responses

[jdillowmsu]

I'm attempting to use the responses.xls file and having a few problems. In my experiment I have three experimental groups with five conditions each. I want to give a pretest to determinte which condition participants are grouped into. I've created a responses.xls file that calculates a numeric value (1-5) that let's experimenters know which condition to run based on pretest results. I want that number to be presented at the end of the pretest questionnaire but, I'm unable to get MediaLab to present this value. I have the responses.xls file inside of a folder called "pretest" that includes the pretest questionnaire file. Within the responses file the variable is called "group" which I try to present using <group>, but to no avail.

When I run tests, the numbers in the data files are manipulated properly (that is, within the excel files, the numbers change appropriately and the proper numeric value is selected), so I'm not sure where the problem could be. Additionally, I was wondering how to format post-session reports. I've looked through the manual and I'm still fuzzy on the issue; I can't find where it says "print.sheet1 no print.sheet2 no". I'll include my reponses file and the pretest questionnaire.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[jarvis24]

Can't seem to find "group" listed as a calculated variable in your responses.xls file. Am I missing it? Also, remember all the values in the first column must be variable names only--either that of existing variables in your que files or variables that are calculated (in column B).

[jdillowmsu]

I actually played around with other names. Instead of "group" I may have sent a file in which it was called "rse" or "condition" just to see if I could use those variable names to present in session.

To be clear, are you saying that if my variable names are simply digits (i.e.: 1-10), then it will cause problems because my paramters for the scaled responses in my questionnaire are also 1-9?

[jarvis24]

Ah, ok. Two things I noticed.

One is that the variable name you are ultimately trying to insert, e.g., rse should not have the <> around them when listed in the responses.xls file--only in the text where you want that value inserted during the session (e.g., back in your question wording like "you scored <rse> out a possible..."

The other thing I noticed was the blank line--not sure, but I recall some issue way way back that a user had that was resolved by removing a blank row in the middle of their responses.xls file.

Regarding variables named 10, 11, 12 etc.. Calculated variables in the responses.xls file that have numeric names are not an issue, unless you want to insert them as values in your session (e.g., using <10> in your question wording). In that case, I don't know what would happen--never tried it. As temporary variables used to help calculate other variables though, I don't expect it would be a problem.