Market Research Checklists | Online Survey Programming, Data Cleaning, and Reporting

Organization is one of my strengths and I LOVE to check tasks off my to-do list. This is why I wanted to share several market research checklists!

Market research checklists may be helpful to current professionals, those entering a career in market research, and those who want to learn more about the market research process. The following checklists can be used to review online survey programming, clean data gathered through fieldwork, and proof a market research report.

Each of these checklists are important to the overall success of a market research project. For example, without a good online survey you will not receive the right data. Or, without cleaning data you will have low-quality data used throughout reporting. Lastly, without proofing the market research report there will errors.

Use and adapt the checklists below to ensure your next market research project is successful.

Use these market research checklists to ensure a successful project!


Market Research Online Survey Programming Checklist

Wondering what to look for when reviewing a market research online survey? The Drive Research team created a checklist to use when proofing online survey programming. Use this checklist to ensure the online survey is ready to be reviewed by the client and for fieldwork to begin.

  • Ensure the theme, or look and feel of the survey, fits the project type (i.e., blinded, customized, etc.)
  • Ensure all questions are included
  • Ensure all responses options for each question have been included
  • Check all question types (i.e., single response, multiple response, select up to three, etc.)
  • Determine if questions offer a none of the above, not applicable, unsure, or another option to bypass if needed
  • Check to see if not applicable option is exclusive
  • See if your questions offer an option for respondents to provide another open-ended response to ensure it all-encompassing
  • See which questions are forced answers and which are not
  • Check answer sequences (random, inverse, forward, backward, etc.)
  • Check scaling and label categories on questions
  • Check open-ended text box character limits
  • Check routing and branching logic
  • See if disqualifiers follow the intended survey route
  • See if the order and flow of questions make sense
  • Ensure the thank you page fits the theme of the survey

There may be other items in an online survey not noted in the checklist above that need to be reviewed before an online survey is ready for fieldwork. Ensure other teams members review the survey with this checklist in mind before sharing with the client or beginning fieldwork.

Find out what the most common issues are when launching an online survey!


Market Research Data Cleaning Checklist

Another important market research process is data cleaning. After data has been collected, the market research team will review the data to ensure it is high-quality before using it for reporting. Here are several items to check when data cleaning.

  • Ensure all test data has been deleted
  • Ensure disqualified respondents are removed or noted
  • Ensure survey routing worked properly
  • Delete duplicate respondents (i.e., IP address, email address, other personal/unique identifying information)
  • Review all open-ended responses and delete respondents that do not make sense (i.e., others, open-ended questions, etc.)
  • Check for speeders (all respondents should be within a specified percent of the average time to complete)
  • Check for straightliners
  • If survey has red herring, delete all who fail to respond correctly
  • Check to ensure responses make sense throughout the flow of the survey
  • If applicable, send client all contacts who requested follow up

Typically, the data cleaning process is in-depth. Market researchers take extra time to ensure all data is high-quality before closing fieldwork for reporting.

Here are 4 basic tips to quality check data for a market research report.

Market Research Report Checklist

Reviewing a market research report is a time intensive task. Each market research team will have additional checklist items unique to the specific report or client. Use this list as a guide to help ensure a market research report draft is client ready.

  • Ensure all pieces or the report have been included (Hint: Review the proposal)
  • Check page numbers on table of contents and appendix
  • Check all headings for consistency and format
  • Ensure all charts have been set up correctly (i.e., footnotes included if needed, etc.)
  • Ensure all pages have been customized and updated for the needs of the client
  • Check all data used in the executive summary matches data in appendix
  • Check all data used in the infographic matches data in the appendix
  • Ensure recommendations use results and secondary research
  • More than one team member has proofed the report for checklist items as well as spelling and grammar
  • Run spell check throughout and right before sending the report
  • Ensure to attach all secondary reporting materials as needed (i.e., infographic image, raw data file, etc.)

Depending on the type of market research report, other checklist items may need to be included. This list can be used as a first step to ensure a market research report draft is thoroughly proofed before sending to the client.

Looking for tips? Here are tips on how to write a better market research report.

Contact Drive Research

Drive Research is a market research company serving organizations around the world with custom market research needs. Whether an organization is looking for market research company to walk them through the entire process or looking for a market research firm to assist with just a single piece of the project, our team can assist.

Interested in learning more? Here are 4 ways to contact us.

Message us on our website
Email us at [email protected]
Call us at 888-725-DATA
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