How to categorize SurveyMonkey open-text answers fairly
Open-text answers can explain experiences that a fixed-choice question misses. A useful analysis organizes the selected material while retaining unusual answers and uncertainty.
Start with the right material.
- What you provide
- selected readable open-ended SurveyMonkey responses.
- The intended result
- Coding of a small readable response sample using supplied labels.
How the workflow works.
Define themes from the research question and actual responses. Keep representative excerpts and allow a response to address several topics when that matches the chosen coding method.
What to check in the result.
Review ambiguous classifications and document the counting rule. Theme totals may exceed respondent totals when answers receive multiple labels, and the selected sample should remain explicit.
Preview the Markdown to check headings, lists and links as well as the words. Keep source references with the document so a reviewer can trace important statements back to the material you supplied.
Learn from the worked example.
The downloadable Markdown example shows one possible organization of the result. Read it alongside the source example and notice which statements are recorded facts, proposed wording or questions still needing an answer.
The supplied example is illustrative. It is not a recorded run on your data.
Download the example ↓Use it with your own material.
- Open the source you want to work with and activate WebAct on that tab.
- Copy the task from the hero, add any required fields or preferences, and review the proposed actions.
- Compare the first result with your source. Ask for a specific correction or refinement where needed.