PART A: USER GUIDE
Contents
1. PART A USER GUIDE There are eight chapters in the USER GUIDE The first three chapters are intended primarily as a novice s introduction to the basics in producing DASH tables while the remaining chapters are relevant to allusers The chapters are sequenced in the order of the steps necessary to produce tables with each chapter building on the previous one Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION is an initial look at the concepts used in DASH for tabulating as well as the context in which this application functions Chapter 2 LIBRARIES describes the storage mechanism for variables in Chapter 3 VARIABLES reviews the basic techniques for creating variables The next four chapters deal with the specific types of variables Chapter 4 COLUMN VARIABLES banners Chapter 5 ROW VARIABLES stubs Chapter 6 PAGE TEMPLATE VARIABLES headers and footers Chapter 7 SAMPLE APPLICATIONS reviews techniques for designing variables to handle selected research requirements Chapter 8 TABLES covers the three options for executing tables from the variables that have been set up Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION All options for generating tables originate from the TABLE GENERATION menu which is accessed via the MASTER MENU The first option on the TABLE TABLE GENERATION GENERATION menu is DASH TABULATIONS where the process of creating tables always starts This set of programs is self contained and includes components for all table execution o2. a single column independently of any other variable the result is called a single or simple tabulation When each data value of the row variable is further subdivided according to the data values of a column variable the result is called a cross tabulation TABLE CELLS Each row of a single tabulation and each intersection of a row and a column variable comprises a table cell Each table cell may include the following m the count the sum of the data values for all qualifying cases respondents By default each case that qualifies for inclusion in a table cell counts one towards that cell an alternative counting mechanism may be specified m percents the cell count may be expressed as a percent of the total row count total column count or total table count m statistics a mean median mode standard deviation standard error minimum maximum range and t test may be in a cell BINS A bin is a construct used in DASH for specifying the individual questionnaire responses and combination of responses to be tabulated A bin in a row variable corresponds to a single row in table output A bin in a column variable corresponds to a single column in table output The result is that each table cell counts respondents who meet the bin specifications for both the row and column variables at this point of intersection Chapter 1 Introduction DEFAULT PARAMETERS All of the controls which determine the appearance of table output m
3. ay be called the presentation formats Such format options in DASH include the dimensions of table components as well as the style for displaying output for example whether a percent calculation is an integer or a decimal or whether the percent sign is included A series of standard formats called the default parameters are configured for each DASH installation to define all the formats preferred for general use at that site This means that a table can be produced at any time without specifying any formats However all presentation formats can be altered at any time A variety of options allows changing the default parameters to meet the new needs of all surveys or just a unique single survey supplementary tools extend the change alternatives to a set of tables a single table or even a single row within a table REPORT FORM Single tabulations and cross tabulations can be executed through a report form as well as through menus within a library A report form is similar in construction to a data entry form with free format entry of components to display pages However report forms typically consist only of background commands which identify the variables to be tabulated as well as any weights filters and changes to presentation parameters OTHER CONCEPTS All of the other concepts used in DASH for executing tables are consistent with the procedures already described in the data entry form manual including form page and field s
4. fter the main body of tables is finished RUN TABLES VARIABLE RANGE for a complete table set consisting of all row variables within an alphanumeric range automatically tabbed against all banner variables within a different alphanumeric range use for maximum speed of table production report form for any number of individually specified tables use for maximum flexibility in formatting weighting filtering etc Weights and filters are options that may be applied to tables or to variables within tables see the Output Guide chapter on Counts for additional information 6 Chapter 1 Introduction TABULATING DATA CONCURRENTLY WITH OTHER OPERATIONS Every DASH operation can be classified as either read or write An operation which reads a file can look at its contents but not change them an operation which writes to a file can change the contents of that file Within the tabulating process there are both read and write operations Read operations can operate concurrently with each other and with write operations on a single file but write operations cannot operate concurrently with other write operations on the same file Variable set up is a write operation only one person can access any library at a time Table execution is a read process that is the data file is used but is not changed through a write procedure Therefore tables can be run simultaneously with other DASH operation both read e
5. g data summaries and write eg data entry and cleaning The exception is that report form tables cannot be executed when the library designated in that report form is open for use Otherwise if there is a data write operation underway when tables are executed the variables and or cases affected will still be included in the tables User Guide Tables
6. perations so that users may work exclusively within DASH TABULATIONS SELECT OPTION DASH TABULATIONS SETUP REPORT FORM TARGET WEIGHTING TEST REPORT RUN REPORT ADD TO REPORT ADD FILES TO REPORT REPRINT REPORT PRINT TABLE OF CONTENTS CHANGE REPORT PARAMETERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 3 Several menus on the TABLE GENERATION menu use the word report A report form is one of the optional mechanisms for executing a set of tables it provides maximum flexibility for producing tables with varying presentation formats filters weights and even data files The stages of report form execution begin with SET UP REPORT followed by TEST REPORT then RUN REPORT and REPRINT REPORT also available are ADD TO REPORT and ADD FILES TO REPORT for combining tables from two or more files ET Dow Figure 1 1 TABLE GENERATION Menu Also on the TABLE GENERATION menu is one of the DASH options to create weights TARGET WEIGHTING and a final choice CHANGE REPORT PARAMETERS which controls the default presentation formats for tables produced from each report form A help page is available for each menu page Use the Help function key to access this information from any menu then Page Down to return to the menu THE CONCEPTS The entire DASH system including the tabulations component is based on a single set of concepts The terminology and techniques used in creating data entry forms and in completing menu requests is car
7. ried through into the tabulations portion of DASH New concepts are those which apply uniquely to the tabulation application some are standard in computer and or tabulation software others are unique Below are the basic terms used in the process of creating tables in DASH and a brief definition of those concepts VARIABLES All text and data specifications which appear in tables are set up in variables There are three types of DASH variables and all requirements for combining presenting and controlling data output are handled within each type of variable User Guide Tables m Row Variable for use as a table stub Typically a row variable itemizes responses to each questionnaire item Column Variable for use as a table banner Typically a column variable consists of demographic or psychographic information or important survey summary data m Page Template for use as a header and or a footer Typically aheader and Variable a footer include the study title company identification date page and table numbering and any other standard information that is to frame each page of table output LIBRARY Each variable created in DASH is stored in a library A single library may contain any number of variables of all three types row column and page template variables from one to many survey forms Any number of separate libraries may co exist on the same computer disk TABULATIONS When each data value of a row variable is listed in
8. ta from similar but not necessarily identical data files to be tabulated together this is particularly suited for tracking and other multi wave studies 2 CREATE VARIABLES All variables are created in DASH TABULATIONS a series of menus accessed from the TABLE GENERATION menu Chapters 3 through 6 deal with the mechanics of setting up each type of variable The basic concepts are introduced in Chapter 3 and specific implementations in column row and page template variables are described in detail in chapters 4 5 and 6 respectively Sample applications follow in Chapter 7 To create a variable it is necessary to know the DASH form page and field location of each questionnaire item you wish to tabulate There are two methods commonly used m print a copy of the DASH form FORM CREATION PRINT FORM with output to the printer or m send a copy of the DASH form to the file browser instead FORM CREATION PRINT FORM with output to the display Page through this copy on the display while marking page and field references on the original paper copy of the questionnaire 3 EXECUTE TABLES Tables can be executed from the RUN TABLES and RUN TABLES VARIABLE RANGE menu Within DASH TABULATIONS as well as through a report form TABLE GENERATION SET UP REPORT etc There are specific purposes for each option RUN TABLES menu for one to eight individual tables use to test variables at the early tabulation stage and to add extra tables a
9. tructures STEPS IN CREATING TABLES 1 CREATE OR IMPORT A DATA FILE All tables refer to a DASH data file that is contained in a DASH form on the system disk This data file may be created in either of two ways by entering the data initially to a DASH entry form or by loading an existing data file into a minimal DASH form created to mimic the structure of that file Survey data entered through a DASH entry form by interviewers CATI or data entry clerks DDE is ready immediately for tabulating An optional data cleaning operation DATA MANAGEMENT CLEAN CASES rechecks the data file for errors Data entered on a different computer to a different software package can be loaded into DASH for tabulating The two operations involved are designing a DASH form with field structures to match a non DASH data file then loading this data file into DASH via a data import menu For assistance in loading a file refer to the menu Help pages on the DATA IMPORT menus User Guide Tables Files that are loaded into DASH can be handled in the same way as original DASH data Marginals listings access options etc can all be used in the same way If the data file contains errors add background commands to the form and run data cleaning before tabulations When tables must be assembled from data in several separate data files it is not necessary to merge the files before executing tables The report form mechanism includes an option which allows da
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search