Survey Question Types
Dichotomous Survey Questions
The simplest survey question type - exactly two options
Dichotomous survey questions present respondents with exactly two mutually exclusive options - Yes/No, True/False, Agree/Disagree. They are the fastest to answer, easiest to analyze, and most effective for filtering and branching logic.
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What is a dichotomous survey question?
A dichotomous survey question (from the Greek for "divided into two") offers exactly two answer options. The most common form is Yes/No, but dichotomous questions also appear as True/False, Agree/Disagree, Male/Female, or any other binary pair. They are the simplest question type in survey research and produce the cleanest, most actionable data.
When to use
Use dichotomous questions for screening (have they done X?), filtering (are they a customer?), branching logic triggers (show different follow-ups based on Yes or No), or any question where the answer is genuinely binary. Avoid them when nuance matters - a simple Yes/No can oversimplify complex opinions.
20 dichotomous survey question examples
Ready-to-use examples - copy, adapt, or use directly in your surveys.
Have you used [Product] in the past 30 days?
Engagement screening
Would you recommend [Product] to a colleague?
Simplified NPS proxy
Did our support team resolve your issue?
Support quality check
Are you currently on a paid plan?
Segment filter
Have you completed your account setup?
Onboarding progress
Do you use any competing tools alongside [Product]?
Competitive usage
Has [Product] helped you save time on [task]?
Value validation
Did you find the onboarding process easy to follow?
Onboarding CES proxy
Are you the primary decision-maker for purchasing tools like this?
Buyer persona qualifier
Do you have colleagues who could also benefit from [Product]?
Referral potential
Have you tried our [Feature] yet?
Feature adoption
Did you read the documentation before reaching out to support?
Help behavior
Would you be open to a short follow-up call about your experience?
Research recruitment
Are you currently evaluating any alternatives to [Product]?
Churn risk signal
Has [Product] met the expectations you had when you signed up?
Expectation gap
Do you currently have a process in place for collecting customer feedback?
Market qualification
Would you be willing to leave a public review for [Product]?
Review generation
Did you find what you were looking for on this page?
Website feedback
Have you referred anyone to [Product] in the past 3 months?
Referral tracking
Is [Product] part of your regular weekly workflow?
Stickiness assessment
Best practices for dichotomous questions
Use dichotomous questions as branching triggers - show different follow-ups based on the Yes or No response.
Only use Yes/No when the answer is genuinely binary. If there are meaningful degrees (sometimes, rarely, often), use a scale instead.
Be precise in phrasing - "Have you used X in the past 30 days?" is clearer than "Do you use X?"
Pair with an open-text follow-up for "No" responses to understand why.
Avoid social desirability bias - frame questions neutrally so both answers feel acceptable.
Use True/False for factual questions; Yes/No for behavior or intent questions.
Use Dichotomous questions in your next survey
Mapster supports all 13 question types. Build in-product surveys, link responses to real users, and segment results by plan, role, or cohort.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a dichotomous survey question?
A dichotomous survey question offers exactly two mutually exclusive answer options - most commonly Yes or No, but also True/False, Agree/Disagree, or any binary pair. It is the simplest question type in survey research and produces the cleanest data.
What are dichotomous survey question examples?
Examples include: "Have you used [Product] in the past 30 days?" (Yes/No), "Did our support team resolve your issue?" (Yes/No), "Are you the primary decision-maker?" (Yes/No), and "Would you recommend [Product] to a colleague?" (Yes/No).
What is the difference between dichotomous and Likert scale questions?
Dichotomous questions have exactly two options (Yes/No). Likert scale questions have 5–7 options representing degrees of agreement or satisfaction. Use dichotomous for binary facts and screening; use Likert scales when you need to capture nuance and intensity.
When should I avoid dichotomous questions?
Avoid them when the reality is not truly binary. "Are you satisfied?" misses the people who are "mostly satisfied" or "somewhat dissatisfied." In those cases, a 5-point scale captures more useful information. Dichotomous questions work best for facts and behaviors, not opinions.
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Build your survey with Dichotomous questions
Mapster supports all 13 question types. Every response is linked to a real user - so you can segment by plan, role, and cohort.
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