Writing Survey Questions

CORE ACTIVITY: Generate Questions (40 minutes)

Materials: Types of Information handout, Types of Questions handout

• Review the research objective that you brainstormed in previous lessons
• Place four separate pieces of chart paper at the front of the room, one for each type of information: Demographic, Knowledge, Opinion, Behavior. Distribute the Types of Information handout and briefly review the four definitions if you haven't already.
• Class round robin (10 minutes)
  • Divide class into four groups and place each group in front of a chart paper.
  • Each group has 2 minutes to brainstorm questions that fit in that category.
  • At the end of 2 minutes, each group should rotate. They can read what has already been written and add other ideas.
• Small group revision (20 minutes)
  • When everyone has returned to their original spots, ask them to sit down and revise the ideas on their chart paper into a final list of questions. Distribute the Types of Questions handout and review as a full group. For each question that groups write, they should decide on the question type, the answer type, and what the question should actually be.
  • Facilitators should circulate around the room. If students get stuck, ask:
    • What kind of information is this question trying to ask?
    • What type of question will get this information?
    • Are there multiple ways to ask this question?
• Group Revision (10 minutes)
  • Each group should present their questions. As a class, revise and change until you have a final list. Ask:
    • Are all these things essential?
    • Does this give us what we need to move further on our topic?
    • Does this answer one of our research objectives?
    • Is there anything else on here that we are asking only because we are curious? (i.e, that doesn't address one of our objectives)
• Survey Draft
  • At the end of the lesson, the group should make a master list of all of the questions generated in order to create an initial survey draft. Student should type these questions into an online platform such as Google Forms, or a word document, either during class or as a homework assignment.