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Key Considerations

Numeric answers are used when a respondent must provide a number to answer to a question.
Where a numeric answer requires a unit or other qualifying information, it should be added as a text answer. For example, ‘Give your height in centimeters’ is a number, whereas ‘Give your height’ is a text answer as the unit needs to be specified in the answer.
They are either an Integer or Float numeric type. Integers are whole numbers only. Floats allow a decimal place.
For most numeric responses a generic answer labelled ‘How many’ is used.
Formats, minimums and maximums matter so ‘Number (Integer, Min: 0, Max: 10)’ is not the same as either ‘Number (Float, Min: 0, Max: 10)’ or ‘Number (Integer, Min: 0, Max: 20)’.

Numeric answers are used when the response to a question is a number. A numeric answer consists of a Label, Type, Numeric type and Min (Minimum) and Max (Maximum) values.

Archivist Build / Response Domain (Numeric Answer):

The numeric type is entered as either 'Integer' or 'Float'. Which type is chosen depends on the format of the response in the questionnaire. The numeric type ‘Float’ is used only if the response in the question contains a decimal point or requires a fraction (see examples). Min and Max values are always entered as whole numbers, regardless of the values indicated in the questionnaire.

For most numeric responses a generic answer labelled ‘How many’ is used, with a Numeric type of Integer and a Min value of 0 with the Max value left blank.

Archivist Build / Response Domain (How many):

If an Integer and a Float numeric type answer are needed for the same numeric response in a questionnaire, separate response domains are made for each numeric type, adding ‘I’ for integer and ‘F’ for float to the label. In the example below, the questionnaire contains questions with a ‘How many’ response with and without a decimal point.

Questionnaire: SWS Initial Questionnaire

Questionnaire layout:

The ‘How many’ response to question 7.4b contains a decimal point, while the response to 8.4 does not. Two ‘How many’ numeric answers are created, one with a numeric type of Integer and one with a numeric type of Float.

Archivist Build / Response Domain:

How many Integer answer	How many Float answer

Archivist view (sws_1_bio):

Numeric answers with specific labels

There are several types of numeric answers which are specifically labelled:

Note: Specifically labelled answers are not created for distance (i.e. miles), single unit time responses with no defined min or max in the documentation (i.e. hours only, minutes only), and measurements without a defined length or size (i.e. days, nights, slices, cups, mugs, etc.). These are all entered as a 'How many' response domain.

Age-related numeric answers

Answers to ‘How old’ questions are entered as follows:

Label	Type	Numeric type	Min	Max	Usage
Age	Numeric	Integer	0	Blank	How old in years only or year component of question asking age in years and months. See example.
Age in months	Numeric	Integer	0	Blank	How old with response in months only or month component of question asking age in months and weeks. Commonly seen in questionnaires for birth and pre-school life stages asking how old baby is with response expressed in months rather than years. See example.
Months	Numeric	Integer	0	11	How old with response in years and months. Answer is compound response with ‘Age’ for years response domain and ‘Months’ for months response domain. See example.
Weeks	Numeric	Integer	0	4	How old with response in months and weeks. Answer is compound response with 'Age in months' for months response domain and 'Weeks' for weeks response domain

Measurements

Physical measurement responses with a defined length or size are input as labelled numeric answers regardless of whether the question response contains a single measurement (inches, cm, mm, kilos) or a compound measurement (… lbs … oz; … stones … lbs; … ft … in). The answer label for the measurement unit should be fully spelled out regardless of how it is written in the questionnaire.

When the answer is the second measurement in a compound response, the label is entered as ‘[X] in [Y]’, where [X] is the second part of the measurement and [Y] is first part. So for a response ‘… lbs … oz’ the label for the ‘oz’ numeric answer is ‘Ounces in pound’, with a Min of 0 and Max of 15 (for an integer response) or 16 (for a float response). For the response ‘… stones … lbs’ the label for the ‘lbs’ numeric answer is ‘Pounds in stone’, with a Min of 0 and Max of 13 (for an integer response) or 14 (for a float response).

Responses for medical measurements, e.g. blood pressure, peak expiratory flow rate, are labelled using the unit of measure recorded for the medical check, not the procedure itself. The numeric response for blood pressure is labelled Millimetres and does not need to be distinguished from Millimetres used as a physical measurement. The label for peak expiratory flow rate, used to assess lung capacity, is Litres per minute.

Temperature, whether of a person or a room, is input as a numeric answer only if the question specifies whether the response is in Celsius or Fahrenheit. The numeric response is labelled either Celsius or Fahrenheit depending on the unit indicated in the question. If a question regarding temperature does not specify a unit of measurement, the answer is input as a text response labelled Temperature. See discussion of insufficiently defined numeric responses in Text answers section.

Common measurement answers:

Label	Type	Numeric type	Min	Max	Used for question text response
Feet	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Measurement response in feet only. Also used as feet component of question asking height measurement in feet and inches. See example .
Inches	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Measurement response in inches only. See example.
Metres	Numeric	Integer or float	0	Blank	Measurement response in metres only.
Centimetres	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Measurement response in centimetres only. See Integer example and Float example.
Millimetres	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Measurement response in millimetres only. See Integer example and Float example of physical measurement. Also used for as answer in questions recording blood pressure.
Pounds	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Measurement response in pounds only. Also used as pound component of question asking weight measurement in pounds and ounces. See Pounds only example and Pounds/Ounces example.
Stones	Numeric	Integer	0	Blank	Measurement response in stones only. Also used as stones component of question asking weight measurement in stones and pounds. See example.
Kilograms	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Measurement response in kilograms only. Also used as kilogram component of question asking weight measurement in kilograms and grams. See Integer example and Float example.
Grams	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Measurement response in grams only. The same numeric answer may also be used as a quantity answer. See example.
Ounces	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Measurement response in ounces only. The same numeric answer may also be used as a quantity measurement answer for volume in ounces only.
Inches in foot	Numeric	Integer	0	11	Inches component of height measurement in feet and inches. Response is whole number. See example.
Inches in foot	Numeric	Float	0	12	Inches component of height measurement in feet and inches. Response contains decimal point or a fraction. See example.
Ounces in pound	Numeric	Integer	0	15	Ounces component of weight measurement in pounds and ounces. Response is whole number.
Ounces in pound	Numeric	Float	0	16	Ounces component of weight measurement in pounds and ounces. Response contains decimal point or a fraction. See example.
Pounds in stone	Numeric	Integer	0	13	Pounds component of weight measurement in stones and pounds. Response is whole number. See example.
Pounds in stone	Numeric	Float	0	14	Pounds component of weight measurement in stones and pounds. Response contains decimal point or a fraction.
Grams in Kilogram	Numeric	Integer	0	999	Grams component of weight measurement in kilograms and grams. Response is whole number.
Grams in Kilogram	Numeric	Float	0	1000	Grams component of weight measurement in kilograms and grams. Response contains decimal point.
Litres per minute	Numeric	Integer	0	Blank	Measurement of peak expiratory flow rate (lung capacity).
Celsius	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Temperature measurement is specified as Celsius.
Fahrenheit	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Temperature measurement is specified as Fahrenheit.
FEV	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Respiratory measurement is specified as FEV.
PEFR	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Respiratory measurement is specified as PEFR.
FVC	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Respiratory measurement is specified as FVC.

Quantities

Quantities which have a precise unit of measurement are entered as specifically labelled numeric answers. Tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces (fl.ozs), centilitres (cls), millilitres (mls), and grams are examples of quantity responses that are entered as labelled numeric answers. Responses asking average amount per serving, no of cups/mugs of tea/coffee (see example ), glasses, spoons, slices, scoops, bananas, eggs, etc., where the serving size is variable (see example), are not entered as specifically labelled numeric answers. ‘How many’ is used as the answer for these types of quantities.

Common quantity answers:

Label	Type	Numeric type	Min	Max	Used for question text response
Tablespoons	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Quantity response expressed in number of tablespoons. Commonly found in Food Diary questions. See example.
Teaspoons	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Quantity response expressed in number of teaspoons. Commonly found in Food Diary questions.
Fluid ounces	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Quantity response measuring size of container, i.e., cup, mug or amount of liquid. See example .
Millilitres	Numeric	Integer	0	Blank	Quantity response measuring size of container, i.e., cup, mug or amount of liquid. See example.
Grams	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Quantity response expressed as weight in grams. The same numeric answer may also be used as a physical measurement answer.
Ounces	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Quantity response expressed in ounces (weight or fluid). The same numeric answer can also be used as a physical measurement answer for weight in ounces only. See example .
Pints	Numeric	Integer or Float	0	Blank	Quantity response expressed in pints. See example.

Numeric responses with Min and/or Max values defined in question

Most of the time when a question asks ‘How many of [X]’ there is no restriction within the question as to what the numeric response to the question might be. However, some questions contain defined minimum or maximum values in the question text. A specifically labelled numeric answer is created when a question restricts the numeric answer that may be given in response to the question.

Note: Unlike text answers, the restriction must be written in words in the question or response text. A particular number of blank boxes for writing in a numeric response is not treated as defining a maximum value.

Common answers with defined min/max values:

Label	Type	Numeric type	Min	Max	Used for question text response
Minutes in day	Numeric	Integer	0	1440	How many minutes per day event occurred.
Hours in day	Numeric	Integer	0	24	How many hours per day event occurred. See example.
Hours in week	Numeric	Integer	0	168	How many hours per week event occurred. See example.
Days in month	Numeric	Integer	0	31	How many days in a month event occurred. See example.
Days in week	Numeric	Integer	0	7	How many days in a week event occurred.
Days in [X] days	Numeric	Integer	0	[X]	Question asks how many days in a defined number of days event has happened. Min value always 0, Max value is the defined number of days contained in question, i.e. for ‘How many days in the last 90?’ answer max would be 90. See example .
Months in year	Numeric	Integer	1	12	How many months in a year event occurred. See example.
Floor	Numeric	Integer	Varies	Blank	Question asks lowest level of living accommodation, with the floor to be specified above a certain level. See examples .
Percentage	Numeric	Integer	0	100	Question asks for a percentage response. See example .
[Activity]	Numeric	Integer	0	[X]	Question asks how many times an activity (i.e. catching a ball) is performed in a specific number of attempts. Label for numeric answer is activity performed. Max is total attempts at activity. See examples .
[Time period]	Numeric	Integer	0	[X]	Question asks how many times an activity (i.e. picking up matches) is performed over a specific time period. Label for numeric answer is time period (i.e. seconds). Max is total time period recorded for activity. See example .
Hours	Numeric	Integer	[X]	[X]	Question asks how many hours an event occurred, with a defined min and/or max in the documentation. Label for answer is Hours. See example. If there is no defined min or max, How many is used.

Date responses input as a numeric answer

Date responses that ask only for the day in a month, or the month in a year, something occurred/will occur cannot be input as a date answer. A specifically defined numeric answer is used.

Label	Type	Numeric type	Min	Max	Used for question text response
Month of year	Numeric	Integer	1	12	Month of a year event occurred/will occur. See example .
Day of month	Numeric	Integer	1	31	Day of a month event occurred/will occur.

Time period (duration) responses input as a numeric answer

For a period of time response to be entered as a duration, it must meet the following criteria. The time period must be for a specific event, for a continuous period of time, and the period must be sufficiently described, so that the start and end of the event are discrete time points. Responses that do not meet these criteria for a duration answer are entered as numeric answers.

The Duration section of the date and time answers guidance provides a detailed discussion of the use of duration versus numeric answers. See also examples of time period responses that are entered as a duration answer and examples of time period responses that are entered as a numeric answer for more information.

Time period responses with only one time point (i.e. years only, hours only) are not sufficiently described to be entered as a duration answer and a ‘How many’ answer is entered (see example ). When a compound time period response is input as two numeric answers, the first element of the time period is entered as a ‘How many’ answer; the second element is entered as a specifically labelled answer (see example).

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