Writing a good questionnaire
- Nicole Mc Neilly
We’ve all filled in questionnaires, but what are the tips and tricks that can make your questionnaire stand out and encourage people to fill it in?
Start with who you are
Make a connection with the reader and introduce yourself! Take a look through our list of ideas of things to include:
Who you are and your organisation
Why you are conducting this survey
What you will do with the results
How long it will take to complete (estimated - some software estimates this automatically for you)
The deadline to complete it by (plan ahead)
Tip. Make sure you respect your readers’ data and describe what you are going to do with the data, ensuring you obtain their consent where necessary. See more in our guidance on Ethics, data privacy and data collection
Draft your questions based on what you want to know - your indicators
How might you measure the indicators that you set out? In most cases, it will be quite simple to convert your indicator into a question.
Structure your questionnaire well and create a logical flow
Create a flow in your questionnaire. Start with the basics. If you are asking someone who they are or where they work, do this first. Then move on to move complex questions. Divide your questions into different pages, and title each page so that the respondent knows the focus.
Consult a question bank
In Europeana we have brought together all the questions that we use, and others that we have thought about but haven’t yet used, into one place. You can use and adapt these questions, as well as share feedback on how they worked for you.
Ask for help
Asking the right questions is never easy. If you are finding writing your questionnaire is more difficult than you anticipated, don’t worry. There are a wide range of online resources you can consult that can help you with advice on how to phrase questions, as well as how to structure - or not - the type of data you want to collect.
Have a look online to see if your questions can be answered. We like the UK’s National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) help for questionnaires, which you can find here. https://www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance/strategy-and-impact/impact-evaluation/measuring-your-impact/questionnaires/#/
Make sure that your questionnaire is accessible
Read more about how to make your questionnaire as accessible as possible.
Review checklist!
Are the questions clearly and consistently phrased?
Are your questions leading the stakeholder to give you the answer you desire? (avoid this at all costs!)
Have you used similar scales or styles for each question type throughout your questionnaire?
Are all the questions relevant for every respondent?
Have you made sure the reader understands what they have to do for each question? In some questions you might have to pick two options; in others one; or only respond if it’s relevant to you. Make sure that you give simple instructions.
Should you make any questions obligatory? Note that sometimes this means that some respondents will leave the survey, so use obligatory questions sparingly.
Are your questions short and clear? Don’t ask two questions in one!
Is your language clear for all stakeholders? Have you avoided colloquial phrasing or terminology?
Does your question order make sense? (You might want to start with simple questions and end with more challenging ones, or you might want to cluster similar questions together)
Will you use all of the data you’ll collect? Applying this test will help you eradicate unnecessary questions
Is your questionnaire short and accessible? (if it must be long, explain why it’s necessary)
Will multilingual options encourage better response rates?
Can someone unfamiliar with your work test your questionnaire? (the less familiar they are, the better insight you can get into how the survey works)
Can you envisage how the data will be reported? Do the data you collect answer the questions that you want to report on?