Help! I Have to Write a Survey—How Do I Pick Answer Options?
From Conversations for Research Rockstars by Research Rockstar Training & Staffing
September 12, 2025 · 20 min
About this episode
Kathryn Korostoff provides practical guidance on selecting answer options for surveys, addressing common challenges in survey design.
In this Conversations for Research Rockstars episode, host Kathryn Korostoff tackles one of the trickiest challenges in survey design—choosing the best possible answer options for the questions we've so carefully crafted. Using clear, real-world examples, she offers practical guidance on: When to use unipolar vs. bipolar scales How to choose between odd- and even-point scales—and explain your choice to stakeholders When to consider less common options like rank order or constant sum Whether we're designing a questionnaire for market research, CX research, or UX research, this episode delivers best practices that experienced survey researchers rely on to ensure every question is supported by the optimal answer options. #MarketResearch #QuantitativeResearch #CustomerInsights #ConsumerBehavior Conversations for Research Rockstars is produced by Research Rockstar Training & Staffing. Our 25+ Market Research eLearning classes are offered on demand and include options to earn Insights Association Certificates. Our Rent-a-Researcher staffing service places qualified, fully vetted market research experts, covering temporary needs due to project and resource fluctuations. We believe it…
People in this episode
Host: Kathryn Korostoff
Topics covered
- survey design
- answer options
- market research
- quantitative research
Keywords
- unipolar scales
- bipolar scales
- odd-point scales
- even-point scales
- rank order
- constant sum
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Market Research eLearning classes, Insights Association Certificates
Books & works: Conversations for Research Rockstars
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