Survey CSL snippets

Based on the answer pattern of your respondents you can show different images, text, prices, …. to them. Very useful when you want to test different concepts and these differ based on certain answers or socio-demographic criteria.

When using images, simply upload them into the media library and copy the HTML code.

In the examples below we base ourselves on 2 questions: age and gender, but you can go as broad as you like.

First a simple example, based only on the age of the respondent.

Here we are showing 2 different images: image 1 to people younger than 45 and image 2 to people of 45 and more.

{{#if 
{{! this bit says if the age is the first, second or third option, then show image 1}}
(or (eq respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 1)(eq respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 2)(eq respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 3))}}[html code of image 1]

{{! if not, show image 2}}

{{else}}[html code of image 2]{{/if}}

But you can combine age and gender.

Here we are showing 4 different images: one to women younger than 45, one to men younger than 45, another one to women of 45 and over and a fourth one to men of 45 and over:

{{#if

{{! we check 2 things: 1: is the gender the first answer option AND is the age one of the first 3 answer options}}

(and (eq respondent.questions.genderquestion.orderNumber 1)(le respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 3))}}[html code of image 1]

{{else if 

{{! again check if the age is one of the first 3 answer options, but now we need the 2nd answer option for gender, i.e. the women}}

(and (eq respondent.questions.genderquestion.orderNumber 1)(gt respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 3))}}[html code of image 2]


{{else if

{{! now we look for the older respondents so the age must be the 4th answer option or higher. Gender is back to "men"}}

(and (eq respondent.questions.genderquestion.orderNumber 2)(le respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 3))}}[html code of image 3]

{{else}}

{{! all other cases, meaning the women of 45 and older}}

[html code of image 4]{{/if}}

It also works with regular text of course:

{{#if (and (eq respondent.questions.genderquestion.orderNumber 1)(le respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 3))}}young man{{else if (and (eq respondent.questions.genderquestion.orderNumber 2)(le respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 3))}} young woman{{else if (and (eq respondent.questions.genderquestion.orderNumber 1)(gt respondent.questions.agequestion.orderNumber 3))}}slightly less young man{{else}}slightly less young woman{{/if}}

Nielsen regions are also used often in market research. Respondents don’t know what Nielsen regions are, or which one they live, so asking this question would be quite useless. But you can capture this information in a hidden question based on their response to the province question.

1. First create the province question. Assign a label to it. For this example, the label “provinceNielsen” was used.
2. Assign a score between 1 and 5 to each province. Each score represents a Nielsen region.
3. Create the Nielsen region question.
4. Make sure that the order of the regions is consistent with the allotted score.
5. Go to the Prefill tab and select Fixed text.
6. Add the score variable:

   {{respondent.questions.provinceNielsen.score}}

This way the correct Nielsen region will be selected based on the score of each answer option in the province question.

A province with score 1 will result in the prefilling of the first answer option in the region question, a province with score 2 will prefill the 2nd answer option, etc.

The US Census Bureau considers there to be four regions of the US: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West. If you ask what state people live in, you can capture this region in a hidden question.

1. First create the state question. Assign a label to it. In this example the label usstate was used.
2. Assign a score between 1 and 4 to each state. Each score represents a region.

3. Create the region question. Again, if you wish to make use of the list above, put the regions in the following order:
   • Northeast
   • Midwest
   • South
   • West

4. Make sure that the order of the regions is consistent with the allotted score. For example, if “Northeast” is the first answer option, then all states belonging to the Northeast region must have received score “1”.
5. Go to the Prefill tab and select Fixed text.
6. Add the score variable:

   {{respondent.questions.usstate.score}}

This way the correct region will be selected based on the score of each answer option in the state question.

You can use CSL to calculate various scores like BMI. Don’t forget to save the value in hidden question too or else you will not be able to see it in the reporting.

To calculate BMI, take a person’s weight in kilograms and divide it by their length in meters squared. Here is the formula:

To make things more manageable use temporary variables. Remember that temporary variables only work on the same page.

First you have page in your survey, where you ask for your respondent’s height and weight. Then on the next page, you show them their result. Thew result page would look something like this:

Weight : {{respondent.questions.weight}} kg
Height:   {{respondent.questions.height}} m
{{set “BMI” (round (divide respondent.questions.weight (pow respondent.questions.height 2)) 2)}}

Your BMI is:
{{get “BMI”}}

{{#if (lt (get “BMI”) 18,5)}}
You are underweight.
{{else if (lt (get “BMI”) 25)}}
You have a healthy weight.
{{else if (lt (get “BMI”) 30)}}
You are overweight
{{else}}
You are obese.
{{/ if}}

If you want to use pounds and inches instead of the metric system use this CSL calculation:

{{set “BMI” (round multiple((divide respondent.questions.weight (pow respondent.questions.height 2)) 703) 2)}}

A couple of tips:

CSL calculations always start with the operator.
When trying to put together a calculation this one, with a lot of nestled parts, try calculating the inner parts first and then keep adding to it. So in one tab you have the question editor where you work and in another tab, you have the survey open to that page and that way, you can keep making small changes and then refreshing the survey tab to see the result. You can also work with more temporary variables to hold parts of the calculation and then use the variables in your final calculation.