This document provides guidance on creating and conducting effective surveys. It explains that surveys are used to gather information from a sample group that represents a larger population. The sample size should include enough people with different characteristics to represent the overall population. The document then lists 10 tips for creating good surveys, such as using simple language, asking one question per item, avoiding biased questions, and testing the survey before widespread use. The goal is to design clear, concise surveys that gather accurate and useful information.

1. Creating &
conducting a
survey
Grades 9-12
Mrs. Dacho @ CDNIS

2. Why a survey?
 Researchers conduct surveys to find out information
 A limited number of people are surveyed who become
the representation of a larger group
 Researchers then draw conclusions about that larger
group

3. How many to survey?
 The sample group should be large enough to
represent the characteristics that might affect the
results
 ie: if you are conducting a survey about grades and
sports teams, you would have to survey students who
are on teams and students who are not on teams.
 You would also need to survey a mix of males and
females, and that they were equally represented from all
grades

4. The Good & Bad of surveys
 Do you know how to make a good survey?
 If you create a poor survey, the results may end up
being inaccurate and therefore, invalid
 Continue reading for 10 tips on creating and
conducting a good survey…

5. Where to begin?
 Decide on what information you want to gather from
the survey
 Only ask questions that will provide the information
you want
 The best surveys are 10 questions or less
 The best surveys also effectively combine a couple of
different types of questions
 Scaled rating
 Multiple choice
 Short answer boxes (use these type questions sparingly)

6. 1. Use simple language
 Use simple language that respondents will understand
to avoid producing one-sided data:
 Too complex: Did you find that CAS Week was a fulfilling
experience for you?
 Better: Did you enjoy CAS Week?

7. 2. Write clearly
 Questions should be clear and direct; respondents
should know exactly what is being asked
 A common mistake is to assume that respondents will
have the same understanding of the question that you
do
 Unclear: How would you rate your participation during class?
 Clearer: Compared to others in the course, how often do you
ask questions during class?
 Be specific in terms of time; if you have a question
that involves a year, do you mean a school year or a
calendar year?

8. 3. Avoid universal words and double
negatives
 Because respondents may avoid choosing extremes, do not
use universal words such as ‘all’, ‘always’, ‘none’, and
‘never’ in your questions
 It’s also best to avoid words such as ‘only’, ‘just’, and
‘merely’
 Universals: I always study for quizzes.
 Better: I usually study for quizzes.
 Negatively worded questions are often confusing, because
responding “no” creates a double negative
 Negatively worded: Should the teacher not schedule a test the
same week a lab is due?
 Better: Should the teacher schedule a test the same week a lab
is due?

9. 4. Write short questions
 Questions should be short and simple, rarely
exceeding 20 words
 Survey items are often completed quickly, without too
much thought
 Remember that your respondents may be busy (or not
that interested) when completing your survey…so
keep it simple!

10. 5. One concept per question
 Each survey question should contain only one concept
 “Double-barreled” questions, addressing more than
one concept, may confuse the respondent
 The solution is to separate two ideas into two
questions
 Double-barreled: Did you find the CAS Week activities fun
and challenging?
 Better: Did you find the CAS Week activities fun?
Did you find the CAS Week activities challenging?

11. 6. Avoid one-sided questions
 Write questions that do not lead the respondent to
answer a particular way
 One-sided: Do you think CDNIS’s state-of-the-art laptop
program is effective?
 Better: Do you think CDNIS’s laptop program is effective?

12. 7. Choose relevant subjects
 If respondents don’t have any relation to or
knowledge about a subject, they may provide
responses that are of little use
 ie: If you were to ask students to evaluate the travel
agent that was used for your CAS Week trip, they
may provide opinions despite having no knowledge
about this subject (it is the trip leader teachers who
deal with the travel agent)

13. 8. Consider the capability of
respondents
 Respondents may not be able to accurately answer
certain questions
 ie: they may not recall details about the format of a
test from a class they took three months ago
 It is a good idea, when asking a scale or multiple
choice-type question to have a ‘n/a’ (not applicable) or
‘I don’t know’ option for respondents to tick

14. 9. Use the same rating scale
throughout
 If you use a 1 to 5 scale of rating, try to use it for all
rating-type questions
 If in a question the ‘1’ signifies the lowest ranking of
something, do not change it in a subsequent question,
having ‘1’ signify the highest ranking

15. 10. Test your survey first!
 Test your survey on at least 5 people before sending it
out to everyone
 Interview these people to get feedback on the survey
 If necessary, change the questions