Using Reverse Masking

Published Apr 29, 2021

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For those new to the terminology, piping is used to transfer answers between a source question and a target question, where selected answers in the source question will be added to the question text of the target question. Masking is then used to transfer answers between a source question and a target question, where selected answers in the source question will be added as answer options in the target question. Refer to this post if you need more basics on piping and masking.

Reverse masking will carry forward answers that are NOT selected in a question to then appear as the answers in a subsequent question. In this post, we will show you how to use the reverse masking function.

When would I use this? Reverse masking is a great way to gather more metrics on choices that were not selected. A common application would be for a “Brand Awareness” question – If you ask in the first question “Which of these brands have you purchased in the past 6 months”, the respondent may choose 3 out of 6 choices. For the 3 choices the respondent DID NOT choose, you can use reverse masking to mask those answers into a subsequent question asking “Thinking of the brands you have not purchased in the past 6 months, which of these brands have you heard of?”. For this example, you can then gather data on respondents that have purchased and have no purchased but recognize certain brands, as well as gather information on which brands are not as recognizable.

Here is how you would program this in QuickSurveys

Enter Question 1 and then Question 2 on different pages.

On Question 2, go to the Piping and Masking feature.

Click on Reverse Masking. Select Question 1.

Now answers that are NOT selected in Question 1 will automatically pipe into Question 2.

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