Schematic Overview
Writing and Editing the Questionnaire
Highlights
Technical Specifications

MaCATI™ | Flo•Stat™ | IPSS™ | Downloads

Schematic Overview

As illustrated:

• The MaCATI Editor application creates a questionaire file read by any one of several different Fielders (i.e. data collection programs).
• Collected survey data are aggregated by the Data RoundUp application compiled into a single tab-delimited ASCII file.
• The master file can be imported into most statistical analysis, database, spreadsheet, or word processing programs.
• FloStat also exports portable SPSS files, maintaining all labeling information for efficient importing into SPSS.

Writing and Editing the Questionnaire

Page Layout Tools - MaCATI's questionnaire editor is similar to other page layout programs. The Editor's layout tools make it easy to add text, picture/sound, and response set "blocks" to each page of the questionnaire.

All blocks can be resized and dragged to any location on the page. Blocks can be copied and pasted to other pages in the questionnaire. Each page may contain numerous text, picture, and response set blocks. In other words, one page might have multiple text blocks containing statements about which the respondent is asked to agree or disagree, multiple sets of buttons on which they are to click to record their answers, and even several picture blocks.

Adding Responses to the Questionnaire Page - Response sets (e.g., yes/no, male/female, strongly agree/agree/undecided/disagree/strongly disagree, etc.) are easy to enter and update in the Editor's response set window (as shown below). Question types run the gamut from single choice response sets, verbatim, numeric, forms, analog scroll bars, to invisible buttons. Libraries of response sets can be saved for use in other questionnaires.

Adding Contingency Skips, Filters and Branching - Skip patterns are added directly to each response set through a dialog window which opens following a double-click on the response set. Instructions for skips, filters, and branching can be as complex as you like or as simple and direct as the one shown below.

Some Highlights

MaCATI's Editor (Macintosh only)

• a page-layout interface for entering and designing the questionnaire, permitting the exact placement of multiple text, picture, response, and sound blocks on each page
• pictures as response items
• attach sounds to any spot on the page
• easy-to-write, complex skip instructions
• automatically updates skip instructions when questions are added or deleted
• math functions and calculations built into skip instructions
• almost any type of question, including analog-rating scales
• multiple questions per page
• automatic "fills" from a database or previous survey response
• randomization of both questions and response categories
• questionnaire can consist of up to 15,000 items

• interviewers find MaCATI-CATI easy to learn and use--reducing training costs
• interviewer has the choice of using the mouse and "pointing and clicking," or the keyboard for data entry
• tracks and records the time for each question and interview
• automatic telephone dialing (CATI)
• can request selected phone records (e.g., refusals over a week old) from the Cleric (CATI)
• survey data encrypted to ensure privacy and then later converted to tab delimited, ASCII format
• CAPI & DMS versions can survey both Macintosh and Windows users, eliminating the need for sending out two disks

MaCATI's Cleric (CATI version only - Macintosh)

• imports phone samples from a client-supplied database or Survey Sampling, Inc. RDD sample
• tracks appointments and call-backs
• generates statistical performance reports on interviewer(s), shift(s), and project
• quota samples
• field supervisor can monitor project call statuses via the network
• manages multiple survey projects simultaneously

Editor (questionnaire page layout program)

• a page-layout interface
• text files can be imported to create questionnaires automatically
• control over the size, color, and style of each character in any font
• incorporate pictures or QuickTime movies
• link sounds to any spot on the page
• add, delete, or move pages and skip instructions are automatically updated
• wide variety of question types:
  • single response item
  • multiple response item
  • multiple response item-N items
  • forced ranking scale
  • fixed sum scale (sum to constant)
  • open ended verbatim (user specified 1-2000 characters)
  • numerics (integer or real)
  • analog rating scale (scrollable scale)
  • pictorial scale
  • form-based designs
  • temporary responses
  • randomized responses
  • randomization of questions or blocks of questions
• automatic "fills" from a database or survey response
• embedded calculations in text fields
• range and consistency checks
• math functions and calculations built into skip instructions
• multiple questions per page
• complex skip instructions
• randomization of both questions and response categories
• sections of one questionnaire can be saved and loaded to another survey
• entire or selected portions of questionnaire can be saved to text
• text report of data record layout

CATI version

• requires Macintosh II or higher with 2mb of RAM and hard drive, MacOS 6.0.7 or higher
• requires appletalk/ethertalk network
• modem required for autodial
• point and click or keyboard data entry options
• automatic telephone dialing
• response time recordings
• can be set to require interviewers to log in before interviewing
• interviewer can set next phone record criteria (i.e., to receive only two day old refusals, or language barrier call status records, for example)
• automatically sends completed or partial data records to server following completion

• requires Macintosh II or higher with 2mb of RAM and hard drive, MacOS 6.0.7 or higher
• Windows option requires Windows 3.1, Windows95 or OS/2
• point and click, or keyboard data entry options
• response time recordings
• CAPI recycles to beginning of survey following completion of survey/DMS quits to desktop
• survey records appended to new or existing data set
• one PC disk can hold both MAC & Windows versions of the Fielder
• same questionnaire file is read and executed by either the Mac or Windows Fielder

• requires a Macintosh II or higher with 2mb of RAM, MacOS 6.0.7 or higher
• manages client-supplied database or Survey Sampling, Inc. random digit dial phone sample
• handles multiple phone files and projects simultaneously
• displays current call statuses (e.g., records in use, completed, refusals, etc.) for all records
• interviewer call record screen can be programmed to included selected call record variables
• administrative reports include: individual summary, detailed call listing, shift summary, and interviewer listing
• interviewer and shift reports include call status frequency and percent distributions, plus average and standard deviation time in minutes for each call status
• interviewer and shift reports include the following performance measures: completes per hour, refusals per complete, total calls, calls per hour, total phone time in minutes, est. phone costs, average cost per connect, cost per complete, completes per $1.00 cost, and total idle time in minutes

• requires Macintosh with 2 mb of RAM running MacOS 7 or higher
• automatically decrypts, if necessary, and appends first to N survey record(s) to master data file
• on-screen report and warning sound when expected file not found