Multiple Choice Questions VS Open Ended Questions while Conducting Online Polls

The key part of creating successful online polls is the proper use of both open ended questions and multiple choice questions. But, which type of questions to use whenever you are conducting online polls?

Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple choice questions are one of the different close-ended questions you can use for conducting online polls. These questions enable the respondents to provide unanticipated or unique answers, yet instead, they have to pick from a list of various pre-selected options. 

Ways to Use Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple choice questions are conclusive in nature because they’re made to make data that’s quantifiable. The fact that these questions are simple to code makes them useful when trying to prove statistical significance of the results of the survey. In addition to that, the gained information by multiple questions enables the researchers to categorize the respondents into groups that are based on their selected options.

You can also use multiple choice questions for demographic studies. For instance, a designer clothing store’s manager believes that a particular kind of people are more likely to visit the store and buy their clothing. To know which groups are most likely to be the customers, the manager may conduct an online poll. This online poll could include about employment status, age, gender, and some demographic information they want to know. After that, it’d be followed with the questions on how frequent they visit stores and the money they spend yearly. By using multiple choice questions on an online poll, you can easily know the things that you need to serve customers better. 

Open Ended Questions
By nature, open ended questions are explanatory. It enables the respondents to give any answer they choose without forcing them to choose from the concrete options.

Ways to Use Open Ended Questions
Open ended questions offer rich qualitative data. In essence, these offer the researcher a chance to gain insight on every opinion on topics they aren’t familiar with. Nevertheless, being qualitative in nature makes these kinds of questions lack statistical significance required for conclusive research. However, open ended questions are useful in some ways and these include:

• Expert Interviews – Since the open ended questions ask for critical thinking as well as respondent’s uncut opinion, they expect to gain information from the specialists in the field, which researcher is less qualified in.
• Small Population Studies – Questions that are open ended can be beneficial for online polls that are targeting small group of people for the reason that there’s no need for the complex statistical analysis and qualitative questions will provide you more input from every respondent. The rule is the group should be small enough for surveyors to read every unique response and reflect on provided information.
• Respondent Outlet Typically, it’s a good idea in an online poll, regardless of how big to leave open ended comment questions at the end. It’s the case of survey asking close ended questions on behaviors, opinions, and attitudes.

Effectiveness of 'Tracking Poll Method' in Online Polls

The tracking poll method, also called as rolling poll, is a type of poll wherein the responses are obtained at a certain number of consecutive days, such as daily. The results will then be calculated with the use of a moving average of all responses which have been gathered over a fixed number of the latest periods, for instance, the past 6 days. Referring to this example, the following calculated results will then use the data for 6 days counting backwards from the following data, specifically the very same data as before, yet with the data coming from the next also included, and with no data from the 7th day prior to that day.

There are many reasons why more and more businesses and organizations are now using online polls. And with the use of the tracking poll method, you can look forward to enjoying some of these benefits which include the following:

Easy Gathering of Data

The online world is an extensive virtual world which connects all types of people from different corners of the globe. This is the reason why a survey which calls for hundreds or more respondents can now be conducted faster and easier through the internet. The questionnaire for the poll can be quickly deployed then completed by the target respondents, particularly when there is an incentive being offered after they finished the survey. 

Automation in Handling and Input of Data

With online polls, the respondents get the ability of answering the questionnaire by way of inputting their answers while they are connected online. The responses will then be automatically stored within a survey database which provides hassle free handling of the data as well as a smaller chance of errors in data. 

Minimal Costs

The traditional and common methods of surveys usually require you to spend several thousands of dollars in order to attain the optimal results. Meanwhile, studies also show that conducting online polls can facilitate fast and low cost collection of data from the specific target population. It is more affordable to send email questionnaires as well as other forms of online questions as compared to the usual face to face method. 

More Flexible Designs

Complex kinds of surveys can now be conducted with ease through the help of the internet. The questionnaire could include more than a single kind of response format in a way where the respondents will not feel discouraged with the changes in the way that they answer every question. 

Increased Response Rates

Online polls can also offer the highest level of convenience for all respondents since they will be able to answer the surveys at their own time, pace, and preferences. 

Considering the benefits of online polls, it is safe to say that the tracking poll method can give you the most reliable results that you want within the specific target time frame. With tracking poll method, you can make the most out of your online polls, and get the right answers that you need from your target audience with exceptional ease.

Difference between polls and online questionnaire – Info you need to know!

Online survey questionnaires and polls are the two techniques used to accumulate input from a crowd of people or populace. They are approaches to make inquiries to a gathering of individuals online without the confinements of area, time zones or cost factors that you experience with paper, phone or up close and personal survey and survey taking.

There are some key contrasts between the two types of criticism gathering which we have laid out underneath. Before you choose on the off chance that you are doing to do a survey or poll, read the recognizing components of every strategy underneath and pick which best suits your necessities.
 
Inquiries
Surveys comprise of one different decision question where the respondent can by and large just select one answer. Despite the fact that there is the choice to permit different answers.

A poll can incorporate various inquiries crosswise over an extensive variety of question sorts, for example, numerous decision, evaluations, short and long content, and positioning inquiries.

Content
Surveys accumulate conclusions on a solitary point or thing and are normally centered around the quick current supposition of the client. The respondents are not for the most part requested any individual or delicate data in survey taking and is, in this way, a mysterious type of criticism.

A poll can assemble conclusions on various subjects (or sub-points) and can decide future activities of the surveyor. You can approach respondents in surveys for individual data if necessary. For instance, you may request an email address, age, name or occupation.

Time
Surveys take a matter of seconds to finish and in several mouse clicks so you can get moment criticism from your respondents.

Polls can take more time to answer and require greater responsibility from the respondent to finish it in entirety.


Results
Results from surveys can be found in reports instantly and no investigation is essentially required. This additionally implies surveys can give restricted information to reach inferences from.

Creating a poll requires more opportunities to assemble reactions and examination is expected to pull together every one of the appropriate responses of the inquiries inside it to detail an extensive conclusion. While it is additionally tedious to examine the information from a survey poll, you will get a significantly wealthier information results to give you a clearer picture of gathering of people's assessment.

When surveys are the best method:

-    You require comprehensive feedback

-    You will be following up on the consequences of your criticism

-    You have many things to ask

-    You have to accumulate individual points of interest/recognizable proof details

-    You need to put open questions

When polls are the best method:

-    You require quick input

-    You have one thing to ask

-    You are posing the inquiry for entertainment only

-    You don't require detailed reactions

-    You have no time for examination

There are a ton of polls and poll creators out there, so now that you understood the basic and simple difference between these two, you can simply create your custom poll!