[DDI-users] InParameter/OutParameter and Binding in Questionnaires

Wendy Thomas wlt at umn.edu
Tue Dec 15 09:33:17 EST 2015


Guillaume,

Could you log into the DDI Jira site and copy/paste this into a comment for
issue DDILife 3511. I'd do it but I'd like to have it entered with your
name attached so we can track the comment flow.

Thanks much
Wendy

On Tue, Dec 15, 2015 at 5:03 AM, Duffes Guillaume <guillaume.duffes at insee.fr
> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> In addition to Wendy's responses I would like to highlight some other
> aspects of those issues.
>
> The reusability of question items is very much linked to the relationship
> between a Question and an Instance Question in GSIM: the reusable object is
> the Question and the context-based (and differentiated) object is the
> Instance Question.
>
> Given that, the issue becomes: what is exactly a DDI QuestionItem? Or more
> precisely what is a DDI QuestionItem without an in/out parameter and what
> is a QuestionItem with an in/out parameter?
> The former is definitely a GSIM Question then reusable.
> The latter is more debatable. The new issue is:  would defining a
> parameter in a QuestionItem and binding it to a variable or any other
> construct make the QuestionItem unreusable? At Insee we believe the answer
> is no. We agreed upon the principle that each QuestionItem carries
> information from its response domain (asking a question without retrieving
> information from it does not make sense for us) and then comes along with a
> parameter. This parameter is seen as a container independently of its
> bindings, what makes it reusable.
> The binding child element in a QuestionItem is not a problem as well. It
> binds an OutParameter defined at the QuestionItem level to an OutParameter
> defined at the response domain level. In fact it simply links two reusable
> parameters within the same parent object what makes it reusable as well.
>
> The above-mentioned approach works for reusing Question Items *across*
> questionnaires.
> The only cas we can see for reusing the same question in a non
> mutually-exclusive fashion *within the same* questionnaire is a loop.
> However a 3.2 d:Loop requests a "reference to a ConstructConstruct to
> implement until the LoopWhile condition is met". This ControlConstruct
> can contain a reference to a QuestionItem which here looks eerily like a
> GSIM Question and the related Instance Questions would be for example each
> instance of the *technical implementation format* generated from the DDI
> file(e.g Xforms instances in the case of a web questionnaire). So the
> QuestionItem and its nested parameters here are reused through the loop
> mechanism.
>
> The same approach can be applied to Question Grids and the parameters
> bound to cells.
>
> In regard to the reusability of variables the first thing to be clarified
> is the type of variables we are dealing with. The 3.2 DDI l:Variable are
> equivalent to GSIM Instance Variable. Thus they are not meant to be reused
> and the SourceParameterReference is one of the elements that ensures
> that the instance variable is unique.
> On the other hand the RepresentedVariable and above all the
> ConceptualVariable are meant to be reused and do not deal with parameters.
> The mechanism defined by these three types of variables seem to me very
> much consistent.
>
> Finally as Wendy stated it one can make the binding links as short as
> needed. At Insee for example we skip most of the binding path at the
> ControlConstruct level essentially for verbosity's sake.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Guillaume
>
> ------------------------------
> *De :* ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu [mailto:
> ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu] *De la part de* Wendy Thomas
> *Envoyé :* lundi 14 décembre 2015 19:22
> *À :* Data Documentation Initiative Users Group
> *Objet :* Re: [DDI-users] InParameter/OutParameter and Binding in
> Questionnaires
>
> This and the question grid usage of the array in In/Out Parameters and
> Binding has been posted as an issue to DDILIFE 3511
>
> Wendy
>
> On Mon, Dec 14, 2015 at 11:41 AM, Wackerow, Joachim <
> Joachim.Wackerow at gesis.org> wrote:
>
>> Thanks. This is helpful.
>>
>>
>>
>> I’m also concerned regarding reusability. Some more comments:
>>
>>
>>
>> The binding definition is a child element of QuestionItem,
>> QuestionConstruct, and Sequence. This means each of these elements are only
>> reusable independently of the context if the binding is defined in the
>> element where the InParameter is defined. This is just in other words what
>> you said with “Binding for objects intended for reuse should be done at
>> their point of use when possible.”
>>
>>
>>
>> The SourceParameterReference seems to combine the definition of an
>> InParameter with a binding. I assume this can be limiting because no
>> specific value of an array can be addressed. I.e. a variable can be the
>> result of a question in a row of a QuestionGrid. The binding would only be
>> possible by means of an intermediate GenerationInstruction. Or did I miss
>> something?
>>
>>
>>
>> Anyway, the use of the SourceParameterReference makes a Variable not
>> reusable.
>>
>>
>>
>> A thought on future DDI versions:
>>
>> A more consistent approach would be to use the same solution as an
>> QuestionItem: the definition of an InParameter. The binding should be done
>> independently of the Variable to support reusable variables.
>>
>>
>>
>> Achim
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu [mailto:
>> ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu] *On Behalf Of *Wendy Thomas
>> *Sent:* Montag, 14. Dezember 2015 15:29
>> *To:* Data Documentation Initiative Users Group
>> *Subject:* Re: [DDI-users] InParameter/OutParameter and Binding in
>> Questionnaires
>>
>>
>>
>> A couple of points about binding in 3.2:
>>
>>
>>
>> First in answer to your earlier question regarding the path of the
>> binding from the question item to the control construct to the generation
>> instruction to the variable. You are correct that you could bind directly
>> from the variable to the question. However, a question item may be used in
>> many locations within a questionnaire (Age for example). It could be part
>> of multiple sequences, in a loop, etc. By specifying the link between a
>> question and its specific control construct the question can be reused
>> multiple times, and each time one can create a binding to its specific
>> usage.
>>
>>
>>
>> Binding itself may be done within the construct of the item or at the
>> time of reference using the SourceParameterReference. This may not be as
>> well distributed as it should be. I see it in VariableType and
>> ConditionalTextType. This should be reviewed for a 3.3 version. Binding to
>> a question outparameter in an instrument should be done at the level of the
>> control construct to keep the question reusable. In short, you can make
>> your binding links as short as you wish for your specific needs. Binding
>> for objects intended for reuse should be done at their point of use when
>> possible.
>>
>>
>>
>> Wendy
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Dec 13, 2015 at 10:53 AM, Wackerow, Joachim <
>> Joachim.Wackerow at gesis.org> wrote:
>>
>> Relationship class is in DDI 4.
>>
>> The related documentation says “Relationship specification between this
>> item and the item to which it is related.”
>>
>> Using this approach for binding would conflict with the idea of
>> reusability because the reference to a another object would be part of the
>> object itself.
>>
>>
>>
>> The concept of binding is in 3.2 a little different. Two identifiable
>> parameters are referenced by the binding definition. But the binding is a
>> child element of the element having a parameter. This seems to be limiting
>> regarding reusability.
>>
>>
>>
>> Back to the usage in DDI 3.2:
>>
>> Any thoughts on the question regarding the binding definition only in the
>> Sequence (the OutParameter of Question 1 and the InParameter of Question
>> 2).
>>
>> This is a DDI 3.2 question.
>>
>>
>>
>> Achim
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu [mailto:
>> ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu] *On Behalf Of *Hoyle, Larry
>> *Sent:* Freitag, 11. Dezember 2015 20:48
>> *To:* Data Documentation Initiative Users Group
>> *Subject:* Re: [DDI-users] InParameter/OutParameter and Binding in
>> Questionnaires
>>
>>
>>
>> Would this be an application of the Relationship classes?
>>
>>
>>
>> --- Larry Hoyle
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu [
>> mailto:ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu
>> <ddi-users-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu>] *On Behalf Of *Wackerow, Joachim
>> *Sent:* Friday, December 11, 2015 12:32 PM
>> *To:* Data Documentation Initiative Users Group (
>> ddi-users at icpsr.umich.edu) <ddi-users at icpsr.umich.edu>
>> *Subject:* [DDI-users] InParameter/OutParameter and Binding in
>> Questionnaires
>>
>>
>>
>> I’m wondering where the binding can be specified and which way is best to
>> support reusability of QuestionItems.
>>
>>
>>
>> This topic is documented in the Technical Documentation of DDI 3.2. There
>> is a related diagram on page 35 (and a related example XML file
>> InOutBindingExample). This explains that binding is done in a chain from
>> Question 1 up to the Sequence and then down again to Question 2. This shows
>> all possibilities of defining bindings in this case.
>>
>>
>>
>> A simpler way would be to define the binding of directly in the Sequence
>> (the OutParameter of Question 1 and the InParameter of Question 2). Then
>> all other bindings are not necessary and the questions are totally
>> reusable. This would also correspond to the actual use of these two
>> questions in the sequence. Only then the binding is important.
>>
>>
>>
>> Are there any disadvantages to use this option?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> A more general thought: a definition of a binding is probably mostly of
>> local use (here for questions in a sequence). Therefore it can conflict
>> with the idea of reusability. In this sense, a better location for binding
>> definitions would be an independent scheme. On the other hand, if the
>> sequence should be reused like it is it makes sense to have the binding
>> definition in the sequence.
>>
>>
>>
>> Achim
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> DDI-users mailing list
>> DDI-users at icpsr.umich.edu
>> http://lists.icpsr.umich.edu/mailman/listinfo/ddi-users
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Wendy L. Thomas                              Phone: +1 612.624.4389
>>
>> Data Access Core Director                 Fax:   +1 612.626.8375
>>
>> Minnesota Population Center             Email: wlt at umn.edu
>>
>> University of Minnesota
>>
>> 50 Willey Hall
>>
>> 225 19th Avenue South
>>
>> Minneapolis, MN 55455
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> DDI-users mailing list
>> DDI-users at icpsr.umich.edu
>> http://lists.icpsr.umich.edu/mailman/listinfo/ddi-users
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Wendy L. Thomas                              Phone: +1 612.624.4389
> Data Access Core Director                 Fax:   +1 612.626.8375
> Minnesota Population Center             Email: wlt at umn.edu
> University of Minnesota
> 50 Willey Hall
> 225 19th Avenue South
> Minneapolis, MN 55455
>
> _______________________________________________
> DDI-users mailing list
> DDI-users at icpsr.umich.edu
> http://lists.icpsr.umich.edu/mailman/listinfo/ddi-users
>
>


-- 
Wendy L. Thomas                              Phone: +1 612.624.4389
Data Access Core Director                 Fax:   +1 612.626.8375
Minnesota Population Center             Email: wlt at umn.edu
University of Minnesota
50 Willey Hall
225 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
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