7.2 Types of questions and response formats

Crafting effective survey questions is crucial for gathering accurate and meaningful data. This topic dives into various question types and response formats, from open-ended to closed-ended questions, and rating scales to ranking systems.

Understanding these options helps researchers design surveys that capture the right information. By choosing appropriate question types and response formats, surveyors can minimize bias, improve response rates, and collect data that truly answers their research questions.

Question Types

Open-ended and Closed-ended Questions

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• Open-ended questions allow respondents to answer in their own words
  • Provide rich, detailed information
  • Useful for exploring new topics or gathering unexpected insights
  • Can be challenging to analyze due to varied responses
• Closed-ended questions offer pre-determined response options
  • Easier to quantify and analyze statistically
  • Ensure consistency across responses
  • May limit the depth of information gathered
• Multiple choice questions present several options for respondents to choose from
  • Can include single-answer or multiple-answer formats
  • Useful for gathering specific information on preferences or behaviors
• Dichotomous questions offer only two response options (yes/no, true/false)
  • Simple and quick to answer
  • Useful for screening questions or gathering factual information
  • May oversimplify complex issues

Contingency Questions

• Contingency questions depend on the answer to a previous question
  • Also known as skip logic or branching questions
  • Direct respondents to relevant follow-up questions based on their answers
  • Improve survey efficiency by avoiding irrelevant questions
  • Can be used to gather more detailed information from specific subgroups
• Implement contingency questions carefully to maintain logical flow
• Consider using survey software that supports skip logic for complex contingencies

Rating Scales

Likert and Semantic Differential Scales

• Likert scale measures agreement levels with statements
  • Typically uses 5 or 7 points (strongly disagree to strongly agree)
  • Allows for nuanced responses and easy quantification
  • Widely used in attitude and opinion surveys
• Semantic differential scale uses bipolar adjectives at scale endpoints
  • Measures attitudes or perceptions between two opposing concepts
  • Usually employs 5 or 7 points between adjective pairs (good-bad, strong-weak)
  • Useful for brand perception or product evaluation surveys

Rating and Matrix Questions

• Rating scale asks respondents to rate items on a numeric scale
  • Can use various ranges (1-5, 1-10) depending on desired precision
  • Useful for measuring satisfaction, importance, or frequency
  • Allows for easy comparison between items
• Matrix questions present multiple items to be rated using the same scale
  • Efficient way to gather ratings on several related items
  • Can reduce survey length and respondent fatigue
  • Risk of straight-lining (respondents selecting the same option for all items)
• Consider using reverse-coded items in matrices to check for attentiveness

Response Formats

Nominal and Ordinal Formats

• Nominal response format categorizes answers without inherent order
  • Used for demographic questions (gender, ethnicity, occupation)
  • Allows for mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories
  • Analysis focuses on frequencies and proportions
• Ordinal response format involves categories with a meaningful order
  • Used for education levels, income brackets, or satisfaction ratings
  • Enables ranking of responses but doesn't indicate magnitude of differences
  • Median and mode are appropriate measures of central tendency

Interval and Ratio Formats

• Interval response format has equal distances between response options
  • Temperature measurements (Celsius, Fahrenheit) exemplify interval scales
  • Allows for addition and subtraction, but no true zero point
  • Mean and standard deviation can be calculated
• Ratio response format includes a true zero point and equal intervals
  • Used for measurements like age, income, or distance
  • Allows for all arithmetic operations, including multiplication and division
  • Provides the most detailed level of measurement

Ranking Questions

• Ranking questions ask respondents to order items based on preference or importance
  • Useful for determining relative priorities among options
  • Can be implemented as drag-and-drop or numbering systems in online surveys
  • Limited by cognitive load (avoid ranking more than 7-10 items)
• Consider using partial ranking for long lists of items
  • Ask respondents to select and rank top 3 or 5 choices
  • Reduces respondent fatigue and improves data quality