Importance of Format and Design in Survey Making

What is the importance of format and design in survey making?

1. Wrong Wording May Be Misinterpreted
2. Unclear Questions Lead to Unclear Results
3. Double-Barreled Questions Can Be Confusing
4. Leading Questions Can Be Biased
5. To Prevent Invasive Personal Questions

 

In order for you to get the most accurate data using a WordPress survey tool, you must understand the importance of its format and design. Without the proper form and wording, respondents may misinterpret your intentions and give you inaccurate answers. You may not realize it as well but in the process of creating survey questions, you may also be introducing your own biases into the equation. These are just some of the possible effects that you need to be aware of when creating your survey.

Read on to learn more about the importance of format and design in survey making.

Wrong Wording May Be Misinterpreted

In order to be clear with the kind of data that you are trying to receive, you must have the proper wording in the proper order. Be straightforward with your questions and keep them as short as possible. Your goal should be to find the best way to string words together to get the most accurate results in the least amount of time.

In order to create the most ideal questions, take note of the main goal of your survey and how you are planning to apply it to your company. Form your questions around the type of decision you will make once you have the results of the survey. Be careful because unclear questions could lead to unclear results.

Unclear Questions Lead to Unclear Results

Do not beat around the bush with your questions in order for your respondent to reply as quickly and as hassle-free as possible. If your choice of words is too confusing, you may acquire inaccurate data which would render your survey unusable. Take note of the two kinds of questions: structured (fixed response) and non-structured (open).

Structured questions can greatly help you collect data as fast as possible because you will be providing responders with a closed set of responses. All they will need to do is tick off the answers that they can most relate to. If you are looking to explore new ideas, you could opt for non-structured questions. These types of questions have no list of responses, but rather the respondents are asked to write down their answers. Make sure that you can separate your questions well in order to prevent any incidences of double-barreled questions.

Double-Barreled Questions Can Be Confusing

Another example of unclear questions are called double-barreled questions. This happens when you end up accidentally asking two questions at once. This could give your respondents a difficult time answering the question especially if you gave them a closed set of responses. It would also give you a difficult time examining the data as you will not be able to understand which question the respondent answered unless you contact them and ask again.

To prevent double-barreled questions, the most important thing to do is read your questions well. Once you notice this type of question in your survey, simply split the questions up into two separate ones. This is crucial to remember in order to get the most accurate results. Another potential complication that could affect your data collection are leading questions.

Leading Questions Can Be Biased

Leading questions stem from the biases of the survey maker. Accurate surveys are created by asking questions in a neutral way. This means that you should word your question in a way that it would not lead your respondents to a particular answer. This could be difficult to notice as you may not be aware of your own biases.

One way to solve this is by asking another person to read and review your survey questions before you send them out. A fresh set of eyes can help pinpoint any leading questions within your questionnaire. When drafting your questions, you must also be careful with the type of information that you may be asking from your respondent as some may not be open to answering too personal questions.

To Prevent Invasive Personal Questions

In order to prevent any invasion of your respondent’s privacy, try to think if their personal information is necessary for your research. If it is, then there are some things that you need to note in order to prevent any invasive personal questions in your survey. For one, consider giving fixed responses that they can simply tick off. These can be beneficial in terms of collecting demographic information such as age, race, and income level. Another thing you need to take note of is that some people may opt not to answer your survey if they need to provide any personal information. To combat this, try to put personal questions at the end of the questionnaire.

For you to get the most accurate data without invading the privacy of your respondents, take note of these five simple steps.

Key Takeaway

In order to get the data that you are looking for through a WordPress survey tool, you must know how to ask the right questions to the right people. Remove your preconceived biases when forming your questions in order to get the most accurate results. Try to craft your survey questions well in order to allow your respondents to answer with their genuine beliefs.

Take note of these tips to create the most unbiased survey questionnaire through a WordPress survey tool.