Types of Feedback Questions

Guidance for Feedback forms

Many public engagement activities have a focus on enhancing understanding, awareness, behaviour and capabilities of individuals or groups.

If you are requesting feedback 6 months or more after an event, you will need to provide a short reminder of the event. The overview used to advertise it should be appropriate. Feedback forms can be used to elicit both quantitative and qualitative feedback from event participants or audiences.

Quantitative feedback is taken from fixed questions, while qualitative feedback is taken from open ended questions.

The following examples can be used to determine the impact on your participants.

Fixed questions

Fixed questions can enable quantitative analysis using a scale (1-5) or yes/no questions.

High scoring public engagement impact case studies, in REF2014, used a concise, statistical summary of quantitative feedback as evidence. This is only possible if the feedback form from follow on events align with the public engagement event feedback form.

Examples of Fixed questions used in event evaluation:

  • How would you rate your understanding of the topic?

  • How much more do you know about the topic since the event?

  • Have you discussed the topic with friends or family since the event?

  • Would you recommend event by this researcher to friends and family?

Open ended questions

Open ended questions can gain qualitative information, on changes in attitudes, understanding, behaviour or awareness. However, they are time consuming to complete so should be used sparingly. You will achieve greatest engagement if you consider who the participants were and what they can do with the information provided.

Examples of open ended questions:

  • How do you feel about what was discussed in this event?

  • What did the event inspire you to do?

  • What new skills or knowledge did you gain from this event?

  • What are you able to do now that you are not able to do before?

  • Do you feel as though you can contribute to this area?

  • Did this event change your perceptions of the research area?

  • Have you discussed this event with anybody else?

  • Have you gone on to find out more about the topic?

  • Which areas of your own life can you apply the insights discussed?

In some cases it may be appropriate to gain feedback by asking your participants to express it in specific terms with less stuctured questions

After this event:

  • I was inspired to.......

  • I felt .......

  • I have thought about........

Case study examples:

Threads of Feeling: Exhibiting the Foundling Textiles

  • Demonstrated how emotive or intellectual responses can be used as evidence of public engagement impact.

  • Quotations from a visitor’s book provided evidence of how the public found this exhibition ‘moving’, ‘inspiring’, ‘poignant’ or ‘upsetting’.

Public engagement with the research of Jodrell Bank

  • Demonstrates sustained and significant engagement activities.

  • Quantitative and qualitative evidence on change in attitudes.

Engaging communities in flood risk science and management

  • Co-production and public engagement influences community attitudes

  • Impact evidenced through local authority investment and policy debate

Please read the University ethics policy note on demonstration of impact.