Setting up survey questions

When I set up a new Qualtrics survey, I use a worksheet to lay out my questions & associated settings first.

This helps me organize and review my content efficiently, automatically generates block and question ID’s, forces me to think through details such as question and answer choice randomization, serves as a backup for my survey content, etc.

In general, I do not allow myself to make changes to a survey in Qualtrics without first updating my survey worksheet. It’s too easy to make intentional or unintentional changes to a survey in Qualtrics; this step forces me to slow down, which I think really reduces the likelihood of making mistakes. It also ensures that I always have an up-to-date backup of my survey outside of the Qualtrics platform.

I strongly suggest that all researchers follow a process like this, whether it’s in a spreadsheet, document, offline, or through some other means.

Here’s an example of the worksheet I use for my survey content. Feel free to adapt and use for your own research!