Congress on these issues without your frank and honest answers.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

 

Bold, Underline, Italics, Line Breaks, and Non-breaking Spaces

 
INTRO2A		 Bold:             This is in bold.
Underline:     This is underlined.
Italics:           This is in italics
All 3 above:   This is in bold, underlined, and italics.
1 Line Break:
                    This comes after a break.
2 Line Breaks:                     This comes after two breaks.
5 Non-breaking spaces between the 2 words "Joe Smith" below:
                    Joe         Smith
 

Pop-Up Information Box

 
INTRO2A1		 Use the PopUp() function as shown below to create a small browser window with information you saved in an HTML file. Typically, this would be extra information that some respondents may need when completing a question, such as a definition of terms used in the questionnaire.

See also definitions of terms.

The sample file, qpl_sample_popup_text.htm, that is put in your project directory when you start a new project, may be used as a template for your information file. The numbers used in the PopUp() function set the height and width in pixels of the pop-up browser window.
 

Contact Information

 
INTRO2B		 Use this version if you decide to HAVE the "bottom" menu.

If you have any questions or are experiencing difficulties responding to the survey, please contact either of the following individuals:

John Doe
Phone: (202)512-0000, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (EDT)
E-mail: doej@gao.gov

Jane Smith
Phone: (202)512-0001, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm (EDT)
E-mail: smithj@gao.gov

If you need to be reminded about these persons during later parts of this survey, Click on the "?" button at the bottom of the screen or click on the caption: "Contact Information" on the left menu. Either option will reveal these same persons.

However, only the "?" button will include an email hot link. Clicking on the hot link in most cases will automatically open up your email system and have the proper email in the "To:" address. Then you only need to fill in your question and send the message.
 

Contact Information (Alternate)

 
INTRO2C		 Use this alternative if you decide to NOT have the "bottom" menu.

If you have any questions or are experiencing difficulties responding to the survey, please contact either of the following individuals:

John Doe
Phone: (202)512-0000, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (EDT)
E-mail: doej@gao.gov

Jane Smith
Phone: (202)512-0001, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm (EDT)
E-mail: smithj@gao.gov

If you need to be reminded about these persons during later parts of this survey, Click on the caption: "Contact Information" on the left menu. It will reveal these same persons with an email hot link.

Clicking on the hot link in most cases will automatically open up your email system and have the proper email in the "To:" address. Then you only need to fill in your question and send the message.
 

Indicating You Have Completed the survey

 
INTRO3		 The last question in the last section asks you to indicate if you have completed this survey. By clicking on "complete," this tells us that your answers are official and final.

Your answers will not be used unless you have done this. Please note we will not send follow up e-mails to those who have checked the "Complete" button.
 

Navigating, Exiting, and Printing the survey

 
INTRO4		 Please do not use the "Enter" key on your keyboard to navigate through the survey.

To read to the bottom of a section: Use the scroll bar on the right hand side of the section.

To move from section to section: Use either the (1) "Next section" and "Previous section" buttons at the end of each section or (2) menu bar on the left side of the screen. Do not use the "Enter" key on your keyboard to navigate through the survey.

To exit: Click on the "Exit" button at the end of each screen. Always use the "Exit" button to close the survey. If you do not, you will lose the information you entered in that section.

To restart your survey: Log on to the survey using your user name and password. The survey will restart at the point where you exited.

To change your answers: To change an answer marked with a "button" (circle), click on another answer. To "uncheck" a checked box, click on the box again (this will "uncheck" it), then check the box(es) you wish to check. To change what is in a text box, click in the box and then delete and type over. Note: You cannot use your browser's Back button to backup and make changes. Use the previous section button or click on a side caption in the left margin instead. You can change your answers, even after logging off, by logging on again (see above).

To skip non applicable questions: If the response you wish to choose has a highlighted (Go to Q#.) next to it, instead of clicking on the circle, you should click on the highlighted (Go to Q#.). When you do that the circle to the left of the response will be automatically filled in and you will be taken to the next applicable part of the survey.

To answer open-ended questions: Click anywhere inside the box and begin typing. When you reach the limit of the open space, keep typing and the box will automatically expand.

To print your responses: Click on the "Print" button at the end of each section. You cannot print the entire survey at one time.

Suggestion: Print this section to have for future reference.

 

Check Only One or TYPE=Mult Questions

 
INFO1		 Multiple Choice Questions

Multiple choice questions, which allow the respondent to select only one answer from a list, are the backbone of a self-administered web survey. Typically, they will make up the great majority of questions in a survey. These questions can be used to make conditional skips to any question in the survey, according to which answer was selected. When the respondent selects an answer and clicks on the skip instruction, his or her browser will automatically skip to the question that has been linked to that answer. Thus, multiple choice questions also can be used to screen respondents and direct them into appropriate lines of questions. GOTO examples appear later.

Each Check Only One question needs as a minimum these commands:
    .QUESTION = variable name, TYPE=MULT
    .ANSWER = default answer number, or = variable name
    answer line format tag
    .NEXT


The TYPE command must be set to "MULT."

By default, multiple choice questions will be presented in a vertical layout with each answer listed on a separate row with a leading radio button.

You may optionally use format tags to tell the QPL converter to display a question in a horizontal format. Here, the question text is displayed in the column on the left and the answers are used as column headings.

Further, you may stack several questions together to create a "matrix" where the radio buttons are inserted in the intersection between the question text and the column headings. This is covered in more depth later on under "Matrix Type".

ANSWER Command

The ANSWER command is required and is used to separate the question text from the list of responses. You may also use it to set the default answer for the MULT type (i.e., the answer that will be checked the first time the respondent sees the questionnaire), and copy an answer list (including the default answer setting) from a previous question.

The last item in the list will be checked unless you set the default to another number. For example, if you have three items in your list and you want the second item to be checked, you would set the ANSWER command to 2.

You may also set the ANSWER command to 0 (zero) if you do not want any answers to be checked by default. Once the respondent clicks on an answer, that response will be checked.

The respondent may move a check mark, but the respondent may not uncheck all of the responses (i.e., to put the question back into its original, unchecked state). Therefore, you should always use the last category to let the respondent indicate an answer that is not any of the above, such as "Don't know," or "No response."

At least one answer line is required. There is no limit on the number of answer lines you may use, but each answer must be typed on a separate line and be less than 240 characters long (even less if bolding, italics, or underlining is involved).
 

Check Only One - No Answers Initially Checked Example

1.
Q01		 You may set the ANSWER command to 0 (zero) if you do not want any answers to be checked by default. Once the respondent clicks on an answer, that response will be checked. The respondent may move a check mark, but the respondent may not uncheck all of the responses (i.e., to put the question back into its original, unchecked state.)(.ANSWER=0).

Do You Like TV Dinners?
(Check only one answer.)
1.
2.
3.

Check Only One - Last response Checked by Default

2.
Q02		 No particular answer has been set in this question so it will be displayed with the last item, "Don't know," checked by default (.ANSWER ).

Do You Like TV Dinners?
(Check only one answer.)
1.
2.
3.

Check Only One - First Answer Initially Checked Example

3.
Q03		 This question will be displayed with the first item, "Yes" checked because its ANSWER command is set to 1 (.ANSWER=1).

Do You Like TV Dinners?
(Check only one answer.)
1.
2.
3.

Check Only One - Uses Answer Format Like First Question Example

4.
Q04		 This question will display the same answer list as question Q01, and no responses will be checked by default because Q01's ANSWER command was set to 0 (.ANSWER = q01).

GOTO commands, however, are not copied. If you need to use GOTO commands, you must repeat the answer list again and insert the GOTO commands after each response that needs it.

Do You Like TV Dinners?
(Check only one answer.)
1.
2.
3.

Check Only One - Shows Use of ! to Get Grey Background for an Answer

5.
Q05		 You may specially highlight an answer line by putting the exclamation mark (!) format tag at the beginning of the answer line. This will cause that answer to be displayed with a grey background.

Do You Like TV Dinners?
(Check only one answer.)
1.
2.
3.

Check All That Apply or TYPE=Check Questions

 
INFO2		 Check-All-That-Apply Questions

Check-all-that-apply questions allow the respondent to select more than one response from a list of answers, or to select none of the answers. While they are programmed similar to multiple choice questions, they are different because multiple choice questions only allow one answer to be selected.

Each Check All That Apply question needs as a minimum these commands:
    .QUESTION = variable name, TYPE=CHECK
    .ANSWER = variable name
    answer line format tag
    .NEXT


The TYPE command must be set to "CHECK" for check all that apply questions.

By default, check-all-that-apply questions will be presented in a vertical layout with each answer listed on a separate row with a leading square button.

You may optionally use a format tag to tell the QPL converter to display the question in a horizontal format. Here, the question text is displayed in the column on the left and the answers are used as column headings. Further, you may stack several questions together to create a "matrix" where the square buttons are inserted in the intersection between the question text and the column headings. See also question 9 below.

ANSWER Command

The ANSWER command is required and is used to separate the question text from the list of responses.

No items are checked by default.

You may also use it to copy an answer list from a previous question.

At least one answer line is required. There is no limit on the number of answer lines you may use, but each answer must be typed on a separate line and be less than 240 characters long.
 

6.
Q06		 This is an example of a simple Check All That Apply Question.

What are your favorite colors?
(Check all that apply.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

7.
Q07		 You may also use the Answer command to copy an answer list from a previous question (.ANSWER = q06). Copying the answer lists can save programming time and computer memory because the answer list needs to be written only once. If changes need in the list need to be made while you are developing your questionnaire, only the original list needs to be edited. The changes will be copied to the other questions automatically.

As with Check Only One questions the GOTO commands are not automatically copied. They must be taken care of separately.

What are your mother's favorite colors?
(Check all that apply.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

8.
Q08		 You may specially highlight an answer line by putting the exclamation mark (!) format tag at the beginning of the answer line. This will cause that answer to be displayed with a grey background.

What are your favorite colors?
(Check all that apply.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Ranking Type Question Using Up to 3 Choices Example

9.
Q09		 Further, you may stack several questions together to create a "matrix" where the square buttons are inserted in the intersection between the question text and the column headings.

Rank the following items as from question 9 as the most negative, the most positive, and the most challenging (Select up to 3 only)?
09a Travel for the project
09b On-the-Job training
09c External training
09d Documentation efforts
09e Writing the report
(Select up to 3 answers only for each row listed below.)
    09a. 09b. 09c. 09d. 09e. None
 
Q09A 		a. Most Negative
 
Q09B 		b. Most Positive
 
Q09C 		c. Most Challenging
   

Avoid the check all that apply style

10.
Q10		 Based on recent research it has been determined that the results from this type question (check all that apply) is not as accurate as having separate yes / no / no answer ones. Nancy Kingsbury is strongly in favor of NOT using this style BUT instead to use the next ONE (Matrix, Yes/No/No Answer).

Which of these Sports do you like?
(Check all that apply.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

 
Q10A		 If "other", please specify:
 

Use this Matrix yes - no - na type

11.
Q11		 This is preferable to the check all that apply type question. Please use this style at all times if possible.

Which of these sports do you like?
(Select one answer for each row listed below.)
    Yes No No answer
 
Q11A 		a. Baseball
 
Q11B 		b. Basketball
 
Q11C 		c. Football
 
Q11D 		d. Golf
 
Q11E 		e. Other (describe below)
   

 
Q11F 		If "other", please specify:  
   

Matrix Type Question Formats

 
INFO3		 The following applies only to Check only one type questions (type = mult)

It does not apply to questions with 3 or less columns or responses.

For all Check only one type questions, we require there to be at least one response of the type: No Answer, Don't Know, No basis to judge, Not Applicable, etc. Therefore, the following Matrix formats do not include the option to not have the last one or two columns with a darker shading.
 

Matrix with option zero

12.
Q12		 No alternating light gray and white backgrounds for each row.

No display of a number for each row.

Display of right-most column with a dark gray shade.
(Check only one answer for each row below.)
    Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor Don't know No response
 
Q12A 		How do you feel today?
 
Q12B 		How did you feel yesterday?
 
Q12C 		How do you think you will feel tomorrow?
   

Matrix with option one

13.
Q13		 Alternating light gray and white backgrounds for each row.

No display of a number or letter for each row. The letters a., b., and c. were typed into the code.

Display of right-most column with a dark gray shade.
(Check only one answer for each row below.)
    Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor Don't know No response
 
Q13A 		a.How do you feel today?
 
Q13B 		b. What's your mom's favorite color?
 
Q13C 		c. What's your dad's favorite color?
   

Matrix with option two

14.
Q14		 No alternating light gray and white backgrounds for each row.

Display of a number for each row.

Display of right-most column with a dark gray shade.
(Check only one answer for each row below.)
    Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor Don't know No response
14a.
Q14A 		How do you feel today?
14b.
Q14B 		How do you feel today?
14c.
Q14C 		What's your dad's favorite color?
   

Matrix with option three

15.
Q15		 Alternating light gray and white backgrounds for each row.

Display of a number for each row.

Display of right-most column with a dark gray shade.
(Check only one answer for each row below.)
    Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor Don't know No response
15a.
Q15A 		How do you feel today?
15b.
Q15B 		What's your mom's favorite color?
15c.
Q15C 		What's your dad's favorite color?
   

Matrix with option four

16.
Q16		 No alternating light gray and white backgrounds for each row.

No Display of a number for each row.

Display of two right-most columns with a dark gray shade.
(Check only one answer for each row below.)
    Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor Don't know No response
 
Q16A 		How do you feel today?
 
Q16B 		What's your mom's favorite color?
 
Q16C 		What's your dad's favorite color?