Survey: Dichotomous Questions

Survey questions can take many forms and employ many different response formats. One popular and often-used format is a dichotomous question that provides only two possible answers. This type of question is especially prominent in educational assessments. The question becomes a closed-ended question because the choices are supplied by the investigator. The dichotomous question format is used when the issue under consideration most likely is thought of in two possible values. However, any topic or variable that can be divided into two possible values permits use of this format. After a couple of examples of dichotomous questions to further clarify their format, this entry examines the advantages and disadvantages of dichotomous questions in surveys.

One example of a dichotomous question involves the designation of biological sex ...