Even if you are not going down the researcher path, you still have to be able to identify if a survey has good or bad questions. As a citizen or as someone working in industry or the government, you will come across surveys, they are everywhere!
Bad surveys will impact not only research but data driven decisions. So, be on the lookout for the following characteristics:
A question that subtly guides respondents toward a particular answer by implying a preferred response.
A question that asks about two or more different issues at the same time, making it unclear what the respondent is answering.
A question that lacks clarity or specificity, making it difficult for respondents to provide an accurate answer.
A question that presumes something controversial or assumes guilt, making it hard for the respondent to answer without agreeing to the assumption.
A question that presents information in a way that favours one perspective over another.
A question that is unnecessarily complex, making it difficult for respondents to understand or stay engaged.
A question that does not provide all possible response options, leading to inaccurate or misleading results.
Answer this questions to test your level of skill in recognising good and bad questions Quiz
Build your own survey using platforms such as google forms or surveymonkey.