In a select_one
question type, enumerators are only able to select one choice per question. Thus when cumulating the total the percentage equals to 100%.
e.g. which fruit do you like?
Respondent 1: Fruit 1
Respondent 2: Fruit 2
Respondent 3: Fruit 1
Respondent 4: Fruit 3
Respondent 5: Fruit 1
Total:
Fruit 1: 3
Fruit 2: 1
Fruit 3: 1
Total respondents (number): 5
% of response with Fruit 1 (3/5x100)=60%
% of response with Fruit 2 (1/5x100)=20%
% of response with Fruit 3 (1/5x100)=20%
So the total respondents (%): 60%+20%+20%=100%
But when it comes with a select_multiple
question type, enumerators are able to select more than one choice per question. Thus when cumulating the total, the percentage may exceed 100%.
e.g. let’s have a look with the same example discussed above, which fruit do you like?
Respondent 1: Fruit 1, Fruit 3
Respondent 2: Fruit 2, Fruit 3
Respondent 3: Fruit 1, Fruit 2, Fruit 3
Respondent 4: Fruit 3
Respondent 5: Fruit 1
Total:
Fruit 1: 3
Fruit 2: 2
Fruit 3: 4
Total respondents (number): 5
% of response with Fruit 1 (3/5x100)=60%
% of response with Fruit 2 (2/5x100)=40%
% of response with Fruit 3 (4/5x100)=80%
So the total respondents (%): 60%+40%+80%=180%
However, there is still a way to overcome this drawback with the multiple response if the user wishes to have the % exactly with 100%. The user has to use the response total
instead of the total number of respondent
.
So following the same example outlined above, which fruit do you like?
Respondent 1: Fruit 1, Fruit 3
Respondent 2: Fruit 2, Fruit 3
Respondent 3: Fruit 1, Fruit 2, Fruit 3
Respondent 4: Fruit 3
Respondent 5: Fruit 1
Total:
Fruit 1: 3
Fruit 2: 2
Fruit 3: 4
Total response: 9
% of response with Fruit 1 (3/9x100)=33.3%
% of response with Fruit 2 (2/9x100)=22.2%
% of response with Fruit 3 (4/9x100)=44.4%
So the total respondents (%): 33.3%+22.2%+44.4%=99.9% (which is 100%)