Better Survey Questions Start with Less Guesswork
By Fiona van Iersel
Minerva Empowerment
Research in Marketing
23 November 2024

A survey can look straightforward while asking respondents to do several kinds of work at once. Good questions make it clear what to judge, what period to remember and how to answer.

Separate two judgements. Asking whether Coca-Cola is “tasty and refreshing” combines taste and refreshment. Ask about taste first, then ask how refreshing it is on a clearly labelled scale. Someone may value one quality without agreeing about the other.

Make the unit and recall period clear. Asking for bus use over four weeks leaves room for confusion about single journeys, return trips and transfers. A question about single bus journeys in a typical week is easier to interpret; answer choices should cover all possible frequencies.

Avoid assuming participation. A question about stores visited should specify the type of purchase, location and period, while allowing “None.” Asking which stores someone bought clothing from in the last month is clearer than asking vaguely which departments they purchased from.

Remove emotional pressure. A question linking imported cars with patriotism and job losses invites respondents to defend an identity. If the aim is to understand purchasing preferences, ask about those preferences directly; if it is to understand views on employment, ask that separately.

Reduce the calculation burden. “Annual per-capita grocery expenditure” asks people to estimate a year, divide it by household size and translate the result into an unfamiliar measure. Asking for approximate monthly household grocery spending is more manageable. Household size can be collected separately if a per-person measure is needed.