Tips for Developing Good Survey Questions

When conducting surveys, it is critical to ask questions that gather accurate and useful information. Here are seven tips to craft effective survey questions:

1. Consistent Interpretation

• Ensure all respondents interpret the question similarly.
• Avoid ambiguous terms that might lead to different interpretations.
  • Example: "Have you ever been the victim of a serious crime?" can be interpreted differently by respondents.
• Use clear and specific language.

2. Willingness to Answer

• Ensure respondents feel comfortable answering questions.
• Be cautious with personal questions (e.g., sexual behavior, drug use).
• Explain the necessity and confidentiality of personal questions.

3. Truthful Responses

• Avoid questions that lead to socially desirable answers.
  • Example: Instead of asking, "Do you own a library card?", ask "Do you currently have a library card or not?"
• Frame questions in a way that encourages honesty.

4. Answerability

• Ensure respondents have the knowledge to answer the question.
  • Example: Asking about monthly grocery spending may be difficult for some to answer.
• Provide necessary context or information for the respondent to answer.

5. Avoid Double-Barreled Questions

• Avoid asking two questions in one.
  • Example: "Do you believe the US should spend more on education and less on locking up non-violent criminals?"
• Separate into two questions for clarity.

6. Avoid Biased Terms

• Use neutral and unbiased language.
  • Consider the impact of terms used, e.g., "Obamacare" vs. "The Affordable Care Act", "Welfare" vs. "Assistance to the Poor."
• Test different wordings to observe variations in responses.

7. Pre-test Questions

• Conduct tests with real people to gather feedback.
• Identify confusing questions and unexpected answers.
• Use pre-testing to refine questions.

Conclusion

• Perfect survey questions do not exist, but aim to elicit meaningful responses.
• Surveys demand time and resources; avoid wasting these with poorly structured questions.
• Utilize these 7 tips to enhance the clarity and usefulness of survey questions.