Dynamic Instructions in Check

Check-all-that-apply questions are one of the most commonly used question formats in self-administered surveys. They are especially valuable because they allow respondents to select several responses from a list of alternatives that they consider applicable. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of different types of instructions requesting a specific number of responses to a check-all-that-apply question in a web survey. We compared “static” instructions that are always visible together with the question stem, “dynamic” instructions that instantly appear once respondents start answering the question, and “combined” instructions taking advantage of both static and dynamic instructions. Findings showed that in view of respondent compliance with the instruction, the combination of a static and dynamic instruction is most effective. However, findings also revealed that the specific number of responses requested in the instruction has to be taken into account as a decisive factor influencing the response selection process and ultimately data quality