Survey design

Network survey services allow various types of question. As shown here, they may be open-ended questions (1-3), or they may limit responses (4-7).
  1. Text field -- short text where specific information is called for
  2. Essay -- multiline text if a longer response is called for
  3. Multiple text fields -- similar to 1, but several replies are possible
  4. Radio button -- multiple choice, select only one reply
  5. Check box -- multiple choice, select multiple replies
  6. Likert scale -- flexible format for ranking responses
  7. Star rating -- similar to Likert scale, but levels are not defined

Of course, you can mix open-ended and limited-response questions. For example, you might follow a multiple choice question with an open-ended question asking for an explanation of the choice. Or, you might offer multiple choices, and give the respondent the option of checking "other" and entering a value.

Likert-scale questions, in which respondents state their level of agreement with a statement, are common in surveys. The general format is:

<A statement the respondent can agree or disagree with>
  1. strongly disagree
  2. disagree
  3. neither agree nor disagree
  4. agree
  5. strongly agree

There are variations on the Likert format. For example, one can ask a question like How important is X? and ask for responses ranging from not at all important to extremely important. Another variation on the Likert theme is the rating question, in which the respondent assigns one or more stars to something like a movie or TV show.

Your questions must be carefully worded to make sure they are not ambiguous. If two respondents read the same question and interpret it differently, your results will be inaccurate. After you draft your survey, you should set it aside for a day or so, then reread it with fresh eyes. You should also have someone else complete and comment on your survey before you post it.

Think about the purpose of conducting your survey. Are you curious about the topic? Who will be willing to take it? Who will be interested in the results?

You should set a closing date for responses, and can analyze the results after that time.

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