20 Top Tips To Writing Effective Surveys

Writing surveys is easy; or is it? The truth is that writing surveys is easy but writing effective surveys is more difficult. The following are twenty tips that if followed will help you write more effective surveys.

1. What is the purpose of the survey?

Surveys are conducted for many reasons. By phrasing the questions and structuring the answers surveys can be used in a multitude of ways and for a variety of reasons. When compiling a survey dont loose sight of its purpose.

2. Title the survey

The survey title is a golden opportunity to instantly summarise a survey's objective and grab the attention of invited respondents. Respondents are going to invest time in completing the survey so make them feel that their investment is worthwhile.

3. Do not make the survey any longer than it needs to be

Every question that is asked should be asked for a reason. Focus on need to know questions and minimise nice to know information.

4. Use plain English, avoid jargon and acronyms, maintain consistency and dont ask questions that may result in ambiguous answers

Care must be taken in wording a question. If a question is not clear then there is every chance that respondents may interpret the question differently to that intended by the publisher making any analysis of the data meaningless or at the very least misleading.

5. Avoid long questions

Try to use short sentences wherever possible. Long questions tend to cause respondents discomfort and can lead to a higher level of incidents where respondents abandon a survey.

6. Ask one question at a time

Avoid confusing the respondent with a question like Do you like football and tennis?

7. Avoid influencing the answer

It is important not to load the question. Should irresponsible shop keepers who sell tobacco to children be prosecuted? is unlikely to have any value.

8. Ensure that the answer format used allows the respondent to answer the question being asked

Allow the respondent to answer how they really feel or they may be less inclined to complete the survey. As a last resort consider the benefit of including a Dont know, Cant say or similar response option.

9. At the same time that you compile the survey consider, when the survey is complete, how the compiled data is going be analysed

If a question is asked that allows a free text open ended response appreciate that such information is likely to be difficult to score and/or summarised. Consider grouping answers. For example How long have you worked here? - less than 1 year, between 1 and 3 years and more than 3.

10. Ensure that the questionnaire flows

When asking questions group the questions into clear categories as this makes the task of completing the survey easier for the participants.

11. Target your respondents

In some cases you will want to target a specific group, in others a cross section. If you cant easily control the respondents consider including questions/answers that will allow you to filter out respondents who dont fit your target profile.

12. Allow the respondent to expand or make comments

Allowing the respondent to make additional comments will increase their satisfaction level and will also give valuable feedback on the specific questions and/or the survey as a whole. Remember though for a large sample collection it may be difficult to analyse free text open ended responses.

13. If the survey you are conducting is to be confidential ensure that your pledge is upheld

If you have assured the respondents that the survey is confidential ensure that the individual data is not to be shared with anyone and the information is not going to be used for any other purpose. Confidentiality must be maintained at all times and any identifying information destroyed after the survey is complete.

14. Weigh up the benefits of allowing respondents to be anonymous or identifiable

If your respondents are to be anonymous then appreciate that you will be unable to follow up or match pre or post surveys. However in some cases allowing people to remain anonymous will allow people to respond without possible peer pressure.

15. Give careful consideration to the best response format

It is good practice to maintain a consistency in the format used for responses. Keep in mind that when analysing the data radio buttons are easier to analyse than check boxes that offer the respondent multiple responses. Do not use a check box if a radio response would do.

16. Give the respondent an idea of how much time the survey will take.

Respondent drop out can occur if the survey appears to be a stream of never ending questions. It is good practice to give an indication as to how long the survey is likely to take so the respondents can choose the best time to complete the survey.

17. Inform the respondents of the survey end date

Encourage respondents to complete the survey as soon as possible but advice respondents as to the surveys end date so that they have the opportunity to schedule the necessary time.

18. Pilot the survey

Before publishing a live survey publish a small pilot survey to check for questions that are ambiguous or confusing and to ensure that the survey is aesthetically pleasing.

19. Before publishing the survey proof read the survey several times

Check and check again that the survey is grammatically correct and makes sense. If possible get someone else to proof read the survey before you publish, if no one else is available then take a break before checking again.

20. Remember to say thank you

To complete surveys respondents need to invest their time and should be thanked either in a covering letter, at the end of completing the survey or in a follow up letter. You may even want to consider incentives such as a prize draw or reward.

For more information please visit http://www.SurveyGalaxy.com

Martin Day is a Director of Survey Galaxy. For more information please visit http://www.SurveyGalaxy.com

Top 10 Tips to Writing Great Candle Lighting Ceremony Poems

10. Get inspired.

Think about an anecdote or personal trait that makes this person special to you and write it down.

Example: For a bar mitzvah boy's grandfather who passed away very recently, the notes one could write about him are as follows:

He was Irish, Catholic, not Jewish. He was so proud of the man that David is becoming. He lived in Florida and he made David feel safe in Florida by telling him that his home was really David's Florida home, so David was never homesick in Florida. He was a baker, he used to make bread on the kitchen table without a bowl, he made a lake in the middle of the flour. There needs to be something about David remembering him making bread with the lake on the table. The candle will be lit by Grandpa's brother Uncle Frank and Aunt Marianne. This is the first family get together without him.

With a little work you can turn it into this:

My grandfather who I love so dear

Passed away recently, but I know he is near

His was my second home in Florida, of this I know

He told me how proud he was as he watched me grow

Grandpa was a baker and bread he would always make

With flour on the table, in the center he made a lake

This candle is to honor him, that has been my plan

Please come up to light it with me, Uncle Frank & Aunt Marianne

9. Make poems that are 4-8 lines.

Too few will be hard to convey your message and too many might bore your audience.

8. Try to keep each poem the same length.

You don't want Grandma to be upset that she got 4 lines when Uncle Bill got 8.

7. If you are having trouble finding a word to rhyme with another word, you can either pick a different word (like choosing "great" instead of "good" or "sweet" instead of "nice") or try going to http://www.rhymezone.com/

It is a great rhyming dictionary on-line that comes in handy for those tough to rhyme words.

6. Try to make the first line rhyme with the second line and the third line should rhyme with the fourth line.

It's an AABBCCDD pattern that makes it simpler to read and find a rhyming word.

5. If you know who you want to call up to light the candle, find a word that rhymes with their name

With you guys as family I am never alone... (and end the line with) Come on up Uncle Bill and Aunt Joan.

4. An easy method to use is to find a last line that rhymes with the number you are on.

For example:

Grandma's cooking always tastes like heaven,

So come on up to light candle number eleven.

3. There are a few catch phrases that you can use for any poem such as:

...I love you ...

Come light candle number two.

And...

"To my aunt and uncle whom I truly adore,

Please come up to light candle number four."

Here is an example of how you turn the notes you jot down into a poem. For Grandma & PopPop: Michael is their first and only grandchild, he has slept there every Friday the first 2 years of his life, and still sleeps over at times. They took him skiing for the first time when he was 4, they take him to movies, play cards, you name it, they do it for him!

Turn that into:

There are two special people here who I just love and adore

They introduced me to skiing when I was a boy of four

I have learned so much from both of them about being a good friend

Whether it's at the movies or playing cards, there's laughter without end

When I was little I stayed with them almost every Friday night

Grandma & PopPop it's number twelve, I'd love your help to light

2. If there is someone on the list that your family knows, but you don't know so well, be sure to speak to your family and get some insight into who they are and why they are special.

Example:

For a very dear friend of Mom and Dad's - JoAnn. Steven's mom has known JoAnn since they were 6 and of course JoAnn knows Steven since his birth. She helped the family a great deal when Mom and Dad were going through a divorce. She helped move them from Staten Island to NJ, she stayed there for 2 weeks to help them settle in. Always there for Mom, serious or fun...she is a lot of fun to be around.

Turn that into:

This next candle is for a family friend who's always there in a fix

She's known me since my birth and known Mom since they were six

From Staten Island to New Jersey, she helped us with our move

Two weeks she kept us company, till we got into a groove

Always fun to be around, that's why I'm such a fan

Please come up for candle eleven, mom's dear friend JoAnn

1. When in doubt, go to a professional who will write the poems for you and allow you to concentrate on all the other things you have to do when becoming a bar or bat mitzvah. Visit me at www.thepoemlady.com or email heymannyc@yahoo.com. I'll write candle lighting poems for you based on the information you provide. I also help pick out the songs and make the whole thing effort free. The poems are sweet and funny. You can even print them out and roll them up in a scroll and hand them to the candle-lighters as they come up so they can take their personalized poem home with them.

Most important, just remember to have fun and enjoy your special day

jill - the poem lady
http://www.thepoemlady.com

5 Tips On How To Position Yourself As An Expert

Writing articles will help you in many ways. You can build an online or offline business with your articles. You will also gain visibility and credibility when people see that you are an author. The word author come from the word authority, and it is this fact that will help you to position yourself as an expert in your field. Here are 5 tips on how to write articles that will build your business in a very short amount of time.

• Keep your articles short. No one wants to read a one thousand word article by someone they do not know. People reading online have a short attention span and want information in small chunks. Three hundred word articles will serve you best.
• Write in a conversational manner. Make it easy for the reader to understand what you are talking about and how it will help them.
• Give people useful information that they can put into action immediately after reading your article. There is so much fluff out there, people will appreciate and remember someone who honestly gives good, solid tips and suggestions in their articles.
• Show both sides of what you are writing about. Your readers need to know what will work for them and what will be a waste of their valuable time.
• Write as though you were talking to a prospect or client. If you learn to do this well enough, many of your readers will turn into clients.

Follow these five tips and you will position yourself as an expert in your field very quickly by writing articles for your business.

And now I invite you to join me for free weekly teleseminars that will teach you how to write, market, and sell your articles and ebook to increase your visibility, credibility and passive income by visiting http://www.EbookWritingandMarketingSecrets.com and download two free article writing templates at http://www.WriteArticlesWithJeffHerring.com to get started right away

Book Review For "Tales of Beedle the Bard"

Discover Harry Potter's wizarding world's unique fairy tales in "The Tales of Beedle the Bard." Filled with wizarding fables that invoke "Grimm's Fairy Tales," these five short stories carry messages of hope, morality, and virtue. Rowling expands Harry Potter's universe by sharing these magical fairy tales in a writing style that's easy to read and appeals not only to children, but adults as well.

The most compelling story is that of the three brothers. They encounter death as they cross a bridge. Death gives them each a gift - the elder wand, a stone that brings back the dead, and the cloak of invisibility. It is this story which is referenced in book seven of the Harry Potter series and it gives Voldemort's driving desire to possess these objects perspective, as Voldemort was trying to find a way to cheat death.

The other stories are just as interesting. In "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot," a self-serving wizard refuses to share the hopping pot with the townsfolk. His refusal to help others leads the hopping pot to drive him crazy until he does. In Dumbledore's footnotes, Rowling cleverly ties in legends of our own history and talks about how the wizarding community and humans came to have separate societies.

"The Fountain of Fair Fortune" rebuilds trust between muggles and the magical. Three witches and a knight go on a quest and discover what they were looking for was more in their hearts than in their magic.

"The Warlock's Hairy Heart," tells what happens when a magician gives up his humanity by removing his heart. Its probably the most gory of the fairy tales - but its also one that captures the essence of the Grimm stories.

"Babbity Rabbitty and her Crackling Stump," is one of the first stories in Harry Potter's universe that deals with Animagi - those wizards and witches who can change into animals. In it, an arrogant king wants to be the only one who can do magic in the kingdom. A sly charlatan who can't do magic, fools the king into becoming the Grand Sorcerer. When the king puts the charlatan on the spot, he turns to Babbitty, an old witch, to help him fool the king.

All the stories have folksy, fairytale appeal. They read like we would expect a fairytale to. The use of magic in the story makes little difference to the moral of the story being told.

The book complements Rowling's Harry Potter series well. The writing is easy to understand. The stories are well paced. Rowling makes her characters appealing with little emotional touches reminiscent of the Harry Potter series. Overall, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," is a book all will enjoy.

"The Tales of Beedle The Bard"
Written by: JK Rowling
Scholastic, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-545-12828-5
$12.99
5 Stars

StephB is an author who can be found at http://sgcardin.tripod.com.

In her spare time she likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing.

20 Top Tips To Writing Effective Surveys

Writing surveys is easy; or is it? The truth is that writing surveys is easy but writing effective surveys is more difficult. The following are twenty tips that if followed will help you write more effective surveys.

1. What is the purpose of the survey?

Surveys are conducted for many reasons. By phrasing the questions and structuring the answers surveys can be used in a multitude of ways and for a variety of reasons. When compiling a survey dont loose sight of its purpose.

2. Title the survey

The survey title is a golden opportunity to instantly summarise a survey's objective and grab the attention of invited respondents. Respondents are going to invest time in completing the survey so make them feel that their investment is worthwhile.

3. Do not make the survey any longer than it needs to be

Every question that is asked should be asked for a reason. Focus on need to know questions and minimise nice to know information.

4. Use plain English, avoid jargon and acronyms, maintain consistency and dont ask questions that may result in ambiguous answers

Care must be taken in wording a question. If a question is not clear then there is every chance that respondents may interpret the question differently to that intended by the publisher making any analysis of the data meaningless or at the very least misleading.

5. Avoid long questions

Try to use short sentences wherever possible. Long questions tend to cause respondents discomfort and can lead to a higher level of incidents where respondents abandon a survey.

6. Ask one question at a time

Avoid confusing the respondent with a question like Do you like football and tennis?

7. Avoid influencing the answer

It is important not to load the question. Should irresponsible shop keepers who sell tobacco to children be prosecuted? is unlikely to have any value.

8. Ensure that the answer format used allows the respondent to answer the question being asked

Allow the respondent to answer how they really feel or they may be less inclined to complete the survey. As a last resort consider the benefit of including a Dont know, Cant say or similar response option.

9. At the same time that you compile the survey consider, when the survey is complete, how the compiled data is going be analysed

If a question is asked that allows a free text open ended response appreciate that such information is likely to be difficult to score and/or summarised. Consider grouping answers. For example How long have you worked here? - less than 1 year, between 1 and 3 years and more than 3.

10. Ensure that the questionnaire flows

When asking questions group the questions into clear categories as this makes the task of completing the survey easier for the participants.

11. Target your respondents

In some cases you will want to target a specific group, in others a cross section. If you cant easily control the respondents consider including questions/answers that will allow you to filter out respondents who dont fit your target profile.

12. Allow the respondent to expand or make comments

Allowing the respondent to make additional comments will increase their satisfaction level and will also give valuable feedback on the specific questions and/or the survey as a whole. Remember though for a large sample collection it may be difficult to analyse free text open ended responses.

13. If the survey you are conducting is to be confidential ensure that your pledge is upheld

If you have assured the respondents that the survey is confidential ensure that the individual data is not to be shared with anyone and the information is not going to be used for any other purpose. Confidentiality must be maintained at all times and any identifying information destroyed after the survey is complete.

14. Weigh up the benefits of allowing respondents to be anonymous or identifiable

If your respondents are to be anonymous then appreciate that you will be unable to follow up or match pre or post surveys. However in some cases allowing people to remain anonymous will allow people to respond without possible peer pressure.

15. Give careful consideration to the best response format

It is good practice to maintain a consistency in the format used for responses. Keep in mind that when analysing the data radio buttons are easier to analyse than check boxes that offer the respondent multiple responses. Do not use a check box if a radio response would do.

16. Give the respondent an idea of how much time the survey will take.

Respondent drop out can occur if the survey appears to be a stream of never ending questions. It is good practice to give an indication as to how long the survey is likely to take so the respondents can choose the best time to complete the survey.

17. Inform the respondents of the survey end date

Encourage respondents to complete the survey as soon as possible but advice respondents as to the surveys end date so that they have the opportunity to schedule the necessary time.

18. Pilot the survey

Before publishing a live survey publish a small pilot survey to check for questions that are ambiguous or confusing and to ensure that the survey is aesthetically pleasing.

19. Before publishing the survey proof read the survey several times

Check and check again that the survey is grammatically correct and makes sense. If possible get someone else to proof read the survey before you publish, if no one else is available then take a break before checking again.

20. Remember to say thank you

To complete surveys respondents need to invest their time and should be thanked either in a covering letter, at the end of completing the survey or in a follow up letter. You may even want to consider incentives such as a prize draw or reward.

For more information please visit http://www.SurveyGalaxy.com

Martin Day is a Director of Survey Galaxy. For more information please visit http://www.SurveyGalaxy.com

Creative Writing Exercises

Many of us who write will turn our noses up at the thought of writing exercises. We feel either that we're already a creative writer, so why would we need to do any exercises to learn how to be one. Or we associate exercises with bad memories of our school years, and being forced to do things we know we're not good at, the pressure of sitting exams, and so on.

If you have either of these trains of thought, it's completely understandable why you're not jumping around with eager excitement at the thought of trying some new writing exercises.

But the fact is, you're missing out. You're depriving yourself of the chance to enrich and expand your writing repertoire into new areas you may not even know exist.

Another concern that's often voiced is that by using the guidelines of someone else's exercise or prompt, the writing will not be your own. Why would you want to spend your precious creative time writing something that you don't feel you can claim as your own words at the end of it?

When you use a writing exercise, you're simply giving yourself a starting point.

It's like taking your car out on the road, pointing in a certain direction and saying: "I'm going to head for California (or Calgary, or Canberra or anywhere else specifically named) and I'm going to enjoy the sights along the way."

As opposed to sitting in your car on your front drive thinking about all the wonderful places you COULD drive to, but not even starting the engine.

Creative writing exercises give you the starting point and the direction. Beyond that, the writing is all yours.

Where you go, and how you get there is entirely up to you. The exciting thing is, you don't know where you'll end up, and you don't know how you'll get there.

After all, isn't that what writing is all about? Unfurling the adventures within you, that you didn't even know you had within you?

Right now the possibilities of what you could write about are so limitless they're overwhelming. But give yourself a little scenario or outline and notice how your creativity roars into life.

Imagine writing a letter to a male relative who left under emotional circumstances and you haven't seen for 5 years. Why did they leave? What do you feel about seeing them again?

Just this few lines of premise will trigger your creative mind into thinking about the possibilities. It's what it does best, you can't switch it off!

There's a girl in a red dress stood at the side of the road, clutching a doll with one arm and an tattered envelope. Why's she there? Where are her parents? What's in the envelope?

Notice again how your creative mind fills in the gaps and your curiosity kicks into action? Again, you're engine started!

Now get out on the road and have a wonderful creative writing adventure!

And to get started with some creative writing exercises and ideas right away, get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at http://www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

Easy Ways to Break Through Writer's Block and Land the Job You Want

Is it time to update your resume? Are you finding it hard to describe what you did in your most recent job? Are you trying to write a new resume, but don't know where to start? Writer's block happens to a lot of people writing their resume.

People who are currently working often face two difficulties when writing their resume. First, is seeing the forest through the trees. When there's so much detail about what you do, it can be very hard to step back and see the big picture. Second, if your job is boring, it's difficult to imagine that what you do is valuable and interesting to others.

If you're unemployed, it's natural to have conflicted or negative feelings about the job and the company. In that case, the struggle is to be positive about what you write.

Recent graduates may not have a lot of material to work with when writing their resume.

Here are some easy ways to overcome writer's block and write a powerful resume that will help you land the job you want:

1. JOT DOWN A FEW DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES.

Think about what needs to get done on a daily basis. What needs to get done weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly? These activities show that you have the requirements to do the job function, and work in the industry. Use words and phrases like "manage," "oversee," "understand," and "capable" in your resume.

2. WHAT QUALIFICATIONS ARE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB?

If a brand new person, with no training at all, was put into your job, could they do it? Probably not. What skills, procedures, and systems would they need to learn? Most candidates know more than they think. Just because the skills, procedures and systems have become second nature to you doesn't make them less valuable to employers. Terms like "senior," "experienced," and "seasoned" will show that you have deep knowledge of the job and industry.

3. WHO WOULD COMPLAIN IF YOUR JOB DIDN'T GET DONE?

Remember the brand new person who tried to do your job in the previous paragraph? When that person fell short on the job, who would complain? The boss, customers, or coworkers? These are the people that rely on you. These are the benefits you bring to the table. Write something along the lines of "Provide _________ for_________ so they can _________." If you work with top decision makers, you can also say "Work closely with _________."

4. WHAT PROBLEMS DID YOU SOLVE?

There are two types of problems:

The first type of problem is a onetime problem that needs to be solved right now. It can be a problem that prevents the group/department/company from moving forward (a missed opportunity). Or, it could be a "meltdown" such as a computer crash or a lost delivery. In either case, there is a real sense of urgency.

The second type of problem is the recurring, nagging type. Did you build a better mouse trap? Did you face the same problem over and over? These are the problems that force businesses to lose time, money or energy because they are just plain frustrating.

Be straightforward in describing your problem-solving skills: "Resolved recurring issue of _________ resulting in _________." Or, "Overcame the _________ problem and saved the company for _________."

5. WHAT WERE YOU GREAT AT?

Were you recognized for being great at one or two things on the job? Is there anything you wanted to be recognized for? Even if your boss overlooked your strengths, you can highlight them on your resume. Describe yourself as an "expert _________"

6. NEW GRADUATES NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

Apply the five tips described above toward your scholastic career, extracurricular activities, and hobbies. Remember, no one expects you to be a superstar straight out of school. Be bright, happy and responsible, and you'll be a valuable candidate.

Ready to learn more about how to write a resume?

Download my FREE 12-page report, "Anatomy of a Perfect Resume," at http://www.magneticresume.com so you can learn:

• The 4 most common deadly mistakes that people make and how to fix them!
• How to create the perfect Career Objective & Career Summary sections
• How to maximize your resume so you're the candidate your next boss wants to meet!

Scott Shane Holt has seen it all while hiring over 100 people on Wall Street, in good times and bad, and as an executive coach helping managers and other professionals accelerate their careers.