Introduce your objective. Provide context with a brief sentence. Tell survey takers why you’re asking these questions and how their feedback will help, e.g. Your suggestions helps us better understand in delivering the services you want most. KISS for Keep It Short Stupid. Make sure each question brings you closer to your goal. Respect survey takers’ time, and word questions clearly. Pre-test your survey. Pre-test your survey with a few members of your intended audience.

You might uncover inconsistencies or unexpected question interpretations. Keep rating scale questions consistent. If you’re using rating scales, use the same points system throughout your survey. If 1 means “extremely satisfied” and 5 means “extremely dissatisfied,” maintain this scale for all questions. (Dec 31, 2014)