Collapse a multi-level factor to two levels

make_dicho() converts a variable to a two-level factor by stripping the first qualifier word from each level label and grouping the resulting stems. For example, a 4-level Likert scale with labels c("Strongly agree", "Agree", "Disagree", "Strongly disagree") collapses to c("Agree", "Disagree") by removing the qualifier "Strongly".

When called inside mutate(), metadata is recorded in @metadata@transformations[[col]].

Usage

make_dicho(
  x,
  flip_levels = FALSE,
  .exclude = NULL,
  .label = NULL,
  .description = NULL
)

Arguments

x

Vector. Same types as make_factor().

flip_levels

logical(1). If TRUE, reverse the order of the two output levels.

.exclude

character or NULL. Level name(s) to set to NA before collapsing. Intended for middle categories and "don't know"/"refused".

.label

character(1) or NULL. Variable label override. Falls back to attr(x, "label") then the column name.

.description

character(1) or NULL. Transformation description.

Value

A 2-level R factor.

See also

Other transformation: make_binary(), make_factor(), make_flip(), make_rev(), row_means(), row_sums()

Examples

# build a 4-level Likert factor
x <- factor(
  c(
    "Always agree",
    "Sometimes agree",
    "Sometimes disagree",
    "Always disagree"
  ),
  levels = c(
    "Always agree",
    "Sometimes agree",
    "Sometimes disagree",
    "Always disagree"
  )
)

# collapse to 2 levels by stripping the qualifier word
make_dicho(x)
#>       Always agree    Sometimes agree Sometimes disagree    Always disagree 
#>              Agree              Agree           Disagree           Disagree 
#> attr(,"label")
#> [1] x
#> attr(,"surveytidy_recode")
#> attr(,"surveytidy_recode")$fn
#> [1] make_dicho
#> 
#> attr(,"surveytidy_recode")$var
#> [1] x
#> 
#> attr(,"surveytidy_recode")$description
#> NULL
#> 
#> Levels: Agree Disagree