What is the purpose of recoding values in a survey question?

Recoding values in a survey question serves to assign numeric values to answer choices, which is crucial for analysis and interpretation of data. Many survey responses are categorical or qualitative, such as "Yes," "No," or rating scales like "Poor," "Fair," "Good," "Excellent." By converting these responses into numeric values, researchers can perform quantitative analysis more effectively.

For instance, if a survey includes a satisfaction scale from "Very Unsatisfied" to "Very Satisfied," recoding these answers to a numeric scale (e.g., 1 to 5) allows for easier calculations of averages, correlations, and other statistical measures. This numeric representation enhances the ability to conduct complex analyses and generate insights that guide decision-making.

The other options do not relate directly to the primary function of recoding values. Changing the survey design is about the layout and structure of the survey itself, enhancing visual appearance pertains to how data is presented rather than how it is processed, and generating qualitative responses is about the nature of the data collected rather than its numeric transformation.