{"id":70275,"date":"2019-05-06T02:39:20","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T09:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.questionpro.com\/blog\/?p=70275"},"modified":"2023-06-06T06:28:41","modified_gmt":"2023-06-06T06:28:41","slug":"five-survey-mistakes-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.questionpro.com\/blog\/five-survey-mistakes-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"Five common survey mistakes and how to avoid them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writing surveys seem like an easy task. However, without proper forethought, poorly written surveys could ruin your insights. We\u2019ve seen bad surveys go viral for the wrong reasons. We\u2019ve also seen organizations who\u2019ve made decisions from bad data that resulted in huge losses. Perhaps you may know a few people who\u2019ve lost their job over a bad survey project. Nothing is worse than thinking you have the results you need to make major business decisions only to be completely wrong in the end. \u00a0Here are the most common survey mistakes people make and what you can do to avoid them in your own surveys or straw polls<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Avoid asking loaded questions<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Do not write survey questions that automatically assume respondents agree with the question being asked. As survey writers, it is our duty to create questions that solicit unbiased and honest answers from our target audience. Remove any opinions that could potentially sway a response.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Loaded question example<\/b>: Why is plain vanilla ice cream so boring?<\/span><\/p>\n

    The word \u2018plain\u2019 and \u2018boring\u2019 gives the perception that vanilla ice cream is not as exciting as other ice cream flavors.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A better way to write the question:<\/b> Describe your feelings about vanilla ice cream.<\/span><\/p>\n

    This question allows people to answer honestly about ice cream. Some may think it\u2019s still plain and boring but others may enjoy it and describe something different you may have otherwise missed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. <\/b> Avoid asking leading questions<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Similar to a loaded question, leading questions automatically assumes a respondent will agree with your biased opinion on the topic.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Leading question example:<\/b> How expensive is Salt and Straw ice cream?<\/span><\/p>\n

      The word \u2018expensive\u2019 automatically leads a person to think that Salt and Salt ice cream is pricier compared to other brands.<\/span><\/p>\n

      A better way to ask:<\/b> Does the price of Salt and Straw ice cream live up to its value?<\/span><\/p>\n

      Taking out the word \u2018expensive,\u2019 we are able to get people\u2019s thoughts on Salt and Straw\u2019s pricing and how much they value their ice cream experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. Combining questions together <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Nothing produces respondent confusion like a combination question. A survey question should be one question that users can answer, not a multi-part question.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Combination question example:<\/b> How do you like x and y feature of the new website?<\/span><\/p>\n

        If a person likes x feature but is not fond of y, you will never truly know when using closed-ended question types.<\/span><\/p>\n

        A better way to ask: <\/b>How do you like x feature of the new website? How do you like y feature of the new website?<\/span><\/p>\n

        Breaking apart multi-part questions will increase survey response quality.<\/span><\/p>\n

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        1. Asking too many questions<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          On average, respondents don\u2019t want to spend more than 5 minutes on a survey. It\u2019s in your best interest to present questions that are quick and concise and easy to respond to. Don\u2019t dupe a respondent into taking a survey that\u2019s only 30 questions long but takes 30 minutes to complete. Be upfront with the number of questions and how long it will take to finish. If you do require a longer survey, be transparent with the length and offer a worthwhile incentive to help lower the dropout rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

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          1. Targeting the wrong people<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Nobody likes to answer surveys they can\u2019t relate to. As the survey creator, we need to develop a survey that resonates with our target audience. It\u2019s important to ask these questions while we are writing the survey:<\/span><\/p>\n