What is a Survey Introduction? Definition, Examples & Best Practices
A survey introduction is the first text a respondent sees before the questions begin. It explains the survey's purpose, estimated length, who is conducting it, and what will happen with the responses. A clear, honest introduction builds respondent trust and is one of the simplest ways to improve completion rates.
Survey Introduction Definition
A survey introduction is the preamble that appears before the first question. It answers the questions respondents are most likely to have: who is asking, why, how long this will take, and whether their answers are confidential.
According to Tourangeau, Rips, and Rasinski in The Psychology of Survey Response (2000), the framing of a survey introduction directly affects both willingness to participate and the quality of answers given.
What to Include
- Who is conducting the survey. Name the organisation or team. An anonymous survey from an unknown sender has a much lower completion rate than one with clear attribution.
- Why respondents are being asked. Explain the purpose in one or two sentences.
- How long it will take. Be accurate. If you say five minutes and it takes fifteen, respondents will abandon or rush. MindProbe shows estimated completion time in the build phase.
- How data will be used. Briefly explain what will happen with the responses.
- Whether responses are anonymous. If anonymous, say so explicitly. Uncertainty about attribution reduces honesty and increases drop-off.
- A deadline if one exists. Specifying when the survey closes creates a mild sense of urgency.
What to Leave Out
- Marketing language. Introductions that describe the survey as exciting or the organisation as innovative undermine the research framing.
- Overly long explanations. An introduction longer than 100 words risks deterring respondents before they start.
- The answers you are looking for. Describing expected findings can prime respondents and skew their answers.
How the Introduction Affects Completion Rates
Research by Crawford, Couper, and Lamias (2001) found that providing a time estimate in the introduction improved completion rates by a statistically significant margin.
The anonymity statement has a particularly strong effect on employee and patient surveys. MindProbe's data shows that surveys with complete introductions outperform those with blank or minimal welcome screens.