Predictive questions: Definition, survey questions with examples

Predictive research questions are defined as survey questions that automatically predict the best possible response options based on the text of the question. Unique to QuestionPro survey software, predictive questions are made possible through AI-powered machine learning capabilities. Predictive questions are particularly popular because of their ease of use, time, and cost-saving properties.

For example, if you would like to collect the gender or sex of the respondent, on asking just gender as the question, pre-defined answer responses populate automatically. Another example of predictive survey questions is demographic information questions such as age, race or ethnicity, occupation, etc. These questions aid in saving cost and time since the users take lesser time during the design phase.

Predictive questions can be widely used in the survey design phase to reduce the time taken to develop a survey or questionnaire with the help of AI-powered questions and answers. These questions also help reduce the effort taken by survey software users when coming up with responses that best define the research objective. Predictive questions are most widely used in quantitative research studies.

How do predictive research questions work?

The use of predictive research questions is one of the most vital cogs towards developing a standardized and robust survey. They use a very powerful artificial intelligence engine that scours for similarly worded questions and displays standardized options in surveys, ultimately aiding the data collection process.

Predictive questions work in the following manner:

Examples of predictive survey questions

As seen above, there are multiple-uses of predictive questions and responses. Using these question types can expedite the survey creation and survey distribution process. Some examples of using predictive survey questions are:

use predictive questions in research survey

Demographic predictive questions

Dichotomous predictive questions Rating scale predictive questions Numeric scale predictive questions Geographic predictive questions

All of the above examples can be effectively used in the QuestionPro, online survey tool with a smart AI engine that allows the use of predictive questions.

Examples of predictive questions in QuestionPro

You can use predictive questions with multiple, single-select questions, including dichotomous questions, numeric scale questions, and rating scale questions. An example of using the QuestionPro online survey platform for numeric scale predictive survey questions is:

Another example of a predictive scale question is:

Predictive survey questions also work with matrix-style question types. While using predictive questions with the QuestionPro online survey platform, you can reverse the order of options, discard the options or manually edit the options to include/delete certain answer options for both single-select as well as matrix-style question types. For example:

The QuestionPro predictive questions AI engine is built by evaluating answer options of over 10 million surveys. This engine applies the core principles of machine learning, which will track which answer combination gets discarded and stop showing/using that prediction combination. On the other hand, it will also constantly 'learn' which answer options are being used for which question types and start displaying those updated options too when a new question is added in a survey.

Uses of predictive questions in research

Predictive questions will make the life of a researcher easy as well as reduce the time to create smart surveys and distribute them. Some of the significant uses of predictive questions are:

Advantages of predictive questions

There are multiple advantages of predictive survey questions. Some of the most important advantages are:

How to use predictive survey questions in QuestionPro?

Learn how to set up and ask these questions using our help file on predictive answer options.

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