Quantitative Survey Questions Quantitative Survey

Quantitative Survey Questions: Definition, Types, Examples, and More

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Asking the right question to your audience can help you gather accurate and significant data. But what type of questions should you ask your audience – quantitative or qualitative? This depends on the kind of data you want to collect. 

Quantitative research questions allow respondents to answer concisely. In this article, we’ll go over some popular quantitative research questions and the different types of quantitative research questions.

Definition of quantitative research questions?

Quantitative research questions are objective questions that provide detailed knowledge about a research topic. The data obtained with quantitative research questions are numerical and can be examined statistically. 

Quantitative research questions help look into trends and patterns to make logical sense of the research topic. The data gathered can be generalized to the entire population and help make data-driven and sound decisions. 

Statistical reports are hard to argue with, making the data more reliable. Quantitative research requires precise information so the data it brings is reliable and valid. 

Popular quantitative research questions

Here are some of the most common quantitative research questions you can use in your quantitative surveys:

👉How often do you visit an art gallery?

👉How much do you pay for the hotel’s VIP services?

👉How many times have you had to call before you got connected to our customer service?

👉 How would you rate your satisfaction/dissatisfaction with our restaurant staff’s hospitality?

👉 How often do you experience a glitch in our payment app?

The best way to create a quantitative survey is by using online survey tools that offer a diverse range of question types. This way, you can choose which quantitative question would best serve the purpose of your survey. 

Now, let’s dive into the different types of quantitative research questions.

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What are the different types of quantitative research questions?

There are three types of quantitative research questions

Each of these type helps you gather unique insights. You can determine which research question types to use based on the type of data you want to gather and the research objective. 

  1. Descriptive Research Questions- These questions are used for gathering customers’ opinions about variables one wants to measure.
  2. Comparative Research Questions- These questions are used for examining the difference between two or more groups based on one or more dependable variables.
  3. Relationship-based Research Questions- These questions are used for identifying trends, causal relationships, or associations between two or more variables. 

In our next section, we’ll explore the three types of quantitative research questions in detail and look at their examples.

Read how Voxco helped Modus Research increase research efficiency with Voxco Online, CATI, IVR, and panel systems.

15 quantitative survey question examples

Let’s take a look at some examples of quantitative research questions

1. Descriptive Research Questions

It simply implies that you want to gather information about variables that you are trying to quantify or measure. Descriptive research questions help gather a customer’s opinion about variables you want to measure.

These questions mostly begin with-

  • How much?
  • What percentage?
  • How often?
  • What proportion?

Descriptive research questions focus mostly on one group and one variable. Rarely do these questions include multiple groups and variables. Here are a few examples of descriptive research questions

We have shared a few questions that you can use as an inspiration to create your own research question. You can use the following quantitative research question examples for your market research. 

Let’s look at a few examples of quantitative research question types. 

Question 1: How much fast food do Americans consume per week?

  • Variable: Fast food intake
  • Group: American

Question 2: How often do students between the ages of 15 – 18 use Facebook weekly?

  • Variable: Weekly use of Facebook
  • Group: Students between ages 15 – 18

Question 3: How often do male and female university students use a food delivery app monthly?

  • Variables: Use of food delivery app
  • Group: 1. Male University students
  • Female University students

Question 4: What is the preferred choice of cuisine of the Italians?

  • Variable: Cuisine
  • Groups: Italian

Question 5: What are the important factors influencing the career choice of Asian-American University students?

  • Variable: Factors influencing career choice
  • Group: Asian-American University students

When conducting market research, leverage the best market research software that allows you to reach a global audience across preferred channels. 

Also read: What is Descriptive Research?

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2. Comparative Research Question

Comparative research questions help examine the difference between two or more groups based on one or more dependable variables. The number of variables depends on the need of market research. 

The question asks the respondents, “what is the difference in” a dependent variable between two or more groups?

Let’s look at some quantitative research question examples for this type that you can use in competitive analysis. 

Question 1: What is the difference in time spent on video games between people aged 12 to 17 and 18 to 25?

  • Variable: Time spent on video games
  • Group 1: People within the age range 12 and 17
  • Group 2: People within the age range 18 and 25

Question 2: What is the difference in attitude towards online shopping between millennials adults and Adults born before 1980?

  • Variable: Attitude towards online shopping
  • Group 1: Millennial adults
  • Group 2: Adults born before 1980

Question 3: What is the difference in the attitude towards politics between Mexicans and Americans in America?

  • Variable: Attitude towards Politics
  • Group 1: Mexicans in America
  • Groups 2: Americans in America

Question 4: What is the difference in the usage of Snapchat between Canadian male and female university students?

  • Variable: usage of Snapchat
  • Group 1: Canadian Male University student
  • Group 2: Canadian Female University student

Question 5: What is the difference in attitude toward rock music between Gen-Z and Millennials?

  • Variables: Attitude toward rock music
  • Group 1: Gen-Z
  • Group 2: Millennials

3. Relationship-based Research Questions

Relationship-based research questions are the best quantitative research question examples when you need to identify trends, causal relationships, or associations between two or more variables. 

When using the term relationship in statistics, it is important to remember that it refers to experimental research design. 

In this case, examining the cause and effect between two variables is possible. This means it is possible to say which variable was responsible for the effect on the other variable. 

However, when you use relationship-based research questions, you do not have to distinguish between causal relationships, trends, or associations. 

The question in this type begins with “What is the relationship” between or amongst independent and dependent variables, amongst or between two or more groups? 

Let’s look at a few examples of quantitative research question types. 

Question 1: What is the relationship between gender and attitude towards romantic movies amongst Middle-aged people?

  • Dependent Variable: Attitude towards romantic movies
  • Independent Variables: Gender
  • Group: Middle-aged people

Question 2: What is the relationship between age and fast food preference in Australia?

  • Dependent Variable: Fast Food preference
  • Independent Variable: Age
  • Group: Australia

Question 3: What is the relationship between age and lifestyle among women?

  • Dependent Variable: Lifestyle
  • Independent Variable: Age
  • Group: Women

Question 4: What is the relationship between Salary and Job satisfaction among people working in the corporate business?

  • Dependent Variable: Job satisfaction
  • Independent Variable: Salary
  • Group: People working in corporate business

Question 5: What is the relationship between University degrees and Job positions amongst employees in Multinational Companies?

  • Dependent Variable: Job position
  • Independent Variable: University Degree
  • Group: Employees in a Multinational Company

This quantitative research question example can help you help segment customers based on their shared characteristics. Leverage a data analysis platform that enables you to identify patterns between responses and help you group customers with similar attributes. 

This way, you can create unique customer profiles and personalized campaigns that appeal to each customer. 

See how easily you can create, test, distribute, and design the surveys.

  • 50+ question types
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How do you write good quantitative survey questions?

Step 1: Choose the type of quantitative survey question:  

Select a type that corresponds to the survey’s goal. The answers given by respondents are determined by the type of question posed. 

Step 2: Identify the target group as well as dependent and independent variables:

The next step is to choose the target audience and the variables to be measured. Variables can be categorized into four types: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. 

Step 3: Give a proper structure to the survey: 

After the first 2 points have been taken care of, it is now time to structure the survey such that it is uncomplicated. Simple and unambiguous wordings should be used to frame the questions.

Step 4: Use balanced scales: 

When using quantitative survey questions such as Likert scales or rating scales, ensure they are balanced and offer an equal range of response options. 

Step 5: Include skip logic & branching: 

The best way you can ensure that the survey questions are relevant to your target audience’s experience is by using skip logic or branching. Leverage a survey software that enables you to design surveys that streamline the questions based on previous answers.

Market Research toolkit to start your market research surveys and studies.

Importance of quantitative research questions

Quantitative survey questions play a vital role in the design and implementation of the research method. The questions provide a clear framework to help you understand what data you need to gather and investigate the correlation between quantitative variables. 

Here are some key reasons that make quantitative research questions important.  

1. Objective analysis 

This research question allows you to seek numerical data and focus on measurable variables. It provides a more standardized result and objective measurement. 

2. Generalizability 

Quantitative data enables you to make generalizations about the target population based on your research sample. By clearly defining variables and the target population, you can draw conclusions that are applicable to the intended population. 

3. Statistical analysis 

A well-defined quantitative research question gathers statistical data that allows you to perform statistical analysis. This allows you to identify patterns, correlations, trends, and differences within the data, thus providing meaningful insights. 

4. Clarity of purpose: 

Quantitative survey questions help you clearly articulate the purpose and focus of your research. The close-ended questions provide a roadmap, indicating to respondents what specific information you want to gather. 

5. Aligned with objective: 

Your quantitative questions ensure that your survey and research methodology are well-aligned with the objective. This enhances the relevancy, reliability, and effectiveness of the research. 

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When to use quantitative research questions?

Let’s look at the situations when you should use quantitative research questions. 

1. When exploring the relationship between quantitative variables. 

What is the relationship between students’ play time and their health? 

This is an example of quantitative research question where you intended to identify the relation between the variables of students’ health and their playtime. 

2. When comparing different groups. 

Is there any significant difference in the satisfaction level between software A and software B? 

This is a quantitative research question example where you explore the difference in satisfaction between two variables. 

3. When evaluating trends and patterns. 

How has the purchase frequency changed over the fourth quarter of the year?

This is an example of quantitative research question where you uncover the trend or changes in purchase frequency over time. 

4. When conducting large-scale surveys. 

Quantitative questions are valuable when you intend to conduct large-scale surveys targeting a wide range of participants. It allows a standardized and systematic approach to data collection and analysis, enabling you to draw meaningful conclusions. 

Also Read: Quantitative Research Vs Qualitative Research

Conclusion

This sums up our article on examples of quantitative research questions. You can use these question types to create interactive market research surveys that provide meaningful insights. You can choose to use these questions separately or together in a survey, depending on your research goal.

Explore all the survey question types
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