DATA FILE CONSTRUCTION
Problem:
RUMM2020 will not read all data across each
record.
Solution:
- This arises with
incomplete data sets only.
- The first record MUST
have a character in at least the last column.
- If the last column is
missing data AND the missing character is a space then place some
character (e.g., *, #) in the next column, i.e., the first column after
the end of the record requirements.
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Problem:
RUMM2020 will not read data in correctly.
Solution:
- Check that each
record in the data file is in fixed text format.
- Ensure NO tabs are
present. This can occur if saving from a spreadsheet.
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Problem:
RUMM2020 is not reading the missing character
correctly.
Solution:
- This can occur with
2-character responses AND when the missing data character is NOT a blank space.
- Make sure you include
the missing data character in ALL columns of a response field.
- RUMM2020 does NOT
allow mixed characters for a response field. For example, if the missing
character is ‘9’ and there are two columns per response field then the ‘9’
must appear twice, that is, as ‘99’. Thus, if four items have this set of
responses: 12, 7, <missing data>, 14 then the correct data entry
would be: ‘12 79914’.
- NOTE: RUMM2020 allows
for a single character type only. It will search for the correct number
of such characters according to the number of characters specified for
each response.
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Question:
How does RUMM2020 handle invalid responses?
Explanation:
RUMM2020 identifies Invalid responses where a
mismatch is detected between a response character and what has been specified
[due to typing errors, etc]. Records containing illegal responses are
identified and, if not corrected using an option within RUMM2020, are excluded
at this stage. This occurs prior to entering the Analysis Control Form when
reading records from the original data file.
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