| Writing surveys is easy; or is it? The truth is that writing | | | | will allow you to filter out respondents who don't fit |
| surveys is easy but writing effective surveys is more | | | | your target profile. |
| difficult. The following are twenty tips that if followed | | | | 12. Allow the respondent to expand or make |
| will help you write more effective surveys. | | | | comments |
| 1. What is the purpose of the survey? | | | | Allowing the respondent to make additional comments |
| Surveys are conducted for many reasons. By | | | | will increase their satisfaction level and will also give |
| phrasing the questions and structuring the answers | | | | valuable feedback on the specific questions and/or the |
| surveys can be used in a multitude of ways and for a | | | | survey as a whole. Remember though for a large |
| variety of reasons. When compiling a survey don't | | | | sample collection it may be difficult to analyse free |
| loose sight of its purpose. | | | | text open ended responses. |
| 2. Title the survey | | | | 13. If the survey you are conducting is to be |
| The survey title is a golden opportunity to instantly | | | | confidential ensure that your pledge is upheld |
| summarise a survey's objective and grab the attention | | | | If you have assured the respondents that the survey |
| of invited respondents. Respondents are going to | | | | is confidential ensure that the individual data is not to |
| invest time in completing the survey so make them | | | | be shared with anyone and the information is not going |
| feel that their investment is worthwhile. | | | | to be used for any other purpose. Confidentiality must |
| 3. Do not make the survey any longer than it needs to | | | | be maintained at all times and any identifying |
| be | | | | information destroyed after the survey is complete. |
| Every question that is asked should be asked for a | | | | 14. Weigh up the benefits of allowing respondents to |
| reason. Focus on 'need to know' questions and | | | | be anonymous or identifiable |
| minimise 'nice to know' information. | | | | If your respondents are to be anonymous then |
| 4. Use plain English, avoid jargon and acronyms, | | | | appreciate that you will be unable to follow up or |
| maintain consistency and don't ask questions that may | | | | match "pre" or "post" surveys. However in some |
| result in ambiguous answers | | | | cases allowing people to remain anonymous will allow |
| Care must be taken in wording a question. If a question | | | | people to respond without possible peer pressure. |
| is not clear then there is every chance that | | | | 15. Give careful consideration to the best response |
| respondents may interpret the question differently to | | | | format |
| that intended by the publisher making any analysis of | | | | It is good practice to maintain a consistency in the |
| the data meaningless or at the very least misleading. | | | | format used for responses. Keep in mind that when |
| 5. Avoid long questions | | | | analysing the data radio buttons are easier to analyse |
| Try to use short sentences wherever possible. Long | | | | than check boxes that offer the respondent multiple |
| questions tend to cause respondents discomfort and | | | | responses. Do not use a check box if a radio |
| can lead to a higher level of incidents where | | | | response would do. |
| respondents abandon a survey. | | | | 16. Give the respondent an idea of how much time the |
| 6. Ask one question at a time | | | | survey will take. |
| Avoid confusing the respondent with a question like | | | | Respondent drop out can occur if the survey appears |
| 'Do you like football and tennis?' | | | | to be a stream of never ending questions. It is good |
| 7. Avoid influencing the answer | | | | practice to give an indication as to how long the |
| It is important not to load the question. 'Should | | | | survey is likely to take so the respondents can choose |
| irresponsible shop keepers who sell tobacco to children | | | | the best time to complete the survey. |
| be prosecuted?' is unlikely to have any value. | | | | 17. Inform the respondents of the survey end date |
| 8. Ensure that the answer format used allows the | | | | Encourage respondents to complete the survey as |
| respondent to answer the question being asked | | | | soon as possible but advice respondents as to the |
| Allow the respondent to answer how they really feel | | | | surveys end date so that they have the opportunity to |
| or they may be less inclined to complete the survey. | | | | schedule the necessary time. |
| As a last resort consider the benefit of including a | | | | 18. Pilot the survey |
| "Don't know", "Can't say" or similar response option. | | | | Before publishing a live survey publish a small pilot |
| 9. At the same time that you compile the survey | | | | survey to check for questions that are ambiguous or |
| consider, when the survey is complete, how the | | | | confusing and to ensure that the survey is aesthetically |
| compiled data is going be analysed | | | | pleasing. |
| If a question is asked that allows a free text open | | | | 19. Before publishing the survey proof read the survey |
| ended response appreciate that such information is | | | | several times |
| likely to be difficult to score and/or summarised. | | | | Check and check again that the survey is |
| Consider grouping answers. For example "How long | | | | grammatically correct and makes sense. If possible get |
| have you worked here?" - 'less than 1 year', 'between | | | | someone else to proof read the survey before you |
| 1 and 3 years' and 'more than 3'. | | | | publish, if no one else is available then take a break |
| 10. Ensure that the questionnaire flows | | | | before checking again. |
| When asking questions group the questions into clear | | | | 20. Remember to say thank you |
| categories as this makes the task of completing the | | | | To complete surveys respondents need to invest their |
| survey easier for the participants. | | | | time and should be thanked either in a covering letter, |
| 11. Target your respondents | | | | at the end of completing the survey or in a follow up |
| In some cases you will want to target a specific group, | | | | letter. You may even want to consider incentives such |
| in others a cross section. If you can't easily control the | | | | as a prize draw or reward. |
| respondents consider including questions/answers that | | | | |