When setting up an unmoderated study, it's important to pick the right question types to get the best responses from your participants. In this guide, we'll explain the different types of answers available, so you can choose the ones that fit your study goals.

Single choice questions let participants pick one answer from a list of pre-defined options. Use this type of question when you need a clear, simple answer. For example, you might want to know which feature a participant likes best or their level of experience.

Single choice questions are useful when there's only one correct or preferred answer, or when you want to keep things straightforward.

Creating single choice questions is simple—just add your question and then include as many choices as you'd like for participants to select from. Choices can be typed individually or pasted from a list for quick setup.

When a participant takes your test, they will only have the ability to select one of your options from the list:

For additional setup features, you can enable Show "Other" option on your question, allowing participants to type in their own answer if none of the listed options apply. Additionally, there's an option to randomize the order of choices to avoid any bias based on the order of options.

Multiple choice questions let participants select more than one answer from your pre-defined list. This type of question is great when you want a broader perspective or when more than one answer might apply. For instance, if you want to know which social media platforms someone uses, multiple choice allows them to select all the ones they use.

Use multiple choice questions when your question has more than one possible answer, or when you want participants to share multiple viewpoints.

Creating multiple choice questions is similar to single choice questions—you add your question and then include the choices you'd like participants to select from. The key difference is that you can customize the selection limits, allowing you to set minimum and maximum numbers of choices a participant can make.

When participants take your test, they can select as many options as allowed, up to the maximum limit that you have set:

Lyssna offers two types of text response options: long text and short text. The difference is in how much detail you want participants to provide.

While taking your test, participants will notice a small difference between short and long text questions. Short text fields are more compact and do not expand or scroll, which encourages participants to keep their responses brief. Long text fields, on the other hand, automatically expand and wrap text, making it easy for participants to write longer, more detailed answers.

Here's an example of a long string of text typed into a short text question:

Here's the same text typed into a long text question:

Linear scale questions are used to measure participants' opinions or feelings by letting them choose a point on a scale. For example, they might rate something from 1 to 10. This type of question helps you understand how strongly someone feels about something.

To learn more about how to use linear scale questions, check out our detailed guide on linear scales.

Ranking questions ask participants to put options in order based on their preferences. This helps you understand what is most or least important to them.

For more details on how to use ranking questions, see our ranking questions article.

Choosing the right answer type can make a big difference in the quality of responses you get. By understanding what each type is best for—single choice for clear answers, multiple choice for broader input, text fields for different levels of detail, and scales or rankings for measuring opinions—you can create questions that lead to better insights.