Always use simple and everyday language

Avoid using emotive words (Don’t try to lead/guide audience towards a point of
view, blackmail, trying to be too positive or negative) : What do you think about the
Green Peace attempt to blackmail the government?
Avoid using ambiguous and unclear words: rarely, never, sometimes, often, almost
always, etc. => May not reflect what they are thinking, respondents are thinking may
not be the same as what the researchers are thinking => specific number of times
should be recommended
Avoid using ambiguous questions: Is your work made difficult because you are
expecting a baby?
 Are you expecting a baby?
 If yes, is your work made difficult because you are expecting a baby?
Are you satisfied with your canteen? (food, service, money???) => ambiguous
question
 Are you satisfied with your food quality in your canteen?
Avoid using double-barrelled questions: How often and how much time do you spend
on each visit? Does your department have a special recruitment policy for racial
minorities and women? (Gia su chi co 1 trong 2 thi sao => tach ra thanh 2 cau)
What is wrong with the young people of today and what can we do about it? (and is
double-barrelled question)
  Assumption, a leading question (there is something wrong with the young
people)
Avoid asking leading questions: Smoking is bad, isn’t it? => What is your attitude
towards smoking?
Did you enjoy our amazing new product offering? => leading question
How many cigarettes do you smoke in a day?
 Do you smoke everyday?
 If yes..
Do not ask questions that are based on presumptions?
E.g. Do your work colleagues swear…
More than you?
About the same as you?
Less than you?
They don’t swear.
 Assumptions that all respondents are now working
E.g. How many books have you read in the last year?
None
1-10
10-20
20-30
Over 30
 Avoid prestige bias (force to give wrong answers, make them feel
embarrassed)
 Do not ask them to give their names
E.g. I don’t know how to write a research proposal. YES/NO
=> Avoid negative questions: be affected by L1
E.g. I don’t think this service should not be made free. YES/NO
=> Avoid double-negative questions