Canada (English)As a member of the Ipsos iSay community, you know that we ask questions about lots of different topics. But have you noticed that sometimes the topic seems to change part way through the survey?
We aren’t doing this to be confusing - there's normally a very good reason for it!
Let's take a look at why you might notice this happening.
Gathering a Wider Range of Information
Surveys exist to gather information on certain topics. The more information we are able to gather on those topics, the better conclusions we can draw from them. This might mean that a survey’s focus seems to get broader as you get further into it, as the questions look at related areas. This allows us to paint as full a picture as possible of the subject without having to create more than one survey.
We Want Accurate Answers
The information we are able to gather from your survey responses is much more useful when we know it’s honest and accurate. Sometimes, without intending to, people change their answers to be closer to what they think we want to hear! Some surveys therefore focus on different parts of a topic in different questions. This means we can be more confident that we have the right information.
The Survey Could Really Be About More Than One Thing!
Sometimes, we do ask about more than one topic in a survey. This is called an ‘omnibus’ survey. They can be much more efficient for our customers, as we can quickly report on several different subjects at once.
Summing it All Up
In conclusion, the next time you're taking a survey and notice the topic shifting, remember that it's all part of a well-thought-out plan. Each question, even if it seems unrelated or off-topic, plays a role in collecting the reliable data that we need. So, embrace the shifts and know that your responses are contributing to a wealth of valuable insights.
You never know what interesting topics you might encounter next! So, why not check and see what surveys are available for you right now?
