Self Report Option Position Gap Tool

Description

Find selectedLabel in each using zero-based indexes, return knownInBoth, and compute second minus first position only when both contain it.

Survey display order, self-description, missingness, and record support are distinct research properties. Literal tokens and counts can preserve those distinctions without inferring a person's identity, preferences, or the meaning of an unprovided response.

Find selectedLabel in each using zero-based indexes, return knownInBoth, and compute second minus first position only when both contain it.

When to use this tool

Use Self Report Option Position Gap when you need a transparent survey-record, display-order, or time-use calculation.

How to use the tool and how it works

Enter firstOptions, secondOptions, selectedLabel. Keep parallel arrays aligned. Use the units and conventions below.
Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
Read firstIndex, secondIndex, knownInBoth, positionGap. Inspect knownInBoth before interpreting the associated values.

Require unique labels within each of two option arrays. Find selectedLabel in each using zero-based indexes, return knownInBoth, and compute second minus first position only when both contain it.^[1]

Input field	Meaning and units	Accepted input
firstOptions	First Options	Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256.
secondOptions	Second Options	Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256.
selectedLabel	Selected Label	Required. Text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192.

Output field	Interpretation	Returned shape
firstIndex	Zero-based first-array lookup or -1 for absence.	Required. Safe integer.
secondIndex	Zero-based second-array lookup or -1 for absence.	Required. Safe integer.
knownInBoth	Known In Both	Required. Boolean.
positionGap	Second index minus first only when both are known, otherwise zero placeholder.	Required. Safe integer.

json

{
  "input": {
    "firstOptions": [
      "A",
      "B"
    ],
    "secondOptions": [
      "B",
      "A"
    ],
    "selectedLabel": "A"
  },
  "output": {
    "firstIndex": 0,
    "secondIndex": 1,
    "knownInBoth": true,
    "positionGap": 1
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

An absent label has index -1 and positionGap zero is then a placeholder. Exact string matching measures display-order change, not a difference between identities or attitudes.
Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Use the study's consent, vocabulary, missingness, and disclosure methodology for interpretation. Retain self-described information and assess sampling and privacy separately from local record arithmetic.

References

Calculation and input contract: gender-studies/self-report-option-position-gap — tool.io

Similar or alternative tools

Survey Option Position Share
Return (index-origin)/(optionCount-1) when more than one option exists; otherwise return zero with defined false.
Self Report Category Display Index
Return listed according to exact membership and displayIndex from zero-based indexOf.