Help/Collecting responses

Response quality — spotting answers you should not trust

Not every response is worth the same. A handful of automatic checks flag the ones worth a second look, and you decide whether to include them.

What gets flagged automatically

  • SpeedersResponses completed far too quickly to have been read.
  • Straight-liningA grid where every row has the same column selected, across at least three rows. Usually someone clicking down the page without reading.
  • DuplicatesTwo responses with an identical set of answers. Compared on the answers themselves, so it catches a resubmission even from a different device.

Attention checks

An attention check is a question with one objectively correct answer, placed to catch people clicking through. The classic wording is “To show you're reading, please select Purple below.”

Mark a Multiple Choice question as an attention check in the editor and set the expected answer. Anyone who picks something else is flagged on the dashboard.

Attention checks are always evaluated, even if you have automatic flagging switched off — if you deliberately built a trap, you want to know who fell into it. They also stay in place when question order is randomised, since where you put the trap matters.

Tip
Flagged does not mean deleted

Flagged responses stay in your data. The dashboard excludes them from charts by default and gives you a toggle to include them, so you can see how much difference they actually make before deciding.

Note
Straight-lining is not always cheating

Someone who genuinely agrees with all seven statements will straight-line honestly. Treat the flag as a prompt to look, not a verdict — particularly on short grids or strongly-worded ones where a consistent answer is plausible.

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