Question Order

The order in which you present your questions can be equally as important as the wording of the questions themselves. Question order can affect the rapport you have with your participants, response rate of your survey, and reliability of your data.

Think of the beginning of a questionnaire as the first seconds of a job interview. It is the first impression your questionnaire will make, and can cause respondents to either choose to invest their time in the survey or they may lose interest, deeming the questionnaire unworthy of their time. This will affect a survey’s response rate, which, in turn may cause response bias. 

Picking your First Questions

To ensure that participants do not feel overwhelmed at the start of the survey, researchers will commonly begin by asking some simple questions that are closed-ended and relevant to the main topic covered by the survey. These questions will help the participant ease into the survey process and get into the proper mindset. With the proper approach and preparation, a researcher can spark the interest of their participants, keeping them invested in the survey and thereby willing to respond for longer.

First Questions Do’s and Don’ts

Ordering the Rest of your Survey

As you move into ordering the main body of your questionnaire, it’s important to consider how the survey flows logically. A survey with good question ordering is easier to understand, creating a more positive experience for participants and encouraging them to complete the entire questionnaire. 

Here is a checklist of some tips to consider as you structure the rest of your questionnaire:

(Avineri, 2017; Krosnick, J., Presser, S., 2009; Vanette, 2014)

In the next couple of pages, you will find answers to some common questions that may arise when ordering a questionnaire. The pages will cover information about how to filter questions as well as address and avoid any complications along the way.