“Are You …”: An Examination of Incomplete Question Stems in Self-administered Surveys

Questionnaire designers are encouraged to write questions as complete sentences. In self-administered surveys, incomplete question stems may reduce visual clutter but also increase burden when respondents need scan the response options fully question. We experimentally examine effects of three categories (incomplete conversational, ordinal, and nominal questions) versus on 53 items in a probability web-mail survey. item nonresponse, time, selection first last options, distributions. find that take slightly longer answer option have no effect nonresponse rates or option. conclude questionnaire should follow current best practices questions, deviations from will likely limited effects.