Research Tips
How Long Should a Questionnaire Be?
Have you ever found that there is not enough space in your questionnaire to ask everything that you would like to? While it may be tempting to increase the length of your questionnaire, be aware that the increase in the quantity of information gathered may come at the expense of its quality. Asking too many questions may result in:
- People returning incomplete questionnaires.
- An increase in the number of questions answered in a haphazard or inaccurate manner.
- A decrease in the percentage of people who respond to your survey.
The appropriate length for a questionnaire depends on the importance of the subject to the respondent. For example, while people may be willing to spend twenty minutes answering questions about a house purchase, they may only be willing to spend five minutes answering questions about laundry detergent. Pre-testing your questionnaire is a good way to gauge whether its length is appropriate.