Questionnaire Builder
Enter your project, and the builder sets out a questionnaire: the standard sections, and a question for every indicator of every variable, each traced back to your research question, objectives and hypotheses. It never writes question wording for you. Edit everything, preview it on screen and on paper, and export it.
Project details
Enter what you already know. The builder never invents variables, indicators or wording.
Used as the questionnaire's title until you change it.
One per line.
One variable per line. Put its indicators after a colon, separated by semicolons, such as “sleep quality: time to fall asleep; feeling rested”.
Asked about in the demographic section. One per line, with indicators as above.
Your target population, from your sampling plan.
Build the questionnaire
Sets out the standard sections, a consent question, and one question for every indicator of every variable.
Your project draft
This tool writes only the Questionnaire section. Everything else is shown as you entered it.
Build the questionnaire first.
Question types and scales explained
Every question type and scale the builder offers. References will be added after academic review.
Question types
Short answer
A word or a short phrase.
Respondents are told: “Write your answer.”
Usually gives: open-ended, nominal
Long answer
A few sentences.
Respondents are told: “Write your answer.”
Usually gives: open-ended
Paragraph
An extended written answer.
Respondents are told: “Write your answer in as much detail as you wish.”
Usually gives: open-ended
Multiple choice
Choose one of several options.
Respondents are told: “Choose one.”
Usually gives: nominal, categorical, ordinal
Checkbox
Choose any number of options.
Respondents are told: “Choose all that apply.”
Usually gives: multiple response
Dropdown
Choose one option from a list; on paper, shown as a list.
Respondents are told: “Choose one.”
Usually gives: nominal, categorical
Likert scale
A rating of one statement on an ordered scale, such as agreement.
Respondents are told: “Choose one.”
Usually gives: likert
Semantic differential
A rating between two opposite words.
Respondents are told: “Choose one point between the two words.”
Usually gives: ordinal, interval
Matrix table
Several statements rated on the same scale.
Respondents are told: “Choose one answer in each row.”
Usually gives: likert, ordinal
Ranking
Put options in order.
Respondents are told: “Number the options in order, starting from 1.”
Usually gives: ordinal
Numeric
A number, such as hours or age in years.
Respondents are told: “Write a number.”
Usually gives: ratio, interval, continuous
Date
A calendar date.
Respondents are told: “Write the date.”
Usually gives: interval
Time
A time of day.
Respondents are told: “Write the time.”
Usually gives: interval
Yes/No
Yes or no.
Respondents are told: “Choose one.”
Usually gives: binary
True/False
True or false.
Respondents are told: “Choose one.”
Usually gives: binary
File upload (placeholder)
A file attached in an online version. It can't be answered on paper.
Respondents are told: “Attach a file. Online versions only.”
Usually gives: Not a measurement.
Scales
Agreement, 3-point
Agreement with a statement, with a neutral middle point.
Labels for agreement, 3-point
- Disagree
- Neither agree nor disagree
- Agree
References awaiting academic review.
Agreement, 5-point
The most common Likert-type format: agreement with a statement.
Labels for agreement, 5-point
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Neither agree nor disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
References awaiting academic review.
Agreement, 7-point
Agreement with finer steps between the ends.
Labels for agreement, 7-point
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Neither agree nor disagree
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
References awaiting academic review.
Rating, 10-point
Numbered points from 1 to 10, with words for the two ends.
Labels for rating, 10-point
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Ends: [lowest point] and [highest point]
References awaiting academic review.
Frequency, 5-point
How often something happens.
Labels for frequency, 5-point
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
References awaiting academic review.
Importance, 5-point
How important something is.
Labels for importance, 5-point
- Not at all important
- Slightly important
- Moderately important
- Very important
- Extremely important
References awaiting academic review.
Satisfaction, 5-point
How satisfied someone is.
Labels for satisfaction, 5-point
- Very dissatisfied
- Dissatisfied
- Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
- Satisfied
- Very satisfied
References awaiting academic review.
Confidence, 5-point
How confident someone is.
Labels for confidence, 5-point
- Not at all confident
- Slightly confident
- Moderately confident
- Very confident
- Completely confident
References awaiting academic review.
Probability, 5-point
How likely something is.
Labels for probability, 5-point
- Very unlikely
- Unlikely
- Neither likely nor unlikely
- Likely
- Very likely
References awaiting academic review.
Semantic differential, 7-point
Seven points between two opposite words, such as a pair of adjectives.
Labels for semantic differential, 7-point
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Ends: [word at one end] and [opposite word]
References awaiting academic review.
Custom labels
Your own labels, one per point.
Labels for custom labels
- [label 1]
- [label 2]
- [label 3]
References awaiting academic review.
Sections
- Cover page
- The study title, the researcher and institution, and contact details.
- Introduction
- What the study is about and why the participant's answers matter, in plain language.
- Participant information
- What taking part involves, how long it takes, how answers are kept confidential, and how to withdraw.
- Consent statement
- The consent wording approved by your ethics committee, and the participant's agreement.
- Demographic information
- Participant characteristics your analysis needs, such as those you control for.
- Question section
- Questions measuring your variables through their indicators.
- Open-ended questions
- Questions answered in the participant's own words.
- Closing note
- What happens next, such as how to return the questionnaire.
- Thank you
- Thanks, and who to contact with questions or concerns.
- Custom section
- Anything else your questionnaire needs.
Next: Data analysis plan
The analyses that answer each question and hypothesis.
What should I do next?
Next in the research journey: statistics.
Statistical Test Finder
Helps you identify statistical tests that may suit your research question and data, and explains why each may fit.
Statistical Assumption Checker
Explains which assumptions to check before each statistical analysis, how to check them, the usual thresholds, and what to do if they fail.
Power Analysis
Plans the sample size a study needs, or the power it will have, for seven common designs, with every assumption stated.
How to choose a statistical test
A practical, step-by-step guide to matching a research question, variables and study design with statistical tests, assumptions and interpretation.
How the builder works
- The builder reads your project draft: research question, aim, objectives, variables and their indicators, hypotheses, conceptual framework and who will answer. Enter them in the first step; later versions will bring them across from the other research tools.
- Every measuring question comes from a chain: variable, indicator, operational definition, question. Your own draft items become questions; every other indicator gets a placeholder naming what to ask about.
- Question types start from each indicator's measurement level, and every choice can be changed. Checks look for gaps against your variables, hypotheses and objectives, and never score your questionnaire.
- Previews show the questionnaire on screen, at phone width, and as printed pages that match the PDF. Word lays out its own pages.
- The builder writes only the questionnaire section of your project draft, which later tools, such as a codebook or pilot testing planner, will read.
What this tool can't do
- The builder never writes question wording. It uses your own draft items where you have them and otherwise leaves a placeholder naming what the question should measure.
- Suggested question types come from each indicator's measurement level. They are starting points: check that each suits what you are measuring.
- Scale labels are conventional wordings; their sources are awaiting academic review. Validated instruments must keep their published wording and scales.
- Checks look at structure and links, not wording quality. They can't tell whether a question is clear, neutral or valid; that needs piloting and review.
- Word and PDF files are built without Microsoft Word. Word lays out pages itself, so its page breaks may differ from the printed preview, which matches the PDF.
- PDF export uses the standard Helvetica font, which can't show some characters, such as non-Latin scripts; they appear as question marks. Use the Word file for those.
- File upload questions are placeholders: they can't be answered on paper, and online forms need a survey platform.
- Nothing is saved unless you start a project in your research workspace, which keeps it in this browser only. Otherwise, export or copy your questionnaire before leaving the page.
Awaiting review
- Instrument review: the section structure and question types, by a survey methodologist.
- Measurement review: the links from indicators to question types and scales.
- Question wording review: the placeholder wording, instructions and scale labels.
- References: sources for the scales and section structure, after academic review.
- Translation review: guidance for questionnaires used in more than one language.
Privacy
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere or saved, and it is cleared when you leave the page. Word and PDF files are made in your browser too. If you start a project in your research workspace, your work is also saved in this browser, and only this browser, until you delete the project.