subject: All About Market Research Survey Questions [print this page] The questions in your market research survey can definitely dictate its success or failure. Some entries in questionnaires are left unanswered, because the respondent doesn't know how to answer it or finds that the question doesn't apply to him. Others would give an answer that's not true, only because they didn't understand well the question or the instruction. Many survey results have turned out to be invalid or spoiled due to situations like these. To help you avoid these cases, here are some pointers you can take with you before you formulate those survey questions.
You should keep your questions concise, simple and direct. Avoid jargon, technical terms, and words that may be exclusive to a certain culture. Use words that you use every day and that are easy to understand for your respondents. A survey questionnaire is not the venue for you to flaunt your wide vocabulary. You also need to provide a definition if you really have to use scientific terms, foreign words, and other special languages.
You should make sure that the meaning of your question is clear. It should be stated in a way that no one will interpret it in any other way but yours. It shouldn't also confuse the respondents. A common mistake in questionnaires for market research survey is the double-barreled question. For instance, you can't ask, "Did you like our food and drinks?" It seems like a simple question, but you may still be left confused as to how to answer it. Maybe you like the drinks, but not the food. Instead, you should put them as two separate questions: "Did you like our food?" and "Did you like our drinks?"
How you arrange your questions is as important as how you phrase them. Group your questions according to topic and present one topic at a time. Also, sort your questions according to their level of difficulty. This will help your respondents understand your questions better and make their train of thought and replies flow easily. Under each topic, sort the questions according to their level of difficulty. Start with the easy questions, so your respondents would "warm up" to the survey. Asking complicated questions right away would turn off most people.
Your questionnaire is definitely crucial to the success of your market research survey. Make sure your questions are meticulously formulated and presented in a format that's easy to answer for your respondents. Follow the suggestions above to help you get started and have a productive study.
