Adding a New Collection

To add a new collection:

1. In the left pane of the Survey Designer, select the folder in which the new collection is to be added.

2. Click the Add a Collection icon in the toolbar or choose Collection from the Add menu

3. (Optional) Give the collection a unique name. G The collection name will identify the collection in the data dictionary, but the collection itself is just a label – it is not a survey variaqble. If the collection’s name is unimportant, simply use the unique name that Illume has supplied.

4. (Optional) Choose a default name prefix. See below for more information about these prefixes.

5. (Optional) Type a description of the collection. The description can be helpful to anyone who maintains the survey.

6. (Optional) Click on the Show-if tab and set the conditions under which this collection will appear.

7. Click OK.

Note that collections can be created inside other collections.  There is no limit on the level of nesting.

Default Name Prefixes

If a default name prefix is defined for a collection, then the variable names that Illume assigns to the questions in this collection will all begin with that prefix. This option can be useful when analyzing data, since it enables for the quick identification of related variables in the data set by their similar names.

For example, if a collection contains questions about what type of car a person drives, the collection could be named “Automobile”, and the default name prefix set to “CAR_”.  If the collection has five questions, Illume will append a numeric sequential suffix, such that  participant responses will appear in the data set under the variable names CAR_1, CAR_2, CAR_3, CAR_4, and CAR_5.

Keep in mind that whether or not a default name prefix is used, names can be changed at a later time one by one or through the variable rename feature.

Shortcuts to the Collection Editor

The Collection Editor can be reached using any of the methods listed below. In each case, be sure to first select the folder in which the collection is to be added by clicking on that folder in the left pane of the survey editor.