GuidedTrack | How to share results with participants via email

In some cases, you might deem it appropriate to share results with participants. Sharing results with respondents can also turn the survey or experiment process into a more enjoyable learning experience for them.

If you decide you'd like to display results to participants, the first thing to do is to decide the set of variables you want to display to the participant.

If participants are progressing straight from your main program to the results program, all you need to do is use the variable names from your original program (e.g., to display a happiness score that is stored in the variable happinessScore, just display {happinessScore}).

If you are asking participants to use a URL link to see their results and you're using query string parameters to code for their results variables, then especially if it's a large set of variables, it's best to come up with very short names for them. Your variable names should be as clear as possible elsewhere in the program, but for the purposes of the URL query string parameters, it's best to have variable names be as short as possible. So prior to creating the URL, you could save each variable of interest using a shorter name, like: >> HS = happinessScore

At the start of your results program, you'll then need to convert the variable in the URL to a number variable (before you can display it in graphs etc.). All URL query parameters are string variables, so if you have the variable HS set as "1" and try to display the value of {HS} in a graph, it won't work. However, you can "tell" GuidedTrack to treat a given string variable (from a query string parameter) as number variables by putting it in a simple mathematical operation. For example, to convert the variable HS (set with the value of "2" for example) to a number variable, you can include this line in your results program:

>> happinessScore = HS * 1

After you've decided on the variables you want to display, you can go through the following simple steps to create and test the results program.

(1) Create a separate program that displays the variables you've chosen.

(2) Get the run link for the results-displaying-program you just created.

(3) In your original program, add both of the following in order to direct people to their results:

a line saying: *program: {name of results-displaying-program}, and...
a URL for them to follow from the program (they can click on this at the end of the program; or if they provide their email, you can send the URL to them for them to access their results that way).[1]

(4) Test that both of the above ways of displaying results work.

To test the results display program the way participants would be expected to see it straight after completing the program, you can finish the program in preview mode and will automatically be redirected to the preview of the results program.
To test the results display program the way participants would be expected to see it after clicking the link, you can either (1) complete the program in preview mode and email yourself the link as part of the preview, and then use that link; or (2) decide what you want the relevant variables to be and set them manually when you construct the query string parameters (e.g., "participantID=example123"). Once you've got the URL, you can simply copy it into a browser to view the results.

Example of how to let participants choose whether to have their results emailed to them or whether to see the results in their browser:🔗

*question: Would you like us to email you your results?
	Yes please!
		>> emailOptIn = 1
	No thanks.
		>> emailOptIn = 0

*if: emailOptIn = 0
	*question: Would you like to see your results displayed in your browser?
		Yes please!
			*program: ~ Your Study Results! ~
		No thanks
			No worries!

Thanks again for completing our quiz!

*progress: 100%

*if: emailOptIn = 1
	*question: What is your email address?
		*tip: Please check that you're entering a valid email address! This is the only way we can email you with your results. Please note that we will never use your email for any purpose other than emailing these results.
		*save: sendResultsTo

	*question: What name would you like us to put at the top of your results email?
		*save: participantName
		*blank
			>> participantName = "there"

	*email
		*subject: Here are the results from the study you just completed!
		*to: {sendResultsTo}
		*body
			Hi {participantName},

			Thanks for completing our quiz! Click [here|{put your customized url link here}] to see your results.

			Regards,

			{researcherName}

>> sendResultsTo = ""
>> participantName = ""

In the example above, participants are sent an email containing a link to the results program, pre-populated (via query string parameters) with the relevant results variables for that participant. Also note that the variables that were used to send the email (sendResultsTo and participantName) are written over at the end (being re-saved as empty strings) so that the email address and participant name will not be stored in the CSV datafile.

[1] That URL should consist of (1) the run link for the results-display-program, followed by (2) the relevant query string parameters (see this section if you aren't already familiar with query string parameters).

Next: How to format URLs when sharing them in emails: if you're using query string parameters, use hyperlinks rather than displaying the URL directly

How to share results with participants via email🔗

Example of how to let participants choose whether to have their results emailed to them or whether to see the results in their browser:🔗