Detect random answers

Rows of suscpiciously similar questionnaire answers

[s9901470]

Hi

I have a PHP/MySQL quiz/questionnaire and want to detect random or missing responses.

Something like "SELECT IF {MORE THAN 3 ZEROS IN A ROW} OR {MORE THAN 5 'YES' IN A ROW}"

Any suggestions? Would doing this at the SQL query be most efficient?

Many thanks in advance,

Ed

[coopster]

Well, an SQL query means that you have to write the data to the table before you query it. Do you care that the user has supplied these random answers before or after the fact?

[Habtom]

You have to write an SQL Query entertaining the requirements.

[s9901470]

Sorry yes, I want to detect them *after* they have been put in the table.

[mm1220]

Forget SQL and get down to some basic statistics. You can never be sure whether someone is or isn't filling in your form in good faith, even if they put down five 0s in a row (or some other such 'indicator'). If you get enough respondents all the outliers will fade into background noise.

[s9901470]

In fact there are statistical analyses of random responding, which I am referring to for this purpose. I would still like to know how to detect strings of the same number - the interpretation is a seperate issue.