Custom Expression Examples

Apply Functions to Simple Metrics

Example: Total Number of Teachers and Students

Add the count of teachers to the count of students.

[Distinct Count: Teacher ID] + [Distinct Count: Student ID]

Example: Rounding the average test score to two decimal places.

Take the average test score and apply the round(x, p) function, setting the precision p equal to 2.

round([Average: Test Score], 2)

Example: What is the average of all dimensional scores?

Use variables to hold the total of each dimensional score. Then add all of those scores to get the overall total. Then divide the overall total by the number of test sessions in order to calculate the average. Finally, apply the round(x, p) function to round to two decimal places.

You must use the semi-colon (;) character to separate each line in the expression.

When an expression contains multiple lines, the expression that appears on the last line (in this example, the line round(overallAverage, 2)) will be the final result returned.

dim1Total = [Total: Dimension 1 Score];
dim2Total = [Total: Dimension 2 Score];
dim3Total = [Total: Dimension 3 Score];
dim4Total = [Total: Dimension 4 Score];
dim5Total = [Total: Dimension 5 Score];

overallTotal = sum(dim1Total, dim2Total, dim3Total, dim4Total, dim5Total);
overallCount = [Count: Session ID];

overallAverage = overallTotal / overallCount;

round(overallAverage, 2)

Compare two or more Metrics

Example: Student-Teacher ratio.

The number of students divided by the number of teachers. Distinct counts must be used here if the data contains more than one row per student or teacher.

[Distinct Count: Student ID] / [Distinct Count: Teacher ID]

Use a Comparison to Create a Textual Result

Example: Which scoring dimension had the lowest average score?

Use variables to hold the average of each of the dimensional scores. Use min(...) function to find the lowest dimensional score. Use nested if (cond, trueValue, falseValue) blocks to return which dimension matches the lowest score. Note: If more than one dimension shares the same lowest score, this only returns the first dimension found.

dim1Avg = [Average: Dimension 1 Score];
dim2Avg = [Average: Dimension 2 Score];
dim3Avg = [Average: Dimension 3 Score];
dim4Avg = [Average: Dimension 4 Score];
dim5Avg = [Average: Dimension 5 Score];

lowestScore = min(dim1Avg, dim2Avg, dim3Avg, dim4Avg, dim5Avg);

if (dim1Avg == lowestScore, "Dimension 1",
    if (dim2Avg == lowestScore, "Dimension 2",
        if (dim3Avg == lowestScore, "Dimension 3",
            if (dim4Avg == lowestScore, "Dimension 4",
                if (dim5Avg == lowestScore, "Dimension 5",
                    "Unknown"
                )
            )
        )
    )
)

Example: Indicate "Low", "Medium", and "High" Student-Teacher ratios.

Use a variable to record the student-teacher ratio. Then set variables to mark the points at which the ratio is considered medium or high. Finally, use two if (cond, trueValue, falseValue) blocks to return the "Low", "Medium" or "High" text based on the ratio value.

stRatio = [Distinct Count: Student ID] / [Distinct Count: Teacher ID];
mediumThreshold = 20;
highThreshold = 40;

if (stRatio < mediumThreshold,
    "Low",
    if (stRatio >= highThreshold,
        "High",
        "Medium"
    )
)

Example: Add styling when indicating the "Low", "Medium", and "High" Student-Teacher ratios.

This example is the same as above, but applies green, red, and yellow colors to the text. It also makes the word "High" appear in bold formatting.

stRatio = [Distinct Count: Student ID] / [Distinct Count: Teacher ID];
mediumThreshold = 20;
highThreshold = 40;

if (stRatio < mediumThreshold,
    "<span style=\"color:green\">Low</span>",
    if (stRatio >= highThreshold,
        "<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold\">High</span>",
        "<span style=\"color:yellow\">Medium</span>"
    )
)

Example: Determine the proficiency level of the average score.

Compare the average score of the 1st essay submission to what the desired proficiency level (e.g. 4). Then use an if (cond, trueValue, falseValue) block to return the text "Below" if the average score is less than 4, or to return "Above" if the score is equal to or greater than 4.

profLevel = 4;

if ([Average: Essay 1st Submission Score] < 4,
    "Below",
    "Above"
);

Example: Indicate whether the proficiency level has "Improved", remained "Unchanged", or "Got Worse" from the first essay submission compared to the most recent.

Use a variable to set the desired proficiency level (e.g. 4). Then create two variables, before and after which indicate the proficiency level of the 1st essay submission and most recent submission, respectively. Finally, use nested conditional blocks to return "Improved" if the proficiency went from "Below" to "Above", "Unchanged" if it remained the same, or "Got Worse" if it went from "Above" to "Below".

profLevel = 4;

before = if ([Average: Essay 1st Submission Score] < profLevel,
    "Below",
    "Above"
);

after = if ([Average: Essay Most Recent Score] < profLevel,
    "Below",
    "Above"
);

if (before  == "Below" && after == "Above",
    "Improved",
    if (before == "Above" && after == "Below",
        "Got Worse",
        "Unchanged"
    )
)

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