This article includes descriptions and examples of each question type and corresponding answer text on our assessments.
Overview
Our survey system supports many question types. Institutions must select the appropriate question type for the question in order to report the results in the correct format. For example, if you want the results reported as a mean the question type must be “scaled” but for a frequency distribution the appropriate question type is “categorical”.
Please note: Multiple Response and Numeric question types are only available if your institution has ordered the Advanced Institution Specific Question (ISQ) option.
Categorical Question
A categorical question is a question that allows respondents to choose exactly one category.
Categorical questions are commonly used for demographic information and are easy to understand. You have the option to display the answer choices as a drop-down menu or radio buttons. If the list of answer options is long, such as when asking about a major, a drop-down menu is recommended. However, if the list is short, such as when asking if the student is predominantly a day or night student, radio buttons are a good choice.
The following are examples of categorical questions:
- What college is your major in? (Answer Text: College of Business, College of Humanities, etc.)
- How many siblings do you have? (Answer Text: None, 1,2, 3, 4 or more)
Scaled Question
A scaled question refers to any question that uses a Likert Scale for the answer options. This type of question allows respondents to rate their opinions, attitudes, or behaviors on a scale of 1 to 7. The scale ranges from the least desired (negative) response to the most desired (positive) response. Scaled questions are commonly used to measure satisfaction or perceived success levels.
The survey system offers a variety of commonly used scales for rating questions. You have the option to choose from these scales or create your own. It is important to note that if you are using Institution Specific Questions (ISQs), they must follow the same convention as the national survey, which is a 7-point scale. If you need to use a different number of points, it is recommended to use the "categorical" question type instead.
The following are examples of scaled questions:
- To what degree do you feel you’ll be successful at this school? (Scale: 1 = Not at all to 4 = Moderately to 7 =Extremely)
- How satisfied were you with the orientation schedule? (Scale: 1 = Very dissatisfied to 4 = Neutral to 7 = Very satisfied)
- To what degree are you satisfied with the classroom facilities? (Scale: 1 = Not at all to 4 = Moderately to 7 = Extremely)
Multiple Response Question
A multiple response question is similar to a categorical question, but it allows respondents to select more than one category as their answer.
For instance, if you ask the question "Which flavors of ice cream do you like? (choose all that apply)" with answer options like "Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Pistachio, Other," respondents can choose one, two, or all of the flavors. Analyzing this type of question can be challenging. If your goal is to understand the extent to which a respondent prefers one flavor, a better question would be "Of these four flavors, which do you like most?" By setting the question type as categorical, you can limit the respondent to a single answer.
The following are examples of multiple response questions:
- Choose all of the intramural sports in which you would like to participate: (Answer Text: Baseball, Football, Soccer, etc.)
- Please select the holidays on which you intend to visit home (select all that apply): (Answer Text: Thanksgiving, Winter break, New Year’s, Spring Break, etc.)
- Please choose the three dining facilities where you have eaten on campus most recently: (Answer Text: Jones Dining Hall, Tacos R Us, Clucky Chicken, etc.)
Numeric Question
A numeric question type collects numerical responses from respondents using an open text box that only allows the input of numbers. For example, a numeric question could ask respondents to provide their salary amount and they could type $30,000. This question type is useful for collecting quantitative data and can be easily analyzed.
The following are examples are numeric questions:
- How many institutions did you apply to before deciding to enroll at this institution?
- What GPA do you expect to earn this term?
- How many hours, on average, do you participate each week in extra-curricular campus activities?
Short Text Question
A short text question allows respondents to answer in a few words, with a character limit for the answer box. If you anticipate brief answers, this question type is suitable. However, if you expect longer responses, it is recommended to use the Long Text question type instead. Additionally, if you know that the majority of students will provide certain answers, using the Categorical Question type is encouraged as it makes data analysis easier.
The following are examples of short text questions:
- In what city/town were you born?
- If you were late for class, what would be the most likely reason for your tardiness?
Long Text Question
A long text question allows respondents to answer in a paragraph or less. There is a character limit for the answer box, but some students may provide lengthy responses if given the opportunity. This question type is ideal for capturing the students' thoughts and opinions in their own words. However, it can be challenging to analyze this information. Researchers often assign themes to each response and then count the number of responses in each theme. We offer a Word Cloud report to help analyze this type of data.
The following are examples are long text questions:
- Please explain why you chose this institution.
- What can our institution do to help you be a successful student?
