Written by Vimala Balamurugan
Jan 5, 2023 · 4 mins read
Anonymity gives a person the conviction of being protected irrespective of the choices they make or the opinions they put forward, which in turn empowers them to be honest and open as much as they can. Being a survey creator, the least important is who's responding to your survey, and the most valuable one is the quality of data taken out from the survey. That's why anonymous surveys play a significant role in producing the best quality outcome to enhance the understanding of the subject behind the survey.
Be it a feedback survey or an employee satisfaction survey, it is proven that anonymous surveys are the most effective ones to measure it. If your goal is to improve the experience, anonymous surveys will definitely reward you with candid responses which help you make better decisions.
- How to build anonymous surveys
- Why choose the Anonymous survey
- Build Your First Anonymous survey
How to build anonymous surveys
Before jumping to that, What is an anonymous survey?
An anonymous survey is a survey that does not collect any identifying information about the respondent. This means that the person conducting the survey will need help to determine the identity of the person who completed the study. Anonymous surveys are used to encourage honesty and openness in responses, as respondents may feel more comfortable answering with honesty if they do not have to reveal their identity.
The process of creating an anonymous survey involves several steps:
- Identify the goals of the survey.
- Choose an anonymous survey platform.
- Design the survey.
- Communicate your intentions
- Choose the best distribution method and collect responses.
- Analyze the results.
Each step is essential in ensuring that the survey is successful and that the results are meaningful.
Step 1: Identify the Goals of the Survey
The first step in creating an anonymous survey is to identify the goals of the survey. Clarifying the objectives of the survey will help you focus on what information you are trying to gather and what is the purpose of the study. It is also essential to consider the target audience when designing a survey – who will be taking the survey, and what type of questions should be included?
Step 2: Choose the right platform
Not every survey platform you see today is anonymous. Most of them store some personal information like IP address or other digital prints of the participants, which means you are not running a completely anonymous survey. So it would be best if you were careful in choosing the right platform; platforms like BlockSurvey are the best and most secure to host your research survey to deliver the absolute data privacy your participants deserve.
Step 3: Design the Survey
Once you have chosen the platform, it's time to design the survey. There are several best practices for designing an anonymous survey, such as keeping questions short and to the point, using simple language that is easy to understand, and avoiding leading questions that might influence responses.
You might think your questions can't be linked to any individual respondent, but that depends on the possible answers. Watch for questions that reveal specific information about individuals, their family members, or experiences that may be unique to them or someone with their background. Additionally, it's important to avoid jargon or technical terms that may confuse respondents, uses multiple-choice or rating-scale questions whenever possible, group similar questions together, and format the survey, so it looks professional and is easy to read.
Step 4: Communicate your intentions
Let the participants know why you choose an anonymous questionnaire and how you respect your participants' privacy. Communicate what information you will and won't collect, who will be assessing the feedback, and how you intend to follow up. These communications will instill confidence and set expectations for a more successful survey experience for everyone involved.
Step 5: Choose the best distribution method and collect responses
The next step is to distribute the survey and collect responses from participants. Sharing the anonymous survey link through email or posting it on social media handles is one of the best methods of distribution. It would help if you kept in mind that the right distribution channel is the way to reach the right participants for effective outcomes. To ensure that responses remain anonymous, use a unique identifier instead of a name for each answer and do not ask for contact information (such as email address or phone number). Additionally, make sure that respondents cannot be identified by their responses.
Step 5: Analyze the Results
Once you have collected responses from participants, it's time to analyze the results. There are several tools and methods for analyzing anonymous survey results – statistical analysis tools can help identify patterns or trends in the data. In contrast, qualitative analysis can help interpret open-ended questions or generate insights from qualitative data.
It's also important to be aware of any potential biases or limitations in your data set when interpreting results. Anonymous questionnaires can reduce the influence of social desirability bias, where participants may feel pressure to give responses that they believe are more socially acceptable. Not only from the participant side, but It also helps your strategy team to analyze the results without bias that they would otherwise have towards the known participants.
Why choose the Anonymous survey
Providing anonymity to your participant is a crucial element of efficient survey practices. Survey creators need to respect the privacy of their participants and ensure that their data is kept secure and confidential. This includes protecting the anonymity of participants by not collecting any identifying information from them, it is not only confined to details like name, age, country, or any other demographic entity, but also it should provide the participants with absolute digital anonymity, including their IP address and other personal digital information.
Even the most renowned survey platforms that claim themselves to be anonymous allow their survey creators to store the respondents' IP addresses; this makes you lose your privacy. That is where BlockSurvey makes a significant difference.
BlockSurvey is the most secure survey tool with the highest data security for survey creators and respondents. BlockSurvey is an end-to-end encrypted survey tool with a pack of rich features that provides you with complete privacy, anonymity, and security.
"Decentralizing is the only way to own your data. BlockSurvey is the very first online survey tool that uses Stacks Blockchain, which is secured by Bitcoin to power up the surveys." And also, it is an AI-driven survey tool; creating surveys with AI is much easier and faster. BlockSurvey, by default, does not collect the meta identity or the IP address of its users, and also, strictly, there are no ads or trackers on the platform.
Apart from privacy, there are several other benefits to using anonymous surveys, including:
Increased honesty: Participants may be more likely to give honest answers when they are not required to provide their names or other identifying information. This can be particularly important when asking sensitive or personal questions.
Increased participation: Some participants may be hesitant to participate in research if they have to reveal their identity. By offering the option to remain anonymous, researchers may be able to increase the number of people who are willing to take part in the study.
Reduced bias: If participants are aware that their responses will be linked to their identity, they may be more likely to give socially desirable answers rather than their true beliefs or experiences. Removing this possibility can help reduce bias in the data collected.
Overall, anonymous surveys can be an effective tool for collecting data from a large number of participants, particularly when honesty and privacy are important considerations.
Build Your First Anonymous survey
Sign-up to BlockSurvey now and join thousands of other privacy activists around the world who enjoy complete privacy and ownership of their data.
During Sign-up, you will receive your secret keys; the account you created is a Decentralized Identity(DID), which gets anchored in Bitcoin's blockchain through Blockstack. A secret key is a set of 12 words that proves your ownership of our account/identity. It is used to access your identity on the Blockstack's blockchain.
Design your first completely anonymous survey in BlockSurvey and share it with your participants easily, as BlockSurvey supports easy integrations and effortless distribution.
Analyze your data with best-in-class built-in analytics to extract the quality information from the survey created.
How to create an anonymous survey FAQ
What are the best ways to keep my survey anonymous?
Use an online survey platform that allows you to collect anonymous responses. Make sure to disable any IP tracking or other identifying information collection. BlockSurvey is the decentralized survey platform, that doesn't store the respondents IP addresses and other digital prints.
How can I ensure that my survey remains confidential?
Use a secure platform like BlockSurvey to host your survey and ensure that your survey participants are aware of their rights to privacy.
What information should I not include in my survey?
Do not ask for any sensitive information such as home address, social security number, or any other personal data that could be used to identify the respondent.
How can I ensure that my survey results are accurate?
Utilize survey best practices such as providing clear instructions and ensuring a balanced mix of questions to ensure accurate results. Additionally, make sure to provide your participants with an opportunity to provide feedback.
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Vimala Balamurugan
Vimala heads the Content and SEO Team at BlockSurvey. She is the curator of all the content that BlockSurvey puts out into the public domain. Blogging, music, and exploring new places around is how she spends most of her leisure time.
FAQs
How do I create a survey and get answers? ›
- Click + NEW SURVEY.
- In step 1 (Write questions), select the appropriate question type(s) and write your question(s). ...
- In step 2 (Pick audience), name your survey and select your target audience. ...
- In step 3 (Confirm survey), review your survey questions and purchase responses.
- Set your objectives.
- Write your survey questions (the right way)
- Test internally and then on a pilot group.
- Deploy the survey to members.
- Collect responses.
- Analyze the responses.
- Act on the results.
- Decide on your research goals. ...
- Create a list of questions. ...
- Invite the participants. ...
- Gather your responses. ...
- Analyse the results. ...
- Write a report.
- Look at each survey collector you're using. You'll need to turn on anonymous responses for each collector (or way to send your survey) you use. ...
- Don't use identifiable custom data or Custom Variables. ...
- Review the questions you're asking—both at an individual and at a holistic level.
One way to collect anonymous feedback from remote employees is to use an online survey tool. Survey tools allow you to create custom surveys that can be distributed to employees via email or link. Employees can then complete the survey at their convenience, and the results are compiled into a report.
What is an example of survey response? ›Your survey response rate is the number of customers who actually take the time to respond to one or more questions and submit the survey, relative to the number of customers asked. For example, if you send out 1000 surveys and get 200 in return, that's a response rate of 20%.
How do you write a survey for beginners? ›- Use formatting. Group similar questions to keep your survey logical and focused. ...
- Send frequent surveys. ...
- Be brief in your questions. ...
- Enlist the help of others. ...
- Stick to specifics. ...
- Clarify in your survey question answers. ...
- Keep questions relevant. ...
- Go easy on yes/no questions.
- Choose the right platform.
- Make the survey as short as possible.
- Don't ask 'yes' or 'no' questions.
- Randomize your answer options.
- Keep your question text neutral.
- Use matrix questions judiciously.
- Align questions and answers to each type of respondent.
Namely, 3 C's stand for corporation, customer and competitors that are known as elements of strategic triangle.
What are the 12 steps in survey process? ›- Investigate past survey experience. ...
- Clarify the purpose. ...
- Consult and involve stakeholders. ...
- Communicate widely and frequently. ...
- Make the survey easy to access and complete. ...
- Create a buzz. ...
- Feedback results as soon as possible. ...
- Ask questions to better understand issues.
What are the 10 steps in creating online survey? ›
- A short survey is better than a long one. ...
- Questions must be easy to understand and answer. ...
- Group questions according to topic. ...
- Place sensitive questions at the end. ...
- Avoid irrelevant questions. ...
- Reassure your respondents that their data is secure. ...
- Spend time on your design.
This paper will explore the pros and cons of four basic types of quantitative survey methodologies: mail, telephone, online, and in-person to guide you in choosing the best methodology for your study.
Can you use Google Forms for an anonymous survey? ›Google Forms can be anonymous if they're made that way
First, any questions that would reveal personal information, like a name or email address, should not be included in the form, especially as required questions. Additionally, you must make sure that the form is not set to collect email addresses from respondents.
Responses to anonymous surveys cannot be traced back to the respondent. No personally identifiable information is captured unless you voluntarily offer personal or contact information in any of the comment fields.
Where can I post a survey to get responses for free? ›- Friends and Family.
- Facebook Groups.
- Forums.
- Slack Groups.
- LinkedIn.
- Twitter.
- People on the Street.
Set your form to collect anonymous responses.
Go to the "More Options" menu. Go to Settings. Select the "Only people in my organization can respond" radio button. De-select "record name" and select "one response per person."
With Slido, people can submit questions anonymously, which brings even the most pressing ones to light.
What is the app for anonymous answers? ›AskMe is the best app to get anonymous and honest answers to your questions. It's extremely simple to create a new question and share it to Instagram. You'll receive anonymous messages and you'll be able to reply it back on IG. AskMe is intended to be used safely.
What is a sample survey example? ›The field of sample survey methods is concerned with effective ways of obtaining sample data. The three most common types of sample surveys are mail surveys, telephone surveys, and personal interview surveys.
What is a good survey sample? ›A good maximum sample size is usually 10% as long as it does not exceed 1000. A good maximum sample size is usually around 10% of the population, as long as this does not exceed 1000. For example, in a population of 5000, 10% would be 500. In a population of 200,000, 10% would be 20,000.
What is a good introduction for a survey? ›
Write an introduction with the assumption that respondents don't know much, if anything, about the topic of your survey. Use simple, clear language to briefly explain the topic and purpose of the survey. Your introduction only needs to be three or four sentences, or a couple of short paragraphs at most.
What are 3 important elements to remember while doing a survey? ›To avoid this pitfall, it's important to identify your main objective and your target audience before doing anything else. At most, a survey consists of three parts: the introduction, the questions themselves, and the conclusion.
What should you not do in a survey? ›- Don't write leading questions. ...
- Avoid loaded questions. ...
- Stay away from double-barreled questions. ...
- Absolutely do not use absolutes in questions. ...
- Be clear by speaking your respondent's language.
Google Forms is totally free to use. As long as you have a Google account, you can access Google Forms in its entirety—completely free. SurveyMonkey does have a free Basic plan, but it's pretty limited, especially compared to everything you get at no cost with Google Forms: Pictures and backgrounds.
What are the 6 types of survey questions? ›- Open-ended questions.
- Closed-ended questions.
- Nominal questions.
- Likert scale questions.
- Rating scale (or ordinal) questions.
- 'Yes' or 'no' questions.
- Online Surveys. Online surveys are one of the most popular types of surveys and for good reason. ...
- Paper Surveys. ...
- Mail Surveys. ...
- Telephone Surveys. ...
- In-Person Surveys. ...
- Panel Surveys. ...
- Focus Group Surveys.
Most surveys of customers, employees or the like use what are called “checklist questions”. It's a good name since it is what it says. We present a list of options to the respondent and ask which ones fit the respondent. They're also known as multiple choice questions.
What are the 8 parts of survey report? ›The features of a survey report include; a title page, table of contents, executive summary, background and objectives, methodology, results, conclusion and recommendations, and appendices. The content of the above-listed sections may, however, vary across the different types of survey reports.
How many questions are enough for a survey? ›A good questionnaire can be of 25 to 30 questions and should be able to be administered within 30 min to keep the interest and attention of the participants intact.
What are the 3 steps in conducting a survey? ›Start by choosing your survey's purpose and target group. Conduct the survey by contacting respondents via email, the phone, in person, or even snail mail. Analyze your data and produce a final report of your results.
What are 3 ways a survey can be conducted? ›
Exploratory, descriptive, and causal are the three main types used in survey research. It helps to familiarize yourself with these types before designing your survey research.
What is the difference between a questionnaire and a survey? ›A questionnaire is the term used to describe the set of questions you're asking an individual. A survey is the process of collecting, analysing and interpreting data from many individuals. It aims to determine insights about a group of people.
What is the best survey method? ›Online Surveys
Online surveys are one of the most effective surveying methods. They can be used by anyone for just about anything, and are easily customized for a particular audience.
- Valid. A valid questionnaire should ask what it intends to ask, i.e. the questions should be phrased in such a way that the respondent understands the objective of the question. ...
- Reliable. ...
- Interesting. ...
- Succinct.
- Starting from the Google Forms site, click on Start a new form.
- Set responses as Required as needed.
- Click on the Settings tab. Make sure to uncheck Collect email addresses.
- Make sure to uncheck Limit to 1 response.
SurveyMonkey provides the tools for creators to configure their surveys how they want. This includes allowing them to collect strictly anonymous responses, or to choose to identify their respondents.
Do you need consent for an anonymous survey? ›Research involving no more than minimal risk of harm to human participants still requires the participants' consent, but may not require that participants sign a written consent form. Anonymous surveys and interviews that present minimal risk, for example, may not require written consent.
Can you see who responded to a Google form? ›View responses
See answers by person or, if you allowed people to submit the form more than once, by submission. Open a form in Google Forms. At the top of the form, click Responses. Click Individual.
- Create a new form and add question.
- Navigate to the Settings panel.
- Uncheck Record Name under Who can fill out this form heading.
A Google survey template provides the layout and framework when creating a form.
Do anonymous surveys get more responses? ›
Response rates for anonymous surveys are usually better than for non-confidential surveys. This is because people are more likely to trust the stated intentions of an anonymous survey.
What is the difference between confidential and anonymous survey? ›Anonymity refers to a situation where the identity of the respondent isn't known by anyone doing the survey. Confidentiality refers to a situation where the identity of the respondent is known by the system administering the survey, but great steps are taken to protect that identity from being revealed to anyone.
Are anonymous surveys more effective? ›By not asking for their identifying information, anonymous surveys are highly successful in fetching honest answers. They ensure that people deliver real feedback that leads you to accurate data. For this reason, anonymous surveys are especially useful for candid information.
Can you tell who responded to SurveyMonkey? ›Before you send your survey, decide if you want to track who's taken your survey or if you want to keep responses anonymous. You need to set up your survey to track respondents before you send it out. It's not possible to start tracking responses after the survey is sent.
Are anonymous surveys honest? ›You gain more honest feedback
When a survey is anonymous, respondents are more inclined to discuss sensitive issues and provide more detailed and honest feedback. It's why we tend to see more anonymous staff surveys, compared to those that require staff to provide identifiable information.
Can I make a survey form that is anonymous? Yes. Just click the three dots at the top right corner to open the Form Settings; then uncheck the box labeled Record name. This will make the form anonymous.
What are the ethics for an anonymous survey? ›Subjects cannot have their names on their surveys or on informed consent documents. No open-ended questions can be included that would provide the ability of the researcher to trace the handwriting of a subject.
What should you not ask in a survey? ›- Don't write leading questions. ...
- Avoid loaded questions. ...
- Stay away from double-barreled questions. ...
- Absolutely do not use absolutes in questions. ...
- Be clear by speaking your respondent's language.
If you want to use instruments such as surveys, questionnaires, interview questions, or tests created by people other than yourself, you must obtain the permission of the copyright holder or follow usage terms of the instrument license. Remember that permission is not the same as attribution.