Using multiple <specify> options within a single item

[I][edited from support email][/I]


On many of the items, a set of answer options are provided for selection. For the lowest frequency and for the highest frequency options the respondent is asked to specify the frequency, as follows….
1- Less than once a week <specify>
2- Once a week
3- Twice a week
4- Three times a week
5- Four or more times a week <specify>
In our test of the items, I noticed the data in the .csv and .sav files is documented so that the <specify> data is written over the keyed response rather than in as a separate variable. In this way if someone indicated "Less than once a week" the data would not appear as "1" but as whatever text was specified. I don't see this data as a separate variable in the .txt files. I don't see any syntax that addresses it as a separate variable.
I didn't find anything in the manual that addresses this issue.
Is it possible that I am overlooking something in the available data files that documents the keyed response separately from the <specify> response? Is there any way to retrieve the original keyed response? Is this problem unremediable in the written data but fixable in programming for future data collection?

You are correct. This is the first time anyone has brought this to our attention. I had never anticipated people offering two or more specify options within the same question. I will add this to our to-deal-with list. In the mean time, are you finding examples where the data become confusing or is it mainly a hassle to have to deal with the coding? I ask because it would have implications for how we fix it. As a short term fix, I could suggest creating a single skipto value for these items rather than using the specify option. If they choose one of these "other" type options then they get a subsequent item which would be a fill in the blank in which they would specify. Would that provide a fix while we figure out how best to deal with this in the future?