--- title: "How to Make a Research Questionnaire in Google Forms | Formswrite Blog" description: "A step-by-step guide to writing a research questionnaire for a thesis or survey study and building it in Google Forms, with a free generator for a draft." canonical: https://formswrite.com/blog/research-questionnaire-google-forms last-updated: 2026-10-08 --- # How to Make a Research Questionnaire in Google Forms In short A research questionnaire is only as good as the thinking that goes in before the first question is written. This guide walks through the whole process for a thesis or survey study: turning objectives into question blocks, ordering them the way reviewers expect, writing clean items, and building the result in Google Forms. ## Start from the research objectives Write down your research objectives or hypotheses, then give each one its own block of questions. If an objective cannot be answered by any question, you have a gap. If a question does not serve any objective, delete it. This mapping keeps a questionnaire short and defensible. ## Quantitative or qualitative questionnaire A quantitative questionnaire uses closed questions, most often Likert statements on a five-point scale, so you can count and compare. A qualitative questionnaire uses open prompts such as "Describe a time when social media distracted you from studying", and you code the answers into themes afterwards. Many studies mix both: closed blocks for the main constructs and one or two open questions to capture what the scales miss. If you plan to use Likert blocks, our [Likert scale questionnaire examples](/blog/likert-scale-questionnaire-examples) show how to word them. ## The order that reviewers expect 1. A short consent note that explains the purpose, says taking part is voluntary, and states how the data will be used. 2. Screening questions, only if some people should not continue. 3. The main constructs, one block per objective, easiest and most general blocks first. 4. Demographics last, such as age group and year of study. People are more willing to answer personal questions once they are already invested. 5. One open question at the end, so respondents can add anything you did not ask. ## Writing good items - One idea per statement. Split "The app is fast and easy to use" into two. - Neutral wording, with no hint of the right answer. - Define terms. If you say "social media", say which platforms you mean. - Use the same scale direction in every block. - Include one reverse-worded statement per block to catch people who answer without reading. - Pilot the draft with about five people from your target group and ask them what each item meant to them. ## An example questionnaire outline Topic: social media use and academic performance among university students. Block A, social media use: - I check social media several times during a study session. - I use social media mainly to keep up with friends. - I lose track of time when I am on social media. - I rarely open social media while I am studying. (reverse-worded) Block B, academic performance: - I submit my assignments on time. - I feel prepared for my exams. - My grades reflect the effort I put in. - I often fall behind on my coursework. (reverse-worded) Demographics and open question: - Age group. - Year of study. - Is there anything else you would like to say about how social media affects your studies? All the closed statements use the same five points, from Strongly disagree to Strongly agree. ## Building it in Google Forms Create a new form and add one section per block, with a short description at the top of each. Put the consent note in the form description. Mark questions as required where you need a complete answer, and leave demographics optional if they are sensitive. For the Likert statements, use a linear scale for a single item or a multiple choice grid for a whole block. Use response validation on number fields such as age. For anonymous collection, do not turn on the setting that collects email addresses, and leave the sign-in requirement off so people are not asked to log in. Our guide on [how to create a survey in Google Forms](/blog/how-to-create-a-survey-in-google-forms) covers the basics step by step. ## Hosting it on Formswrite instead Google Forms can ask respondents to sign in, which can lower your response rate with participants who have no Google account. A form hosted on Formswrite does not require respondents to have a Google account, and the responses appear as charts. Hosting needs a free Formswrite account on your side only. ## Generate the first draft The free [research questionnaire generator](/tools/survey-generator/research-questionnaire) writes a first draft from a description of your study. You can also paste your objectives or upload a PDF, Word, PowerPoint or text file, and the questionnaire can be written in any language. It produces five-point Likert blocks with one reverse-worded item in each, optional demographics, and zero to two open questions. It is free to read, you can download it as Word or print it to PDF without an account, and you get three runs a day. If you have a Word, PDF or Google Docs questionnaire already, Formswrite can convert it into a Google Form, and the editor lets you add, reword or remove questions before you collect any data. The [Likert scale questionnaire generator](/tools/survey-generator/likert-scale-questionnaire) is a good option if your study is built mostly from agreement scales, and the [Google Forms survey generator](/tools/google-forms-survey-generator) covers other survey types. Exporting to Google Forms is a Pro feature. [Generate a research questionnaire free](/tools/survey-generator/research-questionnaire) ## Analysing the data Responses from Google Forms can be exported to Google Sheets. Before you calculate anything, reverse the scores of the reverse-worded items so that a high score means the same thing across a block. Then compute a mean per block for each respondent. If your methodology requires it, check the internal consistency of each block with Cronbach's alpha. A value around 0.7 or higher is commonly treated as acceptable. Report distributions along with the means. ## FAQ How many questions should a thesis questionnaire have? A typical range is 20 to 40 items, which takes under ten minutes to complete. Aim for four to six statements per construct, plus a few demographic questions and one open question. Can respondents answer anonymously in Google Forms? Yes. Do not enable the option that collects email addresses, do not require sign-in, and avoid asking for names or other identifying details. How do I cite a questionnaire I generated? Treat a generated draft as your own instrument once you have reviewed and edited it. Describe in your methodology how the items were developed from your objectives, mention that a tool produced the first draft, and report your pilot test and any changes you made. Check your institution's guidance on disclosing the use of AI tools. Can I run the questionnaire in Filipino or Spanish? Yes. The generator works in any language, so you can describe your study in Filipino or Spanish and get the questionnaire in that language. Pilot each language version with a few native speakers.