8.2 Script Item Structure

In a script each item is defined by a set of lines called a panel. For each item the first line of the panel sets its options. All types need to have options that specify how many lines make up the question text that appears on the screen. Other types have their own specialised settings.

As shown in Figure 21, each panel is structured as follows:

Line 1

This includes:

• The item type (e.g. ``CHCE'). These are described in Section 8.4.
• The item name (e.g. ``Qtn3''). This must be a unique 8 letter word obeying SAS software version 6.12 variable naming conventions.
• The number of lines in the question text.
• Other parameters.

Line 2

Additional options can be set on the second line of each type. If no options are set the line may be blank.

SPSs (Self-Protection Statements)

Below the header lines come the SPSs. These are described in Section 8.5 and control the order in which questions are asked within an interview.

Question Lines

Below the SPSs are the question text lines. This can serve several purposes. They may be:

• A question to be read out by the interviewer.
• Instructions for the interviewer.
• A descriptive comment for an item.

A total of eight lines of question text may appear on a CATI screen, but more may be scrolled into view. The current version does not permit formatted or coloured text.

Optional Lines

Below the question text may come a further set of lines. The details of these depend on the item type.

Label Line

Below the optional lines may come the item label. This is used to describe the item.

Separator

The last line within each panel is a line of asterisks. This serves to visually separate one panel from the next.