Iterative Design of a Survey Question: A Case Study

Summary: Through 4 rounds of revisions, we made a survey more specific and usable. Running pilot studies before conducting a full-scale survey ensures you’ll reach your research goal.

Survey questions are delicate things. Even small details in wording can affect how your respondents interpret and answer them. A carelessly written question can ruin a study, so it’s worth a little extra time to perfect your survey. ​

Case Study: Survey on How People Use the Web

Recently, we decided to replicate a study conducted 21 years ago by researchers at Xerox PARC. The original study investigated how the information found online affects people’s decision making. The study consisted of a large-scale survey in which 3,292 respondents described in detail a situation where online content impacted their decisions or actions.

Today, people rely even more heavily on information found on the web than 20 years ago. From purchasing a house to deciding where to eat for dinner, the web helps users make a huge variety of decisions. Thus, we replicated the study to see if the important online information-seeking behaviors have changed over two decades.