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If you plan to use descriptive research questions, you have to deal with a number of dependent variables. However, where you plan to create comparative or relationship research questions, you will deal with both dependent and independent variables.
The next step is determining the structure of the research question. It involves:
The last step involves identifying the problem or issue that you are trying to address in the form of complete quantitative survey questions. Also, make sure to build an exhaustive list of response options to make sure your respondents select the correct response. If you miss adding important answer options, then the ones chosen by respondents may not be entirely true.
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Quantitative research questions are generally used to answer the “who” and “what” of the research topic. For quantitative research to be effective, it is crucial that the respondents are able to answer your questions concisely and precisely. With that in mind, let’s look in greater detail at the three types of formats you can use when preparing quantitative market research questions.
Descriptive research questions are used to collect participants’ opinions about the variable that you want to quantify. It is the most effortless way to measure the particular variable (single or multiple variables) you are interested in on a large scale. Usually, descriptive research questions begin with “ how much,” “how often,” “what percentage,” “what proportion,” etc.
Examples of descriptive research questions include:
| Questions | Variable | Group |
|---|---|---|
| 1. How much rice do Indians consume per month? | Rice intake monthly | Indians |
| 2. How often do you use mobile apps for shopping purposes? | Mobile app used | a. Smartphone users |
| b. Shopping enthusiasts | ||
| 3. What is the preferred choice of cuisine for Americans? | Cuisine | Americans |
| 4. How often do students aged between 10-15 years use Instagram monthly? | Monthly use of Instagram | Students aged between 10-15 |
| 5. How often do middle-class adults go on vacation yearly? | Vacation | Middle-class adults |
Comparative research questions help you identify the difference between two or more groups based on one or more variables. In general, a comparative research question is used to quantify one variable; however, you can use two or more variables depending on your market research objectives.
Comparative research questions examples include:
| Questions | Variable | Groups |
|---|---|---|
| 6. What is the difference in duration spent on social media between people aged 15- 20 and 20-25? | Time spent on social media | Group 1: People within the age group 15-20 |
| Group 2: People within the age group 20-25 | ||
| 7. What is the difference in the daily protein intake between men and women in America? | Daily protein intake | Group 1: Men based in America |
| Group 2: Women based in America | ||
| 8. What is the difference between watching web series weekly between a child and an adult? | Watching web series weekly | Group 1: Child |
| Group 2: Adult | ||
| 9. What is the difference in attitude towards sports between Millennial adults and older people born before 1981? | Attitude towards sports | Group 1: Millennial adults |
| Group 2: Older people born before 1981 | ||
| 10. What is the difference in the usage of Facebook between male and female American university students? | Usage of Facebook | Group 1: Male American university students |
| Group 2: Female American university students |
Relationship research questions are used to identify trends, causal relationships, or associations between two or more variables. It is not vital to distinguish between causal relationships, trends, or associations while using these types of questions. These questions begin with “What is the relationship” between independent and dependent variables, amongst or between two or more groups.
Relationship-based quantitative questions examples include:
| Questions | Independent Variable | Dependent Variable | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. What is the relationship between gender and perspective towards comedy movies amongst Americans? | Perspective | Gender | Americans |
| 12. What is the relationship between job motivation and pay level amongst US residents? | Job motivation | Pay level | US residents |
| 13. What is the relationship between salary and shopping habits among the women of Australia? | Salary | Shopping habits | Australia |
| 14. What is the relationship between gender and fast food preference in young adults? | Gender | Fast food | Young Adults |
| 15. What is the relationship between a college degree and a job position in corporates? | College degree | Job Position | Corporates |
So, there you have it. It was all about quantitative research question types and their examples. By now, you must have figured out a way to write quantitative research questions for your survey to collect actionable customer feedback.
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