page8
S
URVEY
G
UIDE
8
includes several basic texts that can be very helpful in writing good questions
(see, e.g., Schaeffer and Presser (2002), Fowler and Cosenza (2008), and Aday
and Cornelius (2006)). Some general rules for writing effective survey questions
are summarized below.
Question Wording
Avoid using complex words, technical terms, jargon, and phrases that are
difficult to understand. Instead, use language that is commonly used by the
respondents. For example:
Use . . .
Instead of
…

Work

Tired

About

People who live here

Your answers

Job concerns

Providing health care

Employment

Exhausted

Regarding

Occupants of this household

Your responses to this questionnaire

Work-related employment issues

Health care provision
Other wording practices to avoid:

Shorthand (contractions, abbreviations, symbols, slashes,
parentheses, brackets)

Framing questions in the negative - how frequently do you not attend
classes?

Using double negatives - do you agree or disagree that students
should never not go to class?

Passive voice
–
how often were grade reductions made by your
teachers for absences?

Words or phrases with a strong point of view
Question Structure
Just like the words and phrases used in your questions, the structure of the
question should be simple and easy for respondents to comprehend. Questions
should have only a single subject and verb, and should not combine two
questions into one.
Questions can become “double
-
barreled” when the word “or” is used and also
when two different types of response options are tucked into a single question.
For example, In what year was your husband born? Check here if not currently
married,
asks for both the husband’s date of birth AND for whether the
respondent is married.