Grid Questions

Beyond the basics, SoGoSurvey offers grid question types to meet your specialized needs. Grid questions combine multiple related sub-questions, topics, or statements to encourage participants to focus on one topic or area at a time. The Matrix Grid question offers even more options, combining multiple question types like Drop Downs, Rating Scales, and Text Boxes. Grid questions economize space on the page and give the perception of a shorter survey – leading to better response rates.

Grid questions may seem more complex, but they’re easy to create. Plus, remember that you can save great questions to the Question Bank so you can use them again in future surveys!

• Multiple Text Box: This question asks participants a series of related open-ended questions. (For example: List three takeaways from the workshop.) As you build this question, you’ll enter the question text, then choose the number of text boxes to be displayed. You may define the character limit for each box, adjust the display through spacing or columns, and provide labels or prompts next to each box. You may also format each text box to accept only certain content, like an email address or phone number.



• Multiple Drop Down:This question presents participants with a series of related single-select dropdown menus. The same answer options appear in each menu, so it’s important to choose answer sets that will work for each. (For example: For each of the meals listed below, choose your preferred accompanying beverage.) Keep in mind that participants might select the same answer choice multiple times. As you build this question, you’ll enter the question text, provide the answer options to appear in the dropdown menu (Water, Coffee, Soda, etc.) and provide a description for each prompt (Breakfast, Lunch, etc.).



• Radio Grid:This question presents participants with the same simple set of single-select Radio Button style answer options for each sub-question. As with Radio Button questions, this question type delivers frequency data in reports – in other words, how many times each answer was selected. Use this question type when the same answer set can be used for each sub-question and when the answers are each separate items rather than points on a scale. For example: Which of the following options is your preferred type of exercise [columns] in each of the seasons listed below [rows]?



• Check Box Grid: This type of question asks participants to choose one or more answer options for each sub-question included. The multi-select Check Box Grid is perfect when you want to ask multiple related questions and allow participants to choose multiple answers from a consistent answer set. For example: Please identify each activity you took part in [columns] at each of the locations listed [rows].



• Rating Radio Grid: This question type is used very frequently to present participants with a series of related sub-questions to be answered by a rating on a common scale. Whether the scale rates agreement, satisfaction, or some other measure, add weights so this single-select question type delivers results through both frequency and average weighted scores. In other words, it will be possible to learn the total number of participants who selected Strongly Agree for the first sub-question (ex: 77), as well as the average rating given by all participants (ex: 4.3 out of 5). For example: Please rate your level of satisfaction [columns] with each element of your stay [rows].



• Rating Drop Down Grid: Much like the Rating Radio Grid, this single-select question type is frequently used when you want to ask participants to answer a series of related sub-questions by identifying a rating on a scale. The difference here is that the Rating Radio Grid displays these scale items (Strongly Disagree, etc.) in a row of Radio Buttons and the Rating Drop Down Grid displays them in – wait for it! – Drop Downs. Drop Downs are great when you have a lot of answer options on your scale, or you just want to tighten the display. Add weights to this scale so that reports will show both the frequency with which each answer option was selected, as well as the average weighted score for each sub-question. For example: Please rate your level of interest [Drop Downs] in each of the upcoming programs [rows].



• Rating Scale Grid: This question type is very similar to the Rating Radio Grid in that a series of related sub-questions ask for ratings along a scale displayed by a row of Radio Buttons. In this case, though, the single-select Rating Scale Grid shows the numerical weights for each point on the scale, qualitative labels (words!) are shown only at the end anchor points – and possibly on the mid-point, and an unweighted N/A option is also displayed by default (although it can also be hidden). In reports, this question type displays both frequency and average weighted scores. For example: Please rate your agreement with each of the following statements [rows] about your visit. If any item does not apply, select N/A.



• Matrix Grid: One of the most powerful and versatile question types, the Matrix Grid allows you to ask multiple related questions [columns] about each item or statement [rows]. This question type saves space and creates a participant-friendly experience – but don’t overdo it! A Matrix Grid that covers an entire page could be a little overwhelming for participants, so be sure you’re focused on the answers you need rather than getting carried away with all of your options.

  For example: (Q1 – Rating Scale) Rate your performance in 2017. (Q2 – Text Box) Please list key areas of improvements.
  

  Up to seven different questions [columns] can be asked in a Matrix Grid, including the following question types:

  • Radio Button
  • Check Box
  • Drop Down
  • Text Box
  • Rating
  • Rating Scale