Double-Barreled Questions: Definition, Examples, and How to Fix Them

A double-barreled question asks about two things at once, so the answer cannot tell you which one the person meant. It is the most common mistake in survey writing, and one of the easiest to fix.

Definition

If a respondent could agree with half of your question and disagree with the other half, it is double-barreled. The fix is almost always to split it in two.

Examples and fixes

• 'How satisfied are you with our speed and reliability?' → split into a speed question and a reliability question.
• 'Was the form easy to use and well designed?' → ask about ease, then about design separately.
• 'Do you agree the price is fair and the support is helpful?' → two questions, measured on the same scale.

How to spot them

• Look for the word and joining two ideas.
• Read the question out loud; if you hesitate, it is probably two questions.
• Ask a colleague to answer it; if they ask 'which part?', you have your answer.