4 Most Popular Question Types Used in Online Polls

There are different popular question types used in online polls today. It is a must that you know how and when you should use each of these question types in your online polls. This is because when you make even a smallest mistake in choosing the question, your respondents might end up stopping halfway through the survey, or even worse, they might abandon the poll all in all. So, what are the most common types of questions that you can use for your online polls?

Multiple Choice Questions

Probably the type that you can see in almost all online polls is none other than the multiple choice questions. These multiple choice questions are considered extremely effective since these do not require your respondents to provide any other additional answers. These can be of two type – choose one or choose many. The multiple choice questions are extensively used in online polls wherein the respondents have to pick among different products, options, and others.

This type of question is also used often for acquiring demographic information or to learn more about a set of issues. Below written is a good example of a multiple question:

• What is your marital status? (Choose one.)

• Married
• Single
• Living with partner
• Separated
• Widowed
• Divorced

Drop Down Menu Question

Another popular type of question used in most online polls is none other than the drop down menu question. If there are plenty of choices which are available for your respondents to choose from, such as countries, or when your respondents need to choose one option from a bigger group of values then drop down menu questions are your ideal go-to option.

Open Ended Text Question

The open ended questions also belong to the category of most commonly used question type in online polls. These are more suitable when the respondents need to be given a chance to write their very own text in conformity with the particular question being asked. This type of question usually provides answers which tend to be complex but can offer deeper insights regarding satisfaction and opinions of customers.

This kind of question is used for gaining further insights as to how the respondents really feel. It requires plenty of attention when it comes to analysis of the responses received so this must only be used if it is important to collect response in the own words of the respondent. Below mentioned is a good example of an open ended text question:

• Describe your relationship with your teacher.

Rank Order Scaling Question

The rank order scaling questions are suitable when a provided order of importance must be established based on the input of the respondents. These can either be based on one attribute, such as the order of importance when dining in a certain restaurant, or these can be based on a certain item in general, compared to the same objects.

Bonus Type: Comment Box Questions

Also among the most famous types of questions used in online polls is comment box question. These questions allow the respondents to input their own answers to the provided answer field. It is the separate place for extra information to be given to allow respondents to let them expand on clear cut answers in a much greater detail.