Outline the Survey
Write down what decisions will be made based on the data.
Have no more than 3 main objectives for the survey.
Explain the purpose of your survey.
Create a rough draft of questions to be included in the survey.
Begin the survey with a closed-ended question.
Make sure the questions go from general to specific.
Include any sensitive questions toward the end of the survey.
Include demographic questions at the end.
Make sure all questions relate to your objectives.
Complete each topic before moving on to the next.
Make it easy to return the survey.
Survey Draft
Avoid use of jargon, acronyms, or terminology unfamiliar to respondents.
Use simple and concise questions.
Ask questions before describing the rating scale.
Ensure there are all possible answer options included.
Allow the respondent to select 'Prefer not to answer' for sensitive questions.
Display the most positive answer options first.
Include a midpoint answer on rating scales.
Use closed-ended questions whenever possible.
Make sure open-ended questions are voluntary.
Review and Pre-Test
Sent the survey to colleagues or friends for review.
Pre-test the survey by sending to a small group of actual survey respondents.
Revise draft according to feedback from pretest.
Keep it short, make sure the survey takes 10 minutes or less to complete.
Ensure you will be able to make the decisions you identified in your objectives based on the garthered data.

Survey Checklist

Related Checklists