International Journal of Market Research

Vol. 52 No. 2, 2010 p.249–272

Research into questionnaire design: a

summary of the literature
Some consider responding to survey questions as a sophisticated cognitive process whereby
respondents go through, often iterative, steps to process the information provided to them by
questions and response options. Others focus more on the interplay between questions and
answers as a complex communication process between researchers and respondents, their
assumptions, expectations and perceptions. In this article, cognitive and communication research
is reviewed that has tested the impact of different question and answer alternatives on the
responses obtained. This leads to evidence-based recommendations for market researchers,
who frequently have to make decisions regarding various aspects of questionnaire design such
as question length and order, question wording, as well as the optimal number of response
options and the desirability or otherwise of a ‘don’t know’ option or a middle alternative.

The full article is only available to IJMR subscribers.

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