Question Types

All questions in a surveydown survey are created using the sd_question() function. Calls to sd_question() should be put inside code chunks in the survey.qmd file to define the survey questions.

The function requires the following three arguments:

• id: A unique identifier for the question, which will be used as the variable name in the resulting survey data.
• label: The label that will be displayed on the question in the survey.
• type: The type of question.

Many question types also require an option argument, which is a named vector of options for the question (e.g. for multiple choice questions). The function also includes many other optional arguments that can be used to customize the question appearance and behavior. See the package documentation for more details.

Below are examples of each question type.

text

Use type = 'text' to specify a text input type question.

Output

Write a word:

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = "text",
  id    = "word",
  label = "Write a word:"
)
```

textarea

Use type = 'textarea' to specify a text area input type question.

Output

Write a paragraph:

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = "textarea",
  id    = "paragraph",
  label = "Write a paragraph:"
)
```

numeric

Use type = 'numeric' to specify a numeric input type.

Output

What’s your age?

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = 'numeric',
  id    = 'age',
  label = "What's your age?"
)
```

mc

Use type = 'mc' to specify a multiple choice type question with a single choice option.

Output

Which artist do you prefer most from this list?

Taylor Swift

Beyoncé

Adele

Rihanna

Lady Gaga

Ed Sheeran

Drake

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type   = 'mc',
  id     = 'artist',
  label  = "Which artist do you prefer most from this list?",
  option = c(
    "Taylor Swift" = "taylor_swift",
    "Beyoncé"      = "beyonce",
    "Adele"        = "adele",
    "Rihanna"      = "rihanna",
    "Lady Gaga"    = "ladygaga",
    "Ed Sheeran"   = "ed_sheeran",
    "Drake"        = "drake"
  )
)
```

mc_multiple

Use type = 'mc_multiple' to specify a multiple choice type question with multiple selection enabled.

Output

What are your favorite Taylor Swift albums (select all that apply)?

Taylor Swift (2006)

Fearless (2008)

Speak Now (2010)

Red (2012)

1989 (2014)

Reputation (2017)

Lover (2019)

Folklore (2020)

Evermore (2020)

Midnights (2022)

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = 'mc_multiple',
  id    = 'swift',
  label = "What are your favorite Taylor Swift albums (select all that apply)?",
  option = c(
    "Taylor Swift (2006)" = "taylor_swift",
    "Fearless (2008)"     = "fearless",
    "Speak Now (2010)"    = "speak_now",
    "Red (2012)"          = "red",
    "1989 (2014)"         = "1989",
    "Reputation (2017)"   = "reputation",
    "Lover (2019)"        = "lover",
    "Folklore (2020)"     = "folklore",
    "Evermore (2020)"     = "evermore",
    "Midnights (2022)"    = "midnights"
  )
)
```

mc_buttons

Use type = 'mc_buttons' to generate the button version of mc.

Output

Which fruit do you prefer most from this list?

Apple Banana Pear Strawberry Grape Mango Watermelon

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type   = 'mc_buttons',
  id     = 'fruit',
  label  = "Which fruit do you prefer most from this list?",
  option = c(
    "Apple"      = "apple",
    "Banana"     = "banana",
    "Pear"       = "pear",
    "Strawberry" = "strawberry",
    "Grape"      = "grape",
    "Mango"      = "mango",
    "Watermelon" = "watermelon"
  )
)
```

Use direction = "vertical" to display the button options vertically.

Output

Which fruit do you prefer most from this list?

Apple Banana Pear Strawberry Grape Mango Watermelon

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type   = 'mc_buttons',
  id     = 'fruit',
  label  = "Which fruit do you prefer most from this list?",
  option = c(
    "Apple"      = "apple",
    "Banana"     = "banana",
    "Pear"       = "pear",
    "Strawberry" = "strawberry",
    "Grape"      = "grape",
    "Mango"      = "mango",
    "Watermelon" = "watermelon"
  ), 
  direction = "vertical"
)
```

mc_multiple_buttons

Use type = 'mc_multiple_buttons' to generate the button version of mc_multiple.

Output

Which are your favorite Michael Jackson songs (select all that apply)?

Thriller (1982) Billie Jean (1982) Beat It (1982) Man in the Mirror (1987) Smooth Criminal (1987) Black or White (1991) Bad (1987) Human Nature (1982)

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = 'mc_multiple_buttons',
  id    = 'michael_jackson',
  label = "Which are your favorite Michael Jackson songs (select all that apply)?",
  option = c(
    "Thriller (1982)"          = "thriller",
    "Billie Jean (1982)"       = "billie_jean",
    "Beat It (1982)"           = "beat_it",
    "Man in the Mirror (1987)" = "man_in_the_mirror",
    "Smooth Criminal (1987)"   = "smooth_criminal",
    "Black or White (1991)"    = "black_or_white",
    "Bad (1987)"               = "bad",
    "Human Nature (1982)"      = "human_nature"
  )
)
```

Use direction = "vertical" to display the button options vertically.

Output

Which are your favorite Michael Jackson songs (select all that apply)?

Thriller (1982) Billie Jean (1982) Beat It (1982) Man in the Mirror (1987) Smooth Criminal (1987) Black or White (1991) Bad (1987) Human Nature (1982)

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = 'mc_multiple_buttons',
  id    = 'michael_jackson',
  label = "Which are your favorite Michael Jackson songs (select all that apply)?",
  option = c(
    "Thriller (1982)"          = "thriller",
    "Billie Jean (1982)"       = "billie_jean",
    "Beat It (1982)"           = "beat_it",
    "Man in the Mirror (1987)" = "man_in_the_mirror",
    "Smooth Criminal (1987)"   = "smooth_criminal",
    "Black or White (1991)"    = "black_or_white",
    "Bad (1987)"               = "bad",
    "Human Nature (1982)"      = "human_nature"
  ), 
  direction = "vertical"
)
```

select

Use type = 'select' to specify a drop down select type question.

Output

What is the highest level of education you have attained?

Choose an option... Did not attend high school Some high school High school graduate Some college College Graduate Work Prefer not to say

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = 'select',
  id    = 'education',
  label = "What is the highest level of education you have attained?",
  option = c(
    "Did not attend high school" = "hs_no",
    "Some high school"           = "hs_some",
    "High school graduate"       = "hs_grad",
    "Some college"               = "college_some",
    "College"                    = "college_grad",
    "Graduate Work"              = "grad",
    "Prefer not to say"          = "no_response"
  )
)
```

slider

Note

This widget only renders well in a Shiny environment, so we just show a screenshot here.

Output

Code chunk

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = 'slider',
  id    = 'climate_care',
  label = "To what extent do you believe human-caused climate change is real?",
  option = c(
    "Don't Believe"    = "dont_believe",
    "Somewhat Believe" = "somewhat",
    "Neutral"          = "neutral",
    "Believe"          = "believe",
    "Strongly Believe" = "strongly_believe"
  )
)
```

date

Use type = 'date' to specify a date input type. The date value will be today’s date by default. Upon clicking on the text box, you are provided with a date dialog box to choose date from.

Note

This widget only renders well in a Shiny environment, so we just show a screenshot here.

Output

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = 'date',
  id    = 'dob',
  label = "What is your date of birth?"
)
```

daterange

Use type = 'daterange' to specify a date range input type.

Note

This widget only renders well in a Shiny environment, so we just show a screenshot here.

Output

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type  = 'daterange',
  id    = 'hs_date',
  label = "When did you start and finish high school?"
)
```

matrix

Use type = 'matrix' to specify a matrix input type.

Output

Please indicate your agreement with the following statements.

	Disagree	Neutral	Agree
buy_gasoline	Disagree Neutral Agree *
buy_ev	Disagree Neutral Agree *

*

Code

```{r}
sd_question(
  type   = "matrix",
  id     = "car_preference",
  label  = "Please indicate your agreement with the following statements.",
  row    = c(
    "buy_gasoline" = "I'd like to buy a gasoline car.",
    "buy_ev"       = "I'd like to buy an EV."
  ),
  option = c(
    "Disagree" = "disagree",
    "Neutral"  = "neutral",
    "Agree"    = "agree"
  )
)
```