Use of EpiData

(questionnaire design and entry)

Jurgita Bagdonaite
Jurmala, Latvia, 2006
Based on EPIET material

Introduction to EpiData

Data entry and documentation

Free program
Based on EpiInfo
Windows format
No limit on No of observation
(tested with >100.000)

EpiData (I)

Creating questionnaire
Controlled data entry
Documenting and printing data
Correction of questionnaires, records
Comparing of 2 data files
Importing and exporting data
Simple analysis

EpiData (II)
Simple surveys one questionnaire
Complicated surveys few questionaires
If there is ID possible to merge data

EpiData files
.QES file
Questionnaire

.REC file
Actual data

.CHK file
Any defined checks

Other notes or log files

EpiData workflow
1.Define Data
2.Make Data File
3. Set up Checks

4.Enter Data
5.Document
6.Export Data

Creating Questionnaire
Define Data
Can either open .QES file or create one

New questionnaire
Type in window
Cut and paste from Word documents
Preview questionnaire
(click Make data file > preview data form)

Structure of questionnaire
Three sections:
Field name (variable)
Text describing field
Input definition (number/ letters/ date)

Field name (variable)

No more than 10 characters
Begin with a letter
No spaces or punctuation marks

Field Name (II)

First word
Uses first word of line

Automatic
EpiData generates field
names based on
question
Uses first 10 letters
Childquest

Child questionnaire

<Y>

Automatic field names

Text in curly brackets { } used in preference
Common words skipped (what, the, and,
etc.)
If question starts with number, N is
inserted before the number

Automatic field names,

examples
Question:

Field name:

Did you {eat ice cream}

What is your name?
2. Age

EATICECREAM
ISYOURNAME
N2AGE

Variable type
Define variables using Pick List or Code writer
Choose type of variable:

Numeric
Text
Date
Soundex
Boolean (Yes/No)
Autonumber

Text variables
Information of text and/or numbers
Holding information (e.g. names, addresses)
UPPER CASE
Can only hold upper case (capital) letters
Lower case variable automatically converted into
upper case text (ex: Egypt converted into EGYPT)

No mathematical operations
Length (How many characters)
<_>

Numeric variables
Numerical information
Hold integers (whole numbers) or numbers
with a decimal point
Length (digits, decimals after the comma)
<#>, <##.#>

Other variables
Boolean variables (s. logical variables s. YES/NO
variables)
only two possible answers: Yes or No
<Y>

Date variables:
Hold information on dates
Data in american <MM/DD/YYYY>
European <DD/MM/YYYY>

Soundex:
Coding of words (anonymous, eg. A-123)
Code to limit orthographic errors (eg. Rome and Roma)
<S >

System variables
Values generated automatically
Today date: date of the data entry
<Today-dmy>
<Today-mdy>

Auto identification number: Counts the

records entered
<IDNUM>

Save Questionnaire
Preview data
Save questionnaire
Creates .QES file
Create Data file
Click Make Data file button > Make Data file
Creates .REC file
Questionnaire and Data file ready
But

Errors in data entry

Tranposition (ex: 39 becomes 93)
Copying errors (0 copy as an o letter)
Consistency errors: two or more responses
are contradictory (sex: man, pregnancy=Yes)

Range errors: answers outside of probable or

possible values (ex: heigh = 3 metres)

Preventing errors
Standardised and previously tested questionnaire
Training the interviewers and data entry clerck
Checking and validating paper forms of the
questionnaires
Checking during the data entry (Check module EpiData)
Validation: entering twice data by different operators
Checking after data entry (Analysis module Epi-Info)

Checks (I)
Reduce errors in input
Checks help with data entry
Many different types
Examples:

Limit entry of numbers to specific range

Forcing entry to be made in field
Conditional jumps
Copying the data from the previous record
Help messages
Conditional operations (ex if.then operations)

Checks (II)
Once Data file is created:
Click Checks button > choose .REC file

Checks (III)

Range, legal:
1-3, 9
First range then individual numbers
Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius
Fixing only min or max value
-INF-5 (all numbers inferior or equal 5)
0-INF (all positive numbers superior or equal to 0)

Jumps:

Field: AGEYEARS
0>AGEMONTHS
0>AGEMONTHS, 1>ADDRESS
1>END

MustEnter:
Data must be entered in Field

Checks (IV)
Repeat:
Show data from previous record

Value Label
Add text to explain values
Click + to add label
Format as shown
Press F9 during data entry
to see labels

Data Entry (I)

Click Enter data button
> choose .REC file
Dates:
15/5/2006 type 150506 or 15/5/06

Value Labels:
Press F9 to view

Data Entry (II)

Record navigation:

Delete records:
Click cross to delete
Record marked for deletion, but can be
recovered

Document Tools
File Structure
Data entry notes ( .NOT file)
Use to write comments during data entry eg: difficult to read
handwriting etc

View Data
List Data
Codebook
Basic descriptive statistics on all variables

Validate duplicate files

Check consistency after double entry

Export to other programs

Click Export data button
Choose program
Including Excel, Stata, SPSS
For Epi-info open .REC file directly

References
Lauritsen JM & Bruus M. EpiData (version 3.1). A
comprehensive tool for validated entry and
documentation of data. The EpiData Association,
Odense Denmark, 2004.
Lauritsen JM, Bruus M. EpiTour - An introduction to
validated dataentry and documentation of data by use of
EpiData. The EpiData Association, Odense Denmark,
2005.

www.epidata.dk