To minimize the likelihood of respondents selecting the middle choice to quickly complete a questionnaire, it is generally best to use an odd number of answer choices. This allows for a true middle option, which can encourage a tendency to choose the center option.
Among the choices you provided (3, 4, 5, 7), the best options would be:
- 3 (which has a clear middle option), or
- 5 (which provides more options while still having a center).
Since the goal is to avoid a clear middle choice that encourages quick selections, 5 is typically considered ideal as it allows for more nuanced responses without a middle option to resort to directly.
However, if you are aiming to strictly avoid allowing a middle response, 3 might also work since it limits options.
Overall, 5 would be the best choice for a balance of response variability while still minimizing the risk of quick selections.
5 answers