A good survey starts with a question for yourself: what do you want to find out, and how will you use the answers? Only then choose the type of form and write the questions. These steps will help you prepare a survey with DarmoweSondy.pl.
1. Define your goal and your respondents
Replace a vague goal such as “find out what people think” with a specific one: “find out which parts of the training participants found most useful”. Decide who should answer. A link posted in an open group does not give you a representative sample.
2. Choose a poll or a survey
For a single question, choose a poll. A few questions can fit on one page. Split a longer study into logical parts with a multi-page survey. You can also begin with a ready-made template.
3. Write neutral questions
Ask about one thing at a time. Instead of “Do you agree that our excellent training was helpful?”, ask “How useful was the training?”. For questions about behavior, state a time frame, such as the last 30 days. Answer options should be easy to understand and should not overlap.
Use single choice when exactly one answer applies and multiple choice when several can be true. For ratings, label both ends of the scale. Keep an open text field for opinions you cannot predict.
4. Add an introduction and set required questions
Explain the purpose of the survey and how long it takes. Make a question required only when you really need the answer and the respondent can give it. Where it makes sense, add “Not applicable” or “Don’t know”. Do not ask for personal data or for information that could identify a particular person.
5. Test your form
Check the preview on a phone and on a computer. Ask a few people to point out any questions that are unclear. In a multi-page survey, test moving between pages and going back. Read the thank-you message and verify who can see the results.
6. Publish and share
Once your email address is confirmed, you can publish the survey. Copy the link, download the QR code or embed a poll on your website. Listing in the public polls gallery is optional; to reach a specific group, you can use just the link and a password.
7. Analyze the responses
Look at the number of completed responses and the distribution of answers. Download a CSV file with labels or with numeric codes. When you report the results, state the number of respondents, how you recruited them and the period in which you collected the answers. Do not automatically generalize the opinions of your participants to the whole population.
Common survey mistakes to avoid
- Leading questions that hint at the “right” answer.
- Double-barreled questions that ask about two things at once.
- Overlapping or missing answer options, such as age ranges “18–25” and “25–35”.
- Too many required questions, which makes people give up or type random answers.
- A survey that is longer than it needs to be. If you will not use the answer, do not ask the question.
- Asking for personal data you do not need – and that our terms do not allow you to collect.
Survey FAQ
Do respondents need an account?
No. Anyone with the link can fill in your survey, and we do not store respondents’ IP addresses.
How long does it take to create a survey?
A poll or a short survey takes a few minutes. A longer research questionnaire takes more time, mostly because of the planning and testing rather than the tool.
Can I see the responses while they come in?
Yes. Open the Results tab at any time to see the responses collected so far.
Planning academic research? Read about surveys for a thesis or dissertation and the Likert scale.
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