Here’s a collection of “orphan” survey questions being asked using the DIY research tool, Google Consumer Surveys, with a goal of measuring how ripe conditions are for a 2-year extended warranty that includes coverage for accidental breakage. (“Orphan” means: a respondent sees one, and only one, of the questions; no respondent sees all of the question.)

That said, here’s where a professional researcher might have helped.

• On Question 1, top left, the Google-Matic Answer-Choice Randomizer should have been turned off, so the answer choices were presented in a rational order, not in a random wreck.
• On Question 2, middle left, the Randomizer should have been turned off.
• On Question 4, top right, answer choice #4 should have been rewritten to be: “Not difficult but time consuming” … or … “Not difficult and not time consuming.” As written, it’s hard to know which one is intended.
• On Questions 5 and 6, bottom right, both questions as written should have multiple-select answer choices (also known as: check boxes). Questions that are structured as “pick one, and only one, answer” (also known as: radio buttons), must be phrased as, “Which one of the following …” or “Which of these would you most …”Question wording and answer choices must be a matched pair. If you signal respondents that you are looking for one, and only one, answer, then you use an answer-choice structure which permits one, and only one, answer. If you signal respondents that more than one answer choice is possible, then you must permit them to offer more than one answer choice.

Professional researchers can help you work with a DIY tool such as Google Consumer Surveys (#gsurveys), or can steer you to a full-service solution, if that is the better value. A good, professional researcher should offer just as much help as you require, but no more.