What type of survey question is best for gathering demographic information?

What type of survey question is best for gathering demographic information?

• A. Open-ended questions
• B. Multiple Choice or Dropdown questions
• C. Matrix table questions
• D. Text entry questions

Answer: (B)

Gathering demographic information is best accomplished through multiple choice or dropdown questions due to their structured nature and ease of analysis. These question types allow respondents to select predefined options, which can help ensure clarity and consistency in the responses. For example, when asking about age, ethnicity, or education level, providing specific categories enables easier data categorization and statistical analysis. In contrast, open-ended questions, while they can yield rich qualitative data, may result in varied responses that are difficult to code and analyze quantitatively. Matrix table questions can be effective for certain types of data but are typically used for evaluating responses across multiple items rather than for collecting demographic information. Text entry questions can be helpful for detailed responses but lack the efficiency of predefined options, making data processing more complex and time-consuming. Thus, multiple choice or dropdown questions strike the best balance between ease of response and analytical utility for demographic data collection.

Gathering demographic information is best accomplished through multiple choice or dropdown questions due to their structured nature and ease of analysis. These question types allow respondents to select predefined options, which can help ensure clarity and consistency in the responses. For example, when asking about age, ethnicity, or education level, providing specific categories enables easier data categorization and statistical analysis.

In contrast, open-ended questions, while they can yield rich qualitative data, may result in varied responses that are difficult to code and analyze quantitatively. Matrix table questions can be effective for certain types of data but are typically used for evaluating responses across multiple items rather than for collecting demographic information. Text entry questions can be helpful for detailed responses but lack the efficiency of predefined options, making data processing more complex and time-consuming. Thus, multiple choice or dropdown questions strike the best balance between ease of response and analytical utility for demographic data collection.