Below are some of the most common types of survey questions and how you can use them to create a great survey.
Multiple choice questions
Multiple-choice questions are the most popular survey type. They allow your respondents to choose one or more options from a list of answers that you define. They’re intuitive, easy to use in a variety of ways, help you get data that’s easy to analyze, and provide mutually exclusive options. Because the answer options are fixed, it’s easier for your respondents to complete the survey.
Perhaps most importantly, you’ll get structured survey responses that create clean data for analysis.
Rating scales
In rating scale questions (sometimes called ordinal questions), the question displays a scale of options from any range (0 to 100, 1 to 10, etc.). The respondent selects the number that most closely matches their answer.
Likert scales
Most likely, you’ve seen this type of question before. Likert scale questions are “do you agree or disagree” questions that you often see in surveys and are used to gauge respondents’ opinions and feelings.
Likert scale questions give respondents a range of options, for example, from “very likely” to “extremely likely.” This is why they work well to understand specific feedback. For example, employee surveys often use Likert scales to measure their opinions or attitudes on a number of topics.
Matrix questions
If you want to ask several questions in a row that have the same answer options, matrix questions are the best option. A series of Likert scale questions or a series of rating scale questions can work well as a matrix question. Matrix questions can simplify a lot of content, but it is important to use them carefully. Very large matrices, like the one below, can be confusing and difficult to read on mobile devices.
Drop-down questions
A drop-down question is an easy way to display a long list of answer choices without overwhelming respondents. You can use it to give them a scrolling list of answers to choose from.
Demographic questions
Use demographic survey questions if you are interested in collecting information about the respondent’s background or income level. When used correctly, these types of questions in a survey allow you to better understand your target audience. Demographic questions are powerful tools for segmenting your audience based on who they are and what they do, allowing you to dive even deeper into your data.