Survey Questions

Question

Surveys are developed to find data about a sample, or representative, population. This can help determine what a larger population thinks about a specific topic.
The following are some questions to think about in order to develop an effective survey.
What Data do I Want to Collect?
State your objective.
Consider why you are completing this survey.
Who is My Audience?
Write specifically for your audience.
Don’t use terms that might be unclear to your audience.
What Type of Questions Do I Want to Use?
Brainstorm a list of different questions and question types:
multiple choice – Provide several choices for the people to choose the answer with which they agree.
ratings scale – Provide a ratings scale to allow people to choose how strongly they agree or disagree with a statement.
short answer – Provide a question and allow the people to respond in their own words.
Make your questions clear. Do not create questions that require more than one answer.

Make your questions understandable and to the point. Do not create confusing questions.

Eliminate questions that don’t provide the data for which you are looking.
Are My Questions Unbiased?
You want fair, or unbiased, questions that don’t persuade the population to respond in a certain way. Review the following example of an unbiased question and a biased question:
biased – Why is traffic such a problem in our city?
unbiased – What do you think about traffic in our city?

Answer 1

Survey Development Guidelines

Objective

1. What Data do I Want to Collect?
   • State your objective: Determine public opinion on the effectiveness of local public transportation services.
   • Consider why you are completing this survey: To gather data to present to local government agencies for potential improvements in public transportation.

Audience

2. Who is My Audience?
   • Target audience: Residents of the city who utilize public transportation services.
   • Write specifically for your audience: Use clear language and avoid technical jargon related to transportation.

Questions

3. What Type of Questions Do I Want to Use?

   • Multiple Choice Questions:
     a. How often do you use public transportation?

     • Daily
     • Weekly
     • Monthly
     • Rarely
     • Never
       b. Which mode of public transportation do you primarily use?
     • Bus
     • Train
     • Tram
     • Rideshare
     • None

   • Rating Scale Questions:
     c. On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate the overall quality of public transportation in our city?
     (1 = Very Poor, 2 = Poor, 3 = Average, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent)
     d. How satisfied are you with the frequency of public transportation services?
     (1 = Very Unsatisfied, 2 = Unsatisfied, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Satisfied, 5 = Very Satisfied)

   • Short Answer Questions:
     e. What improvements would you suggest for our public transportation system?
     f. What do you appreciate most about our public transportation services?

4. Clarity and Specificity of Questions:

   • Ensure questions are clear and direct, avoiding ambiguity.
   • Example of a clear question:
     • What is your primary mode of public transportation?
   • Avoid complicated questions that may confuse respondents.

5. Eliminating Irrelevant Questions:

   • Review each question to confirm they align with your survey's objective—remove any that do not directly collect useful data.

Bias

6. Are My Questions Unbiased?
   • An unbiased question example:
     • How would you describe your experience with public transportation in our city?
   • Ensure questions do not lead respondents toward a particular answer.
   • Refrain from using emotionally charged language or assumptions.

By following these guidelines, you can create a focused and effective survey that gathers valuable insights from your target audience on public transportation services.