It is crucial to understand how the various types of data are different when using GideonSoft, particularly when configuring surveys and preparing reports.

 

Descriptives: Descriptions of a person such as status, sex, age, or hometown (i.e., demographics).

Evaluations: Ratings made about the individual or by the individual. These can take the form of survey responses, imported data, or even feedback.

Scores: Any numerical data points for the person. These can be raw values or calculated based on one or more evaluations or descriptives, or even other scores. A person can receive numerous evaluations for a measurement variable, which is important for monitoring performance and delivering feedback. However, analysis will often require a single value for a variable (e.g. a count or average of all the evaluations; or only the most recent evaluation) which in GideonSoft is defined as a Score.

Ranks: Variables that calculate individuals’ positions (“rack and stack”) based on a specified Score.

 

One useful illustration is that of a jury and trial:

  • Information like the defendant is married, age 32, and male are Descriptives.
  • Jurors have their individual opinions (which would be considered Evaluations), but their opinions all contribute to a decision (which would be considered a Score).
  • If a retrial takes place, a whole new Score would be created (using a different variable so the original Score isn’t lost).

 

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Version(s): 17.2 and later