Create custom survey questions using multiple formats, including instruction, yes or no, rating scales, dropdowns, radio buttons, checkboxes, and open-ended text.
When creating a survey, you can add custom questions in the following formats:
Instruction
This format allows you to include a helpful statement or set of instructions on your survey.

Instruction custom question
Type your statement or instructions (1,000 characters maximum) in the Question field, and then click Save.
Yes or No
Respondents will answer this question format with a “Yes,” “No” or “Don’t Know” response.

Yes or No custom question
To customize your question:
- In the Question field, type your question (1,000 characters maximum) as you want it to appear on your survey.
- If you want to include a response option in case respondents don’t know how to answer your question or it does not apply to them, select Include “Not Applicable” Response. You can use the available text field to customize how this option appears on your survey.
- From the Most Positive Response drop-down list, select the value that represents the most positive response to your question. Your selection depends on the wording of your question, but most of the time “Yes” is the most positive response.
- If you want to require all respondents to answer your question, select Required.
- Click Save to finalize your question.
Rating
Respondents will answer this question format by selecting a value from a scale (e.g., a 5-point scale).

Rating custom question
To customize your question:
- In the Question field, type your question (1,000 characters maximum) as you want it to appear on your survey.
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From the Scale field, select the appropriate rating scale for answering your question:
Agreement
Respondents will rate their level of agreement with a particular statement.Satisfaction
Respondents will rate their level of satisfaction with a particular statement.Positivity
Respondents will rate their level of positivity with a particular statement.User Defined Scale
Create your own scale or choose one that you have previously created. - If you selected User Defined Scale, select an existing scale from the Custom Scale drop-down list, or follow these steps to create your own scale.
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Click Create Custom Scale to display the Create Custom Scale window.

Create Custom Scale window - Use the Scale Value drop-down lists to define a numerical range for your scale.
- Type a label for each of the numerical values on your scale. If you do not want to provide a label for every value, you should at least provide labels for the highest and lowest values.
- If you want to include a response option in case respondents don’t know how to answer your question or it does not apply to them, select Include “Not Applicable” answer. You can use the available text field to customize how this option appears on your survey.
- Click Save.
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- From the Most Positive Response drop-down list, select the value that represents the most positive response to your question. Your selection depends on your question’s wording, but most of the time the highest value represents the most positive response.
- If you want to require all respondents to answer your question, select Required.
- Click Save to finalize your question.
Dropdown and Radio Button
Respondents will answer the question by choosing from a list of mutually exclusive options you provide. Select Dropdown if the answer choices are short. Select Radio Button if the answer choices are long and will be difficult to read in a drop-down list or on a mobile device.

Dropdown custom question
To customize your question:
- In the Question field, type your question (1,000 characters maximum) as you want it to appear on your survey.
- Use the Options area to provide the answer choices, which respondents will select from on the survey. If you add multiple choices at once, each one must occupy a separate line.
- Order the answer choices as you want them to appear on the survey. Use a choice’s grab symbol to drag and drop it where you want it, or use the Sort drop-down list to reorder the choices alphabetically.
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If you are creating a Radio Button custom question and you want to include a choice for respondents to type their own answer, select Include “other” answer. You can use the available text field to customize how this option appears on your survey.
Note: Gallup Access will not include answers that respondents provide in the text analytics data of the survey’s report.
- If you want to include a response option in case respondents don’t know how to answer your question or it does not apply to them, select Include “does not apply” answer. You can use the available text field to customize how this option appears on your survey.
- If you want to require all respondents to answer your question, select Required.
- Click Save to finalize your question.
Checkboxes
Respondents will answer this question format by making one or more choices from a list of options you provide.

Checkboxes question options
To customize your question:
- In the Question field, type your question (1,000 characters maximum) as you want it to appear on your survey.
- Use the Options area to provide the answer choices, which respondents will select from on the survey. If you add multiple choices at once, each one must occupy a separate line.
- Order the answer choices as you want them to appear on the survey. Use a choice’s grab symbol to drag and drop it where you want it, or use the Sort drop-down list to reorder the choices alphabetically.
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If you want to include a choice for respondents to type their own answer, select Include “other” answer. You can use the available text field to customize how this option appears on your survey.
Note: Gallup Access will not include answers that respondents provide in the text analytics data of the survey’s report.
- If you want to include a response option in case respondents don’t know how to answer your question or it does not apply to them, select Include “does not apply” answer. You can use the available text field to customize how this option appears on your survey.
- If you want to require all respondents to answer your question, select Required.
- Click Save to finalize your question.
Text
This question format allows for an open-ended question which respondents will answer by typing their responses. Gallup Access will use these responses to generate the text analytics data of the survey’s report.
Note: Respondents must limit their responses to 1,000 characters.

Text custom question
To customize your question:
- In the Question field, type your question (1,000 characters maximum) as you want it to appear on your survey.
- If you want to require all respondents to answer your question, select Required.
- Click Save to finalize your question.