With surveys conducted online, the interactive designs and engaging approach seem to be the modern trends. Nonetheless, they can leave one with the impression that it was a marathon. Having dozens of questions on a computer screen that all look alike would make a person think that he/she is burnt out. However, fear not! There are good ways of boosting your speed of filling in surveys without stepping into the line of who-gamed-the-system-type behavior.
The Balancing Act: Working Efficiently vs.Speed
Managing the efficiency and speed perfectly is a vital task when discussing online surveys. You have to be as efficient as possible, but be careful not to pass surveys hurriedly which will result in financial penalties from market research companies. These firms, however, lose favor for quick reactions and consequently could disqualify the data or even ban you off their panels
Avoiding the Speed Trap
To successfully navigate the world of accelerated survey taking, consider these tips:
- Elaborate Answers: Fast answerers usually use closed-form answer or leave out the essential multi-part questions, thus cutting the question time short. This pattern could be broken by giving detailed responses, mainly when you are asked to type answers into a text box.
- Consistency is Key: Answers to the same questions may differ for speeders depending on their personalities. Make sure to read each question carefully and provide an answer of the same level of quality for every task so that they will agree with you.
- Type Faster: Quickening your typing pace for survey-taking purposes. A physical keyboard is able to improve your performance when it comes to keyboarding to a very large extent when compared to on-screen typing. Therefore, in the case of the long survey, jump to desktop browser hopefully to benefit the fastest experience.
- Use Form Filling Tools: Use form filling applications sensibly. Automation of surveys can be considered not as a smart decision, since, at the same time, anytime there is a need to autofill basic information, avoid the more sophisticated options that could automate the survey-taking process and face detection by research companies.
- Keep Software Updated: It may seem simple, but ensuring your browser and plugins are up-to-date is of paramount importance. The use of old browsers may result in compatibility problems with surveys programed with new languages. Don’t be left behind by regularly updating your browser/Flash plugin in order to avoid survey interruptions.
The Boundaries of Speed
The effectiveness of market research is precisely what the researchers focus on and while speedy survey completion is not inherently problematic, it affects the quality of the data. If your account doesn’t measure up to the quality standards, it might get marked or banned. Surveys that promise the highest pay may trigger an intensive check, therefore, be wary of your completion speed.
Try to achieve a balanced state – being in the top 10% will make your responses be under extra vigilance. A certain study proved that an average speed-surveying participant has a completion time of almost half as compared to the non-speedy. In case you prefer to speed up with your survey responses do so with reason and don’t jump to confrontation and interfere with your data before.
In the space of online surveys, efficiency is the supreme goal but its cautious speed allows you to love the journey without losing the integrity of the answers. Happy surveying!”