Questionaire is developed for systems running TYPO3 version 3.8.1 and up. Install the extension using the Extension Manager.
WARNING !! if you have installed tx_pbsurvey version <0.1.2 and want to upgrade it to version 1.0.0+ please read the part “How to update”.
Localization mode for text fieldsBy default, all text fields (question, question subtext, alias ...) from a new localized survey item will be prepended with "[translate to ...]". If this is not wanted you can disable it here.
Hide new localizationsBy default, new localization are immediattely visible at the frontend for visitors. If you are working on a live website, it is possible you don't want this behaviour. By clicking the checkbox you can hide new localizations.
tx_pbsurvey 1.0.0+ handles the results completely different than previous versions (<0.1.2). I have tried to build an updatetool, but this tool was very time and processor power consuming, especially with large amounts of results.
It is advisable to finish running surveys, export / backup all data and remove the previous extension from the Extension Manager. Remove the database tables “tx_pbsurvey_items” and “tx_pbsurvey_results” as well. All data in these tables will be useless after upgrading to the new version, so it is better to clean them completely.
I have tried to build a proper base for upcoming versions and features of Questionaire. Hopefully the changes to database tables will not be that big in the future.
Make a new system folder (SysFolder) for storage of the questionaire items and results. This is optional but recommended.
If not using a anonymous questionaire, make a new system folder for Frontend users and groups as well.
A default set of CSS styles is included in the extension. To use these CSS styles, include the static extension template “default CSS-styles (pbsurvey)” in your main TS-template at the part “Include static (from extensions):”. For more explanation about static extension templates read the section “Templates” in the TYPO3 document “Getting Started”. If you want to use your own CSS-styles for the extension, simply do not select the static extension template.
Add a new page which shall contain the plugin. If the questionaire will not be held anonymously, choose a usergroup in 'Access' which users may enter the questionaire. Don't forget to add a page which contains a login-box plugin (standard 'Login form' or 'Better login-box). Read the manuals of these extensions.
*** Important Note ***There is a major change between pbsurvey 1.0.0 and older versions: In pbsurvey 1.0.0 the default stylesheet is not included automatically.
To use the default CSS-stylesheet it needs to be included with the “Include static (from extensions)” feature.
Go to the page which shall contain the plugin. Using the module 'Web > Page' you can add a content element to this page. Choose 'Questionaire' under 'Plugins' in the wizard 'New content element'. If not using the wizard, choose 'Insert plugin' from the Type-dropdown and select the option 'Questionaire' in the form field 'Plugin'. (See 'Configuration' for a explanation of the various fields.
When arranging a questionaire, a thorough design process generally goes in advance. The most important factor is to know what your customer, employee or member wants or thinks).
Establish the goals of your project – What do you want to learn
Determine your target group – Who do you want to respond
Determine your method – How do you want to ask the questions
Design your questionaire – What are you going to ask
Test the questionaire – Test the questions
Start the questionaire and get results – Ask the questions
Analy\e the results – Generate statistics and reports
With a online questionaire you always have to take into account that your respondents cannot ask questions directly: “What exactly do you mean?”, if he/she doesn't understand a question.
Keep it short and simple. When respondents are presented 20 pages with questions, they will give up before they even started. Ask yourself at each question what you will do with the collected information. If you cannot answer satisfactorily, omit the question. Avoid the temptation to add some more questions, simply because you are doing a questionaire. If necessary, divide the questions in three groups: Must know, can be useful or nice to know. Remove questions in the last group, except if the first two groups are small.
Start your questionaire with an introduction or welcome message. This can be put as the content of the first page or above the first question. A good introduction can encourage visitors to do the questionaire.
Add a 'Don't know' or 'Not applicable' to each question, except the ones of which you are certain that all respondents have a clear answer .In most of the cases the researcher can't do anything with this answer, but it prevents frustrated respondents. Sometimes these answers can be the most honest answer of the respondent to your question. Respondents who get the feeling they have to give an answer they do not want to give, leave the questionaire without finishing it, where you get without results. For example many people will leave the questionaire at obligatory questions concerning their income.
Add 'Other' or 'None' if this could be a logical answer to the question. If the choice in answer is a list of opinions, preferences or behaviour, it is most likely you have to add these possibilities.
Keep two things in mind when you determine the order of questions and answers. The first is how the question and answer order can stimulate the respondents to finish your questionaire. The second is how the order can influence the results.
The ideal situation would be that the first questions are easy and pleasantly to answer . These questions will encourage the respondent to continue. It is advisable to group questions concerning the same subject on one page. Ask difficult or sensitive questions at the end of the questionaire.
Concerning the visual presentation keep it simple and quiet. Do not use distracting hard colors. Keep enough space ibetween the items on the page. This reads more easily.
In the module 'Web > List' you go to the system folder you made to add questionaire items and results. Click on the icon to insert a new record. Choose 'Questionaire item' in the list 'New record'. A form is shown to you. You can choose the kind of question, a page break or a presentation item in the dropdown list under 'Question Type'.
All the question types have a collection of default fields which we shall describe first. After this, specific settings for each type will be described.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Hide | Hide item from display in the questionaire. This option can be usefull when testing the questionaire. Don't change this setting if the questionaire is 'live' and there are already results from visitors. It will influence the results of the questionaire. |
Question Type | Choose from over 20 item types, including four kinds of matrix questions, ranking questions, drop-down lists, open-ended text boxes, checkboxes, and more. |
Question | Use this field to enter the text for your question. |
Question Alias | Enter alternate text for use in the reports. If blank, the actual question will be displayed. Normally, the extension will display the question as column head when exporting the results to a csv-file. When using long questions, these columns can get very wide in Excel or SPSS. Use this field to enter a alternate text to substitute the question as column header, for instance 'Question 1'. |
Question Subtext | Enter informational or additional text. This text will be displayed between the question and the possible answers. |
Required | Check this box if an answer to this question is required. In the questionaire a little star (*) will be displayed behind the question to show the visitor this question is mandatory. When a respondent forgets to give an answer, the system will display a popup with the error message. |
Choice questions are questions with predefined answers. These answers will be provided by the administrator of the questionaire.
1: Choice – Multiple Answers (Checkboxes)This type will ask a question to which a visitor can respond with multiple answers. An additional answer (open field) is optional, if the respondent thinks the given answers do not provide his meaning or opinion. Answers are shown as checkboxes.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Answer alignment | Select the way answers should be aligned on the page. Options are:
|
Minimum Number of Responses | Enter the minimum number of checkboxes that must be checked. By clicking the checkbox you can turn this option on and off. The questionaire will display a message if the respondent tries to submit his answers and the amount of checked items is not enough. |
Maximum Number of Responses | Enter the maximum number of checkboxes that can be checked. |
Enter the Answers | Enter each of the answers on a new line in the textbox. Click on the button at the right side of the box to see more options. If the button is not there, save the item by clicking the button 'Save Document' at the top or bottom of the screen. The 'Answer Wizard' button will appear. The options will be described below the items. |
Allow additional answer | Check this box if you would like an additional "Other" answer to allow questionaire takers to give a different answer. This will be displayed as a extra checkbox, a text and a textbox. |
Additional Answer | You may edit the text of the "Other" prompt in the text box below. |
Additional Answer Input Type | Select the type of control that should be used to for the additional answer. This can be a textbox or textarea. |
23: Choice – Multiple Answers (Selectbox)This type will ask a question to which a visitor can respond with multiple answers. All answers are shown in one selectbox which can have different sizes. When the size of the selectbox is smaller than the amount of questions, the user can scroll in the selectbox. Multiple items are chosen by the user holding the CTRL key when selecting items. Very handy with a large amount of possible answers.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Minimum Number of Responses | Enter the minimum number of checkboxes that must be chosen. By clicking the checkbox you can turn this option on and off. The questionaire will display a message if the respondent tries to submit his answers and the amount of selected items is not enough. |
Maximum Number of Responses | Enter the maximum number of checkboxes that can be chosen |
Enter the Answers | Enter each of the answers on a new line in the textbox. Click on the button at the right side of the box to see more options. If the button is not there, save the item by clicking the button 'Save Document' at the top or bottom of the screen. The 'Answer Wizard' button will appear. The options will be described below the items. |
Selectbox height | The height in lines of the selectbox. When the height is smaller than the actual possible answers, the user can scroll through the list. |
2: Choice – One Answer (Dropdown)Ask a question where only one answer can be given. Answers are displayed in a dropdown list.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Enter the Answers | Enter each of the answers on a new line in the textbox. Click on the button at the right side of the box to see more options. If the button is not there, save the item by clicking the button 'Save Document' at the top or bottom of the screen. The 'Answer Wizard' button will appear. The options will be described below the items. |
3: Choice – One Answer (Option Buttons)Ask a question where only one answer can be given. The answers are predefined and are displayed as radiobuttons. An additional answer (open field) is optional, if the respondent thinks the given answers do not provide his meaning or opinion.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Answer Alignment | Select the way answers should be aligned on the page. Options are:
|
Enter the Answers | Enter each of the answers on a new line in the textbox. Click on the button at the right side of the box to see more options. If the button is not there, save the item by clicking the button 'Save Document' at the top or bottom of the screen. The 'Answer Wizard' button will appear. The options will be described below the items. |
Allow additional answer | Check this box if you would like an additional "Other" answer to allow questionaire takers to give a different answer. This will be displayed as a extra checkbox, a text and a textbox. |
Additional Answer | You may edit the text of the "Other" prompt in the text box below. |
Additional Answer Input Type | Select the type of control that should be used to for the additional answer. This can be a textbox or textarea. |
4: Choice – True / FalseAsk a question to which the only possible answers are true or false. The answers can be displayed as a dropdown, horizontal or vertical radiobuttonlist.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Default value | This value will be selected as the default for this question. |
Display Type | Select the format for the response to the question. |
5: Choice – Yes / NoThe same as Choice – True / False, except the respondent can answer with Yes or No.
With matrix questions you can ask questions in a 2 dimensional way. This is very usefull if you like to know an opinion on different subjects which all can have the same possible answers.
6: Matrix – Multiple Answers per Row (Checkboxes)Ask a question in a 2 dimensional format, where the respondent can select each answer in every row. This is done by checkboxes. If an answer is required, the respondent only has to click one of the checkboxes in the entire answerlist.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Row Names | Enter each row name on a separate line. |
Enter the Answers | Enter each of the answers on a new line in the textbox. Click on the button at the right side of the box to see more options. If the button is not there, save the item by clicking the button 'Save Document' at the top or bottom of the screen. The 'Answer Wizard' button will appear. The options will be described below the items. |
7: Matrix – Multiple Answers per Row (Textboxes)A textbox is placed in every cell of the table. The respondent can answer with text. When a question is required, the respondent only has to fill one of the textboxes in the entire question.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Row Names | Enter each row name on a separate line. |
Enter the Answers | Enter each of the answers on a new line in the textbox. Click on the button at the right side of the box to see more options. If the button is not there, save the item by clicking the button 'Save Document' at the top or bottom of the screen. The 'Answer Wizard' button will appear. The options will be described below the items. |
8: Matrix – One Answer per Row (Option Buttons)Only one possible answer per row. If an answer is required, the respondent has to select an answer in each row.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Row Names | Enter each row name on a separate line. |
Enter the Answers | Enter each of the answers on a new line in the textbox. Click on the button at the right side of the box to see more options. If the button is not there, save the item by clicking the button 'Save Document' at the top or bottom of the screen. The 'Answer Wizard' button will appear. The options will be described below the items. |
9: Matrix – Rating Scale (Numeric)The participant can give each item in a row a rating. The rating starts with the given beginning number in the first column and ends with the ending number, raising each column with the value 1. The amount of columns depends on the beginning and ending number.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Beginning number | Enter the first number for the rating scale. |
Ending number | Enter the last number for the rating scale. |
Row Names | Enter each row name on a separate line. |
Open questions show the participant answering possibilities as a text type. The participant can answer with his/hers own obvious opinion.
10: Open Ended – Comments BoxDisplays a textbox containing more textlines in which the participant can put a comment or description.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Default value | Enter a text to be displayed in the comments box, when a participant enters the question. The participant can change this value. |
11: Open Ended – Constant SumQuestiontype with multiple textboxes in which a participant can enter numbers. Optional the sum of these numbers has to be a given value.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Answer total | Enter the total that the value must add up to. To allow any total, leave this field blank. |
Row Names | Enter each row name on a separate line. |
12: Open Ended – DateAsk a question for which the answer has to be a date. Optional the answer has to be between a minimum value and a maximum value.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Default value | The date entered below will be the default value. Format for the date is dd-mm-yyyy. |
Minimum value | Enter the earliest acceptable date. |
Maximum value | Enter the latest acceptable date. |
13: Open Ended – NumberDisplays one textfield that only accepts numeric values. Optional the answer can be limited with a smallest and largest acceptable numeric value.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Mimimum value | Enter the smallest acceptable numeric value. |
Maximum value | Enter the largest acceptable numeric value. |
Maximum length | Enter the maximum number of allowable characters for this question. |
14: Open Ended – One LineYou can use this type for answers that can only contain one textline. Also useable to ask a question for which the answer has to be a email address.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Is E-mail Address | Check this box if the answer to this question must be a valid email address. |
Default value | The value entered below will be displayed as the default for this question. |
Maximum length | Enter the maximum number of allowable characters for this question. |
15: Open Ended – One or more linesShows one or more textboxes below each other. The administrator can limit the amount of fields the participant must answer with a mimimum and a maximum response.
ITEM: Field | Description |
Minimum number of responses | Enter the minimum number of textfields that must be answered. |
Maximum number of responses | Enter the maximum number of textfields that must be answered. |
Maximum lengte | The maximum number of allowable characters for each textbox. |
16: Open Ended – RankingThe participant has to enter a ranking number for each item in the question. The lowest rating value is always 1, the highest depends on the amount of items. When 4 answers are displayed, the possiblities are 1 to 4. No numeric value can be entered twice.
Presentation items are not questions, but parts that can be placed between the questions to explain or to enhance te questions. You can insert headlines, a horizontal rule, images or additional text.
17: Presentation – Heading
18: Presentation – Horizontal Rule (HR)Display a horizontal line between two elements to separate them from each other.
19: Presentation – HTMLIn some special occasions where the default presentation items will not satisfy, you can enter plain HTML-code in the page by using this textarea. It could be used to display a multimedia element like a Flash file or a movie.
20: Presentation – ImageTo insert a image in the questionaire. Maximum height or width can be entered. You can select a horizontal alignment for how the image should be displayed.
21: Presentation – MessageYou can use the Answer Wizard in most of the Choice- and Matrix questions. It can be accessed using the button at the right side of the textarea 'Enter the Answers'. If you just made a new record and the button is not there, save the question by using the button 'Save Document' at the top or bottom of the page. When you saved the record, the button will appear.
ASSISTENT: Field | Description |
Select answer group | The wizard provides predefined answer groups, like 'Agree' to 'Disagree', 'Good' to 'Bad' or 'Easy' to 'Difficult'. There are 17 predefined answer groups, which are filled in automatically after selection in the answer fields. |
Enter the answers | If the groups do not provide proper answers, you can always produce them yourself. Click on the 'Plus' sign to add a row below the current one. With the trashcan you can delete a row. To move a row up or down, use the arrows. |
Points | Statistics software like SPSS work with a point system for answers. It is called 'Scored Surveys'. Answers are transposed to points to generate reports and statistics. Questionaire offers the possibility to give points to answers in advance. In a csv export file the answers are then replaced by these points. If you use this, ensure yourself each answer is granted a point. |
Default | Checkboxes and radiobuttons can be turned on by default. You have to check the box behind the answer. |
Data generated by the Answer Wizard can be manually inserted in the textarea 'Enter the answers'. Every line in this field represents a new answer, starting with the answer, followed by the points, and finally the default value, each field separated by a vertical bar ' | '. If the answer is default, the field should say 'on', otherwise leave empty.
Some examples:Agree | | onDisagree | 3
Page Break & ConditionsThe last but certainly not unimportant item in the dropdown list with all the question items is the Questionaire item 'Page Break & Conditions'. You can divide the questionaire in several pages and decide if the following page has to be displayed according to the answers the participant gave in the previous answers. A page break always marks the beginning of a new page.
A page break is optional, but take into account that if you make a questionaire with many questions, you preserve the overview when inserting page breaks. If you want your questionaire to start with a page title or introduction, put a page break as the first record in the questionaire item list. In such a page no conditions can be entered, because there are no questions in front of the break. Separate pages and questions logically. A page which has no embedded question, can generate errors. Do not end a questionaire with a empty page.
Conditions apply to the page following the page break. The conditions define if the questions on the next page will be displayed to the participant. Start inserting conditions when you are absolutely sure the questions are in the right order and all questions have been tested. Changes in items or their order are not converted to the page breaks. Because of this your questionaire can cause errors.
Conditions are always made by the Conditions Wizard. Click on the Wizard button at the right of the textarea 'Page conditions'. You can produce conditions within a group, but you can also produce new groups. Questionaire first calculates the results of each group separately. Within a group all conditions are calculated using 'AND' to get a 'TRUE'. Mutual groups are compared with 'OR'. If one group has the result 'TRUE', the complete result of the condition will be 'TRUE'. If none of the groups is 'TRUE', the result of the condition is 'FALSE'.
An underlying page is shown when the final outcome of the condition is 'TRUE'. At 'FALSE' the questionaire will continue to the next page, where again possible conditions are calculated. If you want to skip some pages by means of an answer on a question, you must give all intervening pages a condition.
An example:
You do a questionaire concerning games for a game computer. It is possible that some participants have never played on a game computer. Still you want to learn if they know a game from an advertisement in a newspaper, on the television or the Internet. This participant can skip all questions concerning the functioning of the game and be brought directly to the questions about advertisement. Thus you do not disappoint a participant, because you don't ask him/her questions they do not have knowledge of and you get a picture of the result of advertisement on non-players. Therefore you need to place a condition on each page with questions the participant knows nothing about which has as result 'FALSE'.
The Conditions Wizard always starts with one group. You can see this at the start of the wizard on top of the page 'New Group (OR)'.
Beneath this there is a text 'Rules' with a dropdown list. The dropdown list contains questions in front of this page break which can be calculated in a condition. How further you go into the questionaire, how longer this list becomes.
Choose a question in the dropdown list which must be incorporated in the condition. After this choice more options shall be displayed.
A condition is made as follows:
The answer to question x – must satisfy to the following – possible answer.
CONDITION: Explanation | Description |
The answer to question x | The dropdown list with all the possible answers. |
Must satisfy to the following | The upper dropdown list in the column 'Condition'. This list depends on the chosen question and its type and can contain the following values:
|
Possible answer | Depending on its type, this can be a dropdown list or an open textbox. In the case of questions of the type 'Choice' with predefined answers, a dropdown list will always be displayed. If there is a possible additional answer, the option '-- None --' will also be available in this list and below that a textbox. By choosing '-- None --' and fill the textbox, you can make a condition with the additional answer of this question. |
At the right side of the selected question, the condition can be defined. Depending on its type, the options will vary. The upper field of the condition will always be a dropdown list.
Deleting a rule is done by clicking the trashcan behind the rule.
When using multiple groups, the groups can be ordered by moving them with the arrows 'Move Up' , 'Move Down', 'Move top Top' and 'Move to Bottom'. It is also possible to delete an entire group at once by clicking the trashcan in front of the group. Keep in mind all the rules within this group will be deleted as well.
Important: When copying a survey from one page to another, the id's of the questions change. The conditions are based on the id's of the questions. When copying the survey records, the conditions are copied as well, containing references to the original survey, which is on another page. There is no way in TYPO3 to change these record references in the conditions automatically. In the 'Page break & conditions' it seems that the conditions are still there, but they refer to questions not available in the copied survey. When entering the 'Conditions Wizard' you will notice that this is completely empty. The check on the available questions is done in the wizard. So whenever you copy a survey from one page or sysfolder to another, you have to redefine the conditions.
Statistical calculations can be done several ways.
To calculate your statistics in statistical software like SPSS, or its Open Source concurrents PSPP or OpenStat, you can export all results to a file with comma separated values, a CSV file. A CSV-file is a standardized format which can be imported and processed in most of the spreadsheet and statistics software. To generate a CSV file, a separate extension, “Questionaire Export” (pbsurveyexport) is available. This extension will integrate itself in the backend module Web>Questionaire. See the manual of “Questionaire Export “for more details.
In the near future it will be possible to have statistics in the backend module as well. The development of this extension has already been started. The name of this extension will be “Questionaire Statistics” (pbsurveystatistics). With this module function you can have statistics like cross-tabular data and graphics.
Scoring means you can do a test amongst your respondents. Depending on its score, the respondent will be redirected to a certain page, assigned by a minimum and maximum score. Is the score of the respondent higher than the minimum and lower or equal to the maximum, then the respondent will be redirected to this page. The score will be the total points collected by the given answers. These points need to be assigned to each answer in the “Answer wizard”
To enable scoring you must choose the option “Redirect to scoring pages” of the “Completion action” at the “Completion” tab of the plugin. When enabled, you also have to fill the “Scoring” tab of the plugin. At first, this tab will only provide you a dropdown box to enter a “NEW Scoring page”. When you select this option, you have to save the form to get the fields of a scoring page. In these fields you can enter the maximum score, that will be evaluated with the score of the respondent, and the page where the respondent will be redirected if his score matches.
Example:
The total points of the test the respondent can collect by answering all questions with answers with the highest points is 235. We want to have 5 different levels of scoring: Bad – Below average – Average – Above Average – Excellent. 235 diveded by 5 is 47. The first scoring page, Bad, has as maximum score 47 point, the second one, below average 94, the third, Average, 141 and so on.
47 – Bad94 – Below average141 – Average188 – Above average235 – Excellent
The respondent scores 165 points. With this score he gets at the “Above average” level and will be redirected to the corresponding page. The level “Above average” has as a minimum score 142 (the maximum of “Average” is 141) and a maximum of 188 points.
Scoring can only be done with the following question types:
Choice - Multiple Answers (Checkboxes)
Choice - Multiple Answers (Selectbox)
Choice - One Answer (Dropdown)
Choice - One Answer (Option Buttons)
Matrix - Multiple Answers per Row (Checkboxes)
Matrix - One Answer per Row (Option Buttons)
Remember that the scoring of multiple answer questions can raise the score dramatically when the respondent checks all the checkboxes. This way he/she can influence the result. The reason why these question types are made possible with scoring is that you can have, for instance, two answers which could be right and the others are not. You can assign points to the right answers and no points (zero) to the false ones. You can influence the amount of answers the respondent can check in the form of these question types.
For your convenience two parameters are send with the URL of the scoring page. These parameters are the total points a respondent can get in the test (tx_pbsurvey_pi1[total]) and the score of the respondent (ts_pbsurvey_pi1[score]). These parameters can be used when you provide your own plugin on the scoring pages.
Q: Why is the Captcha at the front of the survey and not at the end, like in mailforms?A: The goal of a Captcha is to prevent spamming a form on a website. A user has to answer the Captcha before any form is submitted to the website. A survey can be split into several pages. After submitting each page, the user answers will be stored immediately. So it doesn't make sense to put it at the end of the survey.
Q: When I install and load the extension in TYPO3, I can't reach the backend module Web>Questionaire?A: This is a standard behaviour of TYPO3. After you install and load an extension in TYPO3, you have to logout and login again to make the backend module to work. Reloading the browser window won't do the trick.
Q: What can I do with the results, gathered with pbsurvey. I can't see an option to export the results or calculate backend statisticsA: Perhaps you've only installed the main extension pbsurvey. To export the results to a CSV file, you need to download the extension pbsurveyexport from the TER as well and load in into TYPO3. This way the backend module will get more functionality. In the future an extension for backend statistics will also be available.
Q: I don't know how to read the exported results. How do I analyze these?A: Pbsurvey is written for users who know how to handle statistical data. If you don't know how to read the results, don't start a survey at all, buy a book and learn it, or ask a friend who knows how to handle this to do it for you. Maybe a hint: A lot of students on universities learn how to analyze statistical data with software called SPSS.
