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Survey checkbox statistics

Forums: Suggestions and Feedback
Created on: 05/30/11 09:57 PM Views: 1146 Replies: 3
Monday, May 30, 2011 at 9:57 PM

Please consider changing the statistics for the checkbox survey question. It seems that the most useful statistic for each answer would be the percentage of respondents who checked that answer.

The checkbox survey question allows the subject to choose any number of the answers. This is a useful option because the radio button, drop down list, and yes or no questions adequately cover the possibilities for single answer questions. But the checkbox statistic for each answer is that answer’s number of checks as a percentage of the total number of checks for all answers. It’s hard to see how this statistic could be useful.

To take a simple example, consider a checkbox question that asks “Which of the following activities would you like to have at the reunion?” The answers include dance, golf, swim, etc. Suppose 100 respondents all check the same 10 activities. The results would show 10% for each of these answers (100 checks out of 1,000 total checks). That statistic is not useful. The meaningful number is the percentage of respondents who would like to have each of those activities, which is 100% (100 checks out of 100 respondents).

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Edited 05/30/11 9:59 PM
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 1:21 AM - Response #1

Lane Yoder wrote:

Please consider changing the statistics for the checkbox survey question... It seems that the most useful statistic for each answer would be the percentage of respondents who checked that answer.

Yes, Lane. I've pointed that out in the past also. The 'base' for the percentages should be the number of respondents who answered that question.

Good survey design should include answer choices such as "None of the above" and "I prefer not to answer" as appropriate.

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Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 9:49 AM - Response #2

I will forward for future consideration.


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Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 10:43 AM - Response #3

Thanks.

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