Sometimes you may need to create a new variable that takes other variables into account. This example creates a new JavaScript variable for family size using household structure and number of children questions as inputs. It assumes the following questions:
Q4. Are you …
Living with your parents/guardian 1 SCREENOUT
Living alone 2 GO TO Q6
Living with partner only 3 GO TO Q6
Living with children only 4
Living with partner and children 5
Sharing accommodation 6 GO TO Q6
Other (Please type into the box.) 7 GO TO Q6
Q5. How many children live with you in the following age groups? Please make sure you type a number into every box
a) __ Under 5
b) __ 5-7
c) __ 8-11
d) __ 12-14
e) __ 15-17
f) __ 18 to 24
g) __ 25 or over
The JavaScript formula is then:
if (Q4 == 2) 1;
else if (Q4 == 3) 2;
else if (Q4 == 4) 1 + Q5_A + Q5_B + Q5_C + Q5_D + Q5_E + Q5_F + Q5_G;
else if (Q4 == 5) 2 + Q5_A + Q5_B + Q5_C + Q5_D + Q5_E + Q5_F + Q5_G;
else if (Q4 >= 6) 3;Note that in the case of the last category, sharing accommodation and other, a guess of family size being 3 has been made.
See also
Banners describes a more straightforward approach for creating a table with categories like these (but which does not create a new variable, as is shown above).