The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the types of survey question items that are available to users of iSalient, and to provide information on how and when to use each type of question item.
An introduction to the basic procedures you'll use to construct your questions and survey logic can be found
here.
1. Choice - Multiple Answers (Checkboxes)
This question type allows you to ask the respondent a question for which more than one preset answer may be correct. In addition to the preset checkbox options you enter, you may also offer your respondent a one-line text box or multi-line text area in which to enter an answer of their own.
You are also given the option to limit your respondent to a minimum or maximum number of selections, and to display the options to them either vertically or horizontally.
2. Choice Radio Buttons
This question type works identically to the Multiple Answers type with Checkboxes, except that radio button form elements are used instead of checkboxes, thereby allowing your respondent to choose only a single option as their answer. As with the previous question type, you have the ability to provide preset answers that you have written, as well as a blank text field that the respondent may fill in themselves.
3. One Answer Drop Down
The one answer drop-down question type produce a dropdown menu from which the respondent may choose exactly one option. Unlike the previous two question types, it is not possible to offer the respondent a text field in which to enter an answer of their own when using this question type. A full exploration of the One Answer Drop Down question type can be found in the
Working With Survey Questions article, which uses it as its prime example.
4. Choice True / False
The Choice True/False question type is useful not only for questions that specifically require the answers 'true' or 'false', but for any question in which the respondent should be given exactly two options to choose from. This is one of the most basic and useful question types.
5. Choice Yes / No
This question type is identical to the Choice True/False type except that it allows you the option to display a text field for the respondent to enter their own answer into, in addition to your two preset answers.
6. Date
This question type is specifically for collecting a date from the respondent. It allows you to optionally fill in the field with a default date, and to limit the respondent's answers to a within a specific range of dates.
7. Open Ended - Single Line
This question type provides the respondent with a single one-line text field into which they will enter their answer to your question.
By setting the Answer Format option, iSalient can make sure the answer entered into this text field is the type of data you're looking for. The available answer formats include alpha-numeric string, decimal, integer, money, numeric characters only, US & Canadian postal code, US phone number, social security number, upper-case letters only, lower-case letters only, URL, and e-mail address. You may also choose to allow answers in any format.
For any of these answer formats you may limit the respondent to a maximum number of characters. For the Integer answer format, you may also set minimum and maximum values for the respondent's answer.
8. Open Ended - Multiple Lines
The multiple line open-ended question is identical to the single-line type, except that the respondent is offered a larger, multi-line text field which invites a longer response. You may adjust the width and height of the field as needed, but no Answer Format options are available to limit the type of input you will receive with this question type.
