Prepare text for each study condition

A study placeholder inserts text chosen from a study variable's current level. Use it to keep one set of questions while varying names, descriptions, capabilities, or instructions.

These fields belong to the study design: prepare their values in Design → Placeholders, then insert them while writing Content. The browser-extension example uses Permission as a within-participant factor, so its current level changes on each Loop iteration.

Define the extension fields

Before starting, create Permission and the empty evaluation pages using Define the study design. This guide fills those pages with content.

1. Open Design → Placeholders. Find the Permission table; its columns are the levels.
2. Select Add field and name it Extension name.
3. Fill both level cells using the table below.
4. Repeat for Description, Capabilities, and Explanation.

All four fields are controlled by Permission, including Explanation: the reason for each capability depends on the extension. Priming controls whether the Explanation page is reached, through the Switch in Flow.

Insert the fields in Content

1. On Extension overview, add an Information item and open its Information text editor. Use Insert placeholder to compose:

[Extension name]
[Description]
Requested capabilities: [Capabilities]

The square brackets above show where to insert fields with the picker; typing brackets alone does not create a placeholder.

2. On Explanation, add an Information item. In Information text, write Why these permissions?, then choose Insert placeholder and select the study field Explanation. Both profiles have already seen the same extension overview; only the Explanation text profile reaches this extra explanation.
3. On Permission decision, add a Single choice question, Would you install [Extension name]?, inserting the field with the picker. Use Yes and No as options.
4. On the same page, add a Text question: In your own words, what can this extension do with the permissions it requests? Enable Allow multi-line answers in its settings.
5. Keep all three pages inside the Permission Loop, after Study assignment. In Preview, verify that each iteration resolves all fields to the corresponding extension and that the None profile skips the Explanation page.

For a between-participant factor, place its fields after Study assignment. For a within-participant factor, use them inside its factor Loop, where it has a current level. The inserted field stays linked when you rename the variable or level. Usage links in Placeholders take you back to the Content that uses it.

Next: Connect these two questions to the study's measurements, then test the complete route.

Fill every level

Adding a level creates another column. Fill its text before collecting data. An unfilled value produces empty participant text and a warning in authoring or Preview; the survey does not invent a fallback description.

Fields without a valid controlling variable appear under Fields needing a design variable. Choose the appropriate Design variable to reconnect them, then check all values and uses.

Which kind of placeholder?

A study placeholder's cell is text. Entering HTML there does not create a new control or a formatted document. Insert the field into the editor's text rather than into code or a link address.

For code that reads study assignments or field values, use the JavaScript variable API.