Blog: Tips on writing a screener
Screeners are important in market research because they identify and recruit participants who match the target audience for the study. It is essential for respondents to be representative of the intended spec in order for the study results to be accurate, the screener also helps to limit bias by excluding screened-out data from study results.
Screeners are important in market research because they identify and recruit participants who match the target audience for the study. It is essential for respondents to be representative of the intended spec in order for the study results to be accurate, the screener also helps to limit bias by excluding screened-out data from study results.
In quantitative surveys, screeners are typically part of the initial survey questions. Whereas, in qualitative research, screeners are used before participants are interviewed.
When it comes to writing a concise screener for a market research project, there are a few key tips to keep in mind for putting together an effective qualitative research screener..
- Firstly, it’s important for you to know the criteria of your ideal participants. This will help you quickly determine if potential participants qualify for your study. When writing the screener questions, you should always keep this in mind.
- Include a short intro- A quick summary of what you are looking for without giving any bais at the start of your screener is also helpful- this allows respondents to know if they will be eligible and saves time for everyone. E.G. ‘We are looking for regular Whiskey drinkers to take part in a 60 minute interview on their buying preferences’. You should also include information here on how long the screener survey will take, the methodology of the research, when the interviews will be held and the incentives for taking part.
- Keep the screener brief and to the point. The goal is the make sure respondents meet the criteria you are looking for. We recommend 15 questions or less and focus on mainly closed- ended questions that are specific to the study. Multiple choice, scale or rating questions are best for screeners as the respondent can easily select their answers and you can easily see if they meet the specifications you are looking for. Questions should be concise and clear with answer options that are also clear and concise to ensure no confusion on the respondents choices.
- Finally, be sure to also include demographic and admin questions. These include past participation in research, non sensitive industries- to make sure they do not work in market research, pr or advertising themselves, identification questions, and GDPR compliance and consent.
It is essential to plan and write an efficient screener for any research project. This element of your research project will allow you to successfully find the right respondents to take part in your research project.
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