Common question types
Question:
What is the key difference between different type of response? How do I use them differently when creating a new survey?
The answer
There are several types of responses ranging from single answer, multiple answer, open-ended, and rating scale.
In this article we only cover for the common types that are popularly used in the mainstream research business. Please see each of them with description as well as the real examples below.
Should you look for some other types which are not listed here, please do not hesitate to let us know.
Close-ended question: Single answer
A closed-ended question is a question format that limits respondents with a list of answer choices from which they must choose to answer the question.
Commonly these types of questions are in the form of multiple choices and specifically for the single answer type, only one answer is needed.
This can be a simple yes/no question, or question in scale format where respondent should decide to rate the situation in along the scale continuum.
Yes/No question
Have you been to Paris?
Note: Only one answer allowed
Scale rating
How would you rate your overall satisfaction to the service of this car dealer?
Please use scale from 1 to 5 where 1 means I am not satisfied at all, and 5 means I am extremely satisfied.
Note: Only one answer allowed
Numeric
This is a question type that only deals with numeric answers (answers in numbers).
What year is the vehicle registration of your car?
Please choose from the provided dropdown list below.
Note: Only one answer allowed
Close-ended question: Multiple answer
Similar to the single anwer close ended question as described earlier, the key difference is on the fact that it accepts several answers within one single question.
Multiple choices
Which of these devices do you currently own?
Note: Several answers allowed
Open-ended question
An open-ended contrasts with a closed-ended question as it cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”, or with a specific piece of information, and which gives the person answering the question scope to give the information that seems to them to be appropriate.
This type of questions is sometimes phrased as a statement which requires a response.
Date
What is your date of birth? Please enter your date of birth in the provided box below.
Note: Please fill in following this format: 21/09/2016
Short answer
It is typically a maximum of one-line answer box to fill in.
Which country are you from?
You can enter your answer in the provided box below.
Note: Please fill in your answer in the box
Long answer
For the long answer, it normally comes in a text area format which can be written as long as needed.
Please describe your feeling/ how you feel about your new house?
Please write in as much detail as possible.
Note: Please write in the box below as much as you like
Rating scale
This question type is more complex than those described earlier.
A rating scale is a set of categories designed to elicit information about an attribute. In the social sciences, particularly psychology, the common examples are the scaling response scale which can be 1-5, 1-7, 1-9 or 1-10 rating scales in which a respondent would be asked to select the number which is considered to reflect the perceived quality of a product.
Rating without N/A
This type of rating scale will not include an option of N/A therefore it is necessary that respondent would be required to answer each of the aspect with one of the available choices.
How do you like your television in each of these aspects?
Please rate each of them by using a rating scale from 1 to 5 where 1 means not good at all, and 5 means very good.
Note: Only one answer allowed for each aspect
| Not good at all | Not good | So so | Good | Very good | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | |||||
| Build quality | |||||
| Remote controller | |||||
| Packaging | |||||
| Price |
Rating with N/A
Unlike the previous one, this type of rating scale will include an option of N/A allowing respondent to answer N/A if they really cannot give their opinion to that particular aspect.
How satisfied are you with each of these service aspects from your mobile operator?
Please rate each of them by using a rating scale from 1 to 5 where 1 means not satisfied at all, and 5 means very satisfied. And you can also rate N/A if you have never used such service from your mobile operator.
Note: Only one answer allowed for each aspect
| Not satisfied at all | Not satisfied | So so | Satisfied | Very satisfied | N/A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signal | ||||||
| Customer service | ||||||
| Shops | ||||||
| Billing | ||||||
| Call centre |
Other types of question
There are still other types of question which are not very common and hence we have not covered them in this article. While currently we do not include other types into our system, it does not mean that we will not include them in the future.
Should you need a specific type of question in particular, please let us know, and we will address your needs accordingly.
