Surveys are one of the most common methods of social research as these are not only convenient but give immediate information.  They are useful in data collection, evaluation and research.  Surveys can be broadly classified into open-ended surveys (interviews) and closed-ended surveys (questionnaires).

The kind of survey you choose depends on what your aim is.  Once you have selected the type of survey you want to use for your needs, the next most important aspect would be how to go about formulating it.  Your job can get easier if you use survey formats and survey templates.

Before you set out on formatting a survey, you must decide on your objectives and goals.  What is the purpose of the survey?  What do you want to know through the survey?  What are you looking for?  If you have clear-cut answers for these, then the task of formulating questions becomes easier.

All the questions must be aimed at achieving this goal.  If you have chosen a questionnaire type of survey, then the questions can have fixed answers, where the reader ticks only one appropriate option.  The answers must include all the possible alternatives to give you accurate feedback. Online surveysand market surveys generally follow this pattern.

Make sure that the questions do not overlap.  This can cause confusion and the data available at the end of the survey may not be really useful.  For instance, if you are doing a salary survey, you can either stick to a salary bracket kind of question or ask about the gross salary.  Asking both may not really serve any purpose.

Clarity and simplicity are vital while designing your survey questions.  What can seem obvious to you may be confusing to others. For instance, if you are preparing a customer service survey, or a customer satisfaction survey, you must keep in mind that there will be all type of customers, so the questions in your survey should make sense to all of them

Surveys must have a logical flow.  For instance an employee survey can begin with basic personal information data, and then move on to more detailed questions.

Today most people rely on surveys to provide them ‘instant information’ regarding people’s choices, their needs and also to gauge behavioral aspects.  Governments, businesses, private organizations as well as social institutions lay a lot of emphasis on surveys.  By following tried and tested methods and using survey models and survey examples, you too can use this tool to your advantage.