1. DU REDCap Introduction
Allison Tyler University of Denver MLIS 2016

2. What is REDCap?
Data collection and management tool for all kinds of research data
Create surveys (longitudinal, multi-arm, and more)
Import data
Export data sets to Excel, SPSS, SAS, and more
Tool developed by Vanderbilt University
Web-based tool available at:
For access to REDCap for your research, contact the REDCap Administrator Ben Fotovich at:

3. Getting Access to REDCap
For research involving human subjects, IRB approval (or exemption) required from the DU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Required before access given for REDCap
Anderson Academic Commons and the REDCap Administrator will not determine your need for IRB approval
Once IRB approval (if needed) is provided, contact Ben Fotovich for account creation

4. REDCap Process 3 Phases Development Production Archived
For survey/study development
Testing of survey instrument
Any test data entered will be deleted at end of this phase
DU requires IRB approval (or waiver) before Development can begin
Production
All data entry considered “live”
Archived
Study inactive
Data analysis complete

5. Project Development

6. Starting a New Project
Choose “Create New Project” from your REDCap dashboard

7. Starting a New Project, Cont.
Recommendations
Purpose of this project
For first REDCap project choose “Practice/Just for fun”
Allows full functionality to become familiar with options
Template or no?
For first REDCap project choose “Create an empty project”

8. Starting a New Project, Cont.
Purpose
If “Research” is chosen, there are extra requirements before project request is submitted
PI information
IRB number
Study type

9. Starting a New Project, Cont.
Once selections are made, the request for a new project will be sent to the REDCap Administrator.
It takes 1-2 business days for approval of project.
Once approved, the project will appear under the “My Projects” tab.

10. Creating Survey Instrument
Two Methods Available
Online Designer
Data Dictionary
Allows building the survey instrument in the web application
Able to manipulate the design that will be seen in data entry
Appears as would be printed out
Changes made one at a time
Changes made in Excel spreadsheet and then imported into REDCap
Can make changes to multiple parts of instrument at once
Can be exported for further manipulation and re-imported

11. Online Designer

12. Online Designer, Cont. Choose type of field (survey question)
Many options to choose from
Once created, they can be rearranged
into preferred order

13. Online Designer, Cont.
Example: Multiple Choice Question with Drop-Down List of Answers

14. Online Designer, Cont.
Example: Multiple Choice Question with Drop-Down List of Answers
Notes:
REDCap automatically codes
answers
Free to label fields as required
Can set alignment of specific fields
on the instrument page

15. Online Designer, Cont.
There is no branching logic in this example.

16. Data Dictionary To make changes via Data Dictionary
Download the Current Data Dictionary
- OR -
Download a template Data Dictionary
to begin new project
When finished, upload the CSV file

17. Data Dictionary, Cont.
Demographics 1 Instrument in Data Dictionary

18. Data Dictionary, Cont.
Demographics 1 Instrument in Data Dictionary WITH CHANGES
Changes:
Values
New field
Branching logic

19. Data Dictionary Once the new CSV files has been uploaded,
changes do not take effect until “Commit
Changes” is selected

20. Data Dictionary, Cont. All changes appear in the Online Designer
Branching logic appears with other survey questions
Only hidden when in data entry form
New values update in drop- down menus
New fields appear in order of Data Dictionary

21. Data Dictionary, Cont. Survey Instrument as a printed questionnaire
Does not show branching logic
Does not show value requirements (ex. “Home Town” value must be Zip Code as set in Data Dictionary)
Each instrument can be printed out

22. Additional Features

23. Matrix of Fields Used to create a table of questions with the same
possible answers without having to create separate fields.

24. Matrix of Fields

25. Branching Logic
Allows certain fields to only be visible under certain circumstances
To add branching logic to an existing or newly created field in the online designer:
Branching logic based upon choosing “Cat” in Favorite Pet.

26. Branching Logic Drag-N-Drop Method Choose choices from other fields
As many as are applicable
Drag those choices to right hand box
Select either “ALL below are true” or
“ANY below are true”
Branching logic based upon choosing “Cat” in Favorite Pet.

27. Branching Logic
Advanced Branching Logic Syntax Method
Manually code the branching logic
[parent field name]=“coded answer”
For this example: Food allergy question only appears when the Favorite Pet answer is Cat (2)
REDCap will validate the branching logic and highlight errors
Branching logic based upon choosing “Cat” in Favorite Pet.
This is the same coding that is used in the data dictionary

28. Branching Logic Branching Logic in Action vs.
Branching logic based upon choosing “Cat” in Favorite Pet.

29. Longitudinal Data Collection
Allows for repeating survey events with same participants or different across period of time
Can be with the same survey instruments or with different ones across each event
If not already set when creating the project, the functionality can be set under “Project Setup”

30. Longitudinal Data Collection
Once longitudinal data collection is enabled
Can schedule specific events

31. Longitudinal Data Collection
Add multiple events
Designate event intervals
If multi-armed survey, can schedule different events per arm

32. Longitudinal Data Collection
Once the events are defined
Designate which survey instruments are to be used for which events
Can choose as many as needed
The events per arm do not need to be the same

33. Multi-Arm Studies For studies with multiple participant groups
May or may not have same events
May or may not be on the same schedule
New arms are added in the same “Define My Events” tab where new events are added

34. Multi-Arm Studies Events are added to new arms in the same
way that they are in any other longitudinal study

35. Scheduling Events
For longitudinal studies, a schedule can be set up for each participant/record
Multi-arm studies can also be schedule based on the needs of each arm

36. Scheduling Events
Based on the interval between events and a specified start date, a schedule for each record is created automatically

37. Data Entry

38. Data Entry
Surveys
One or more survey instruments can be ed to participants to fill out
Survey mode must be enabled for the project AND the individual instruments
Public Survey Link (link allows multiple survey submissions)
Participant List (link only valid for one submission)
Survey responses create new records in order that they are received

39. Data Entry Manual Data Entry
Data entered one at a time per record and/or event
Can be entered real time by participant/PI or from printed survey instruments

40. Data Entry Data Import Tool
For pre-existing data or data from another source
REDCap provides 2 possible CSV templates
Records arranged in columns or in rows
Once data is filled in on the CSV file use the Data Import Tool to upload and import records
Data in CSV file needs to be in the same order as the REDCap data forms for ease of transfer

41. Results & Report Building

42. Results & Report Building
Main page produces reports with all recorded data OR selected instruments/events

43. Results & Report Building
Also able to create restricted reports
Can isolate specific fields
Filters allow further customization
Can restrict identifiable information
Export reports into multiple formats:
CSV/Excel (raw data or with labels)
SPSS
SAS R
STATA

44. Results & Report Building
Able to Compare records
This can be done between record IDs or between events for the same record
Only shows fields with differing values

45. More Resources

46. More Resources REDCap Training Videos
University of Denver Institutional Review Board
review-board.html