Random Display of Survey Questions (Randomization)

Random display of survey questions (randomization) is particularly useful for creating quizzes, tests, etc., where you want answers, questions or blocks of questions to appear in a different order to respondents. There are three options for this:

1. Random sorting of answers within a question;
2. Random sorting of questions within a block;
3. Random sorting of blocks in a multi-block questionnaire.

1. Random sorting of answers within a question

If you want the answers to a particular question to appear in random order, the procedure is as follows:

• in the 'EDIT' - 'Questionnaire' tab, click on the toolbar of the question (the grey bar where the question name is located) for which you want to randomise the answers;
• in the question editor that appears on the right, select 'Random' under 'Order categories'.

When respondents click on the survey, the answers to this question will be displayed in a different order each time: Example of a question with random sorting of answers >>

By using paradata, it is possible to track the order of questions a particular respondent was exposed to. This data is accessed in the 'DATA' - 'Browse' tab, where under '+ Show columns', you can tick the option 'Respondent paradata'. For each respondent, you can see in what order their answers were displayed.

• Numbers in each line indicate the order in which the answers were shown to a particular respondent.

2. Random sorting of questions within a block

If we want the questions to appear in a random order within a block of questions:

• move the questions into a block;
• then click on the "pencil" button on the right side of the block to navigate to the block settings;
• under the option 'Randomize block content' select 'Questions'.

Such a block must not contain page breaks.

We also have the additional option of setting the number of questions displayed. You can set to show all questions or just a part of them, e.g. a random 5 from a block of 10 questions. For more information and other detailed instructions on how to structure the questionnaire into blocks, see the Manual >>

3. Random sorting of blocks in a multi-block questionnaire

If you want a questionnaire with several blocks of questions to show these blocks randomly to the respondent, follow the procedure below:

• move questions to the desired blocks;
• create another main block in which we place all the blocks which we want to randomize;
• the main block must start before the first block and end after the last block - the layout of the blocks must therefore look like this;
• after that, click on the toolbar of the main block and move to the editor;
• under the 'Randomize block content' option, select 'Blocks'.

Such a block must not contain page breaks.

You can also use the 'Structuring Into Blocks' survey example from the survey library (section '1KA Surveys and Questions' - 'Conditions and Filters') as a template for a questionnaire structured into blocks, which you can copy and customize.

The structure of the questions in the blocks can be seen even more clearly if you use the 'Collapsed view' option, which is located above the questionnaire itself, on the right side.

The functionality is available for users of the 2KA and 3KA packages for individuals, and for users of the business packages for groups.