How it works

Multiple choice questions are the most basic type of Survey Question. Leaders can pose a question with up to 100 possible answers, from which participants choose one. These questions can also include an “Other (please specify)” option wherein participants can write an answer up to 120 characters long.

We’ve made it easy for leaders to upload batches of responses all at once. Simply copy and paste responses from a csv or text file into the “Bulk answers” dialogue box.

When to use it

Multiple choice questions are a great option when presenting participants with a short list of possible responses. Keep in mind that participants can only choose a single response, so frame your questions accordingly. If you would like participants to be able to select multiple answers, the Checkbox style question is what you need.

Example questions taken from an HR survey

• What is your current job title? (entry-level employee, manager, senior manager, executive, etc.)
• How long have you been with the company? (less than 1 year, 1-3 years, 4-6 years, 7-10 years, more than 10 years)
• What is your gender? (male, female, non-binary, prefer not to say)
• What is your age range? (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+)
• What is your race/ethnicity? (White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, etc.)

Example questions taken from a school survey

• What is your role in the school? (student, parent, staff member)
• What grade is your child in? (K-5, 6-8, 9-12)
• How long have you been associated with the school? (less than 1 year, 1-3 years, 4-6 years, 7-10 years, more than 10 years)
• What is your race/ethnicity? (White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, etc.)
• What is your primary language spoken at home? (English, Spanish, Mandarin, etc.)

How it works

Checkbox questions allow participants to select more than one response from a list of up to 100 options provided by the Exchange leader. These questions can also include an “Other (please specify)” option wherein participants can write an answer up to 120 characters long.

We’ve made it easy for leaders to upload batches of responses all at once. Simply copy and paste responses from a csv or text file into the “Bulk answers” dialogue box.

When to use it

Use a Checkbox style question when more than one of the responses you’ve provided could apply to a single participant (ex. “Which of the following professional development opportunities have you taken advantage of in the past year?”)

Examples taken from an HR survey

• What languages do you speak fluently? (English, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, etc.)
• What are your areas of expertise or certifications? (Project management, Six Sigma, Scrum, Human Resources, ITIL, etc.)
• What are your preferred work schedule? (Full-time, Part-time, Flexible hours, Remote work, Shift work)

Examples taken from a school survey

• What are your children's grade levels in this school? (Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, etc.)
• What are the subjects you teach? (Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Physical Education, Music, etc.)
• What are your primary ways of staying informed about the school? (Email, Website, Parent-teacher meetings, Newsletters, Social media, etc.)

How it works

Dropdown questions are the best option when your Multiple Choice question has too many options to display conveniently for your participants. These questions work just like Multiple Choice questions. Participants must choose a single answer from a list of up to 100, but the options appear in a dropdown format.

Since these questions are geared to handle long lists of responses, we’ve made it easy for leaders to upload batches of responses all at once. Simply copy and paste responses from a csv or text file into the “Bulk answers” dialogue box.

Note: The ‘Bulk answers’ upload option is only available when questions are first created. Once the Exchange has been saved or launched, this option is no longer available.

When to use it

Fairly straightforward: use this question option whenever you would use a Multiple Choice question if you feel the list of responses would be a bit too much to display all at once on a participant’s screen.

Examples 

• Which country were you born in? 
• What is your primary language?
• What is your job title?

How it works

Satisfaction score questions are standardized questions used to get a high-level view of participants’ overall satisfaction and always have a 0-10 point scale. Leaders can customize the question and response labels but can’t add or subtract options. Responses are grouped into categories and an overall score is calculated (learn more here).

When to use it

We recommend only one or two satisfaction score questions per Exchange. Ask your participants this type of question to measure satisfaction with your organization, experience, or service. We'll calculate your score automatically when you analyze your results. 

This question type is most valuable when paired with Likert Scale questions. First, ask a Satisfaction Score question to obtain an overall score or grade on your performance (the output). Second, use Likert Scale questions to better understand the participant’s opinion on themes that influence participant satisfaction (inputs). Of course, the analysis of thought rating patterns for each score is another highly effective way to understand each group’s opinions.

Examples

• On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend this company as a great place to work to a friend or colleague? (0 being not at all likely, 10 being extremely likely)
• On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend this school to a friend or colleague? (0 being not at all likely, 10 being extremely likely)

How it works

Likert scale questions are a staple of all types of research. They ask respondents to rate a statement on a 5-point scale indicating agreement, likeness, etc. The scale is preset to strongly disagree through to strongly agree, and the leaders can edit the scale options as needed, but responses cannot be added or removed from Likert scale questions. If you would like to ask a Likert-style question with greater or fewer than five responses, use the Multiple Choice question type.

When to use it

Likert scale questions are generally catered towards opinion based questions or statements and work best when assessing responses based on variables, e.g. sentiment, quality, importance, likelihood, etc. They are particularly useful when paired with Satisfaction Score questions, as you can use them to better understand why a certain Satisfaction Score was selected. Learn more here.

Examples taken from an HR survey

• I feel valued and recognized for my contributions at this company. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)
• I have the resources and support I need to perform my job effectively. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)
• My manager provides regular and meaningful feedback. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)
• I have opportunities for growth and development within the company. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)
• The company fosters a positive and inclusive work culture. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)

Examples taken from a school survey

• I feel safe and secure at this school. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)
• The school provides a challenging and engaging curriculum. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)
• Students receive adequate support for their learning needs. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)
• The school effectively communicates with parents/guardians, students and staff. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)
• The school provides a positive and inclusive environment. (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree)