Choosing Between Plain Questions, Stimuli Testing, Pairwise Comparison, and Sequence Flow¶

An Advanced Survey can combine four different section types, and each one is built for a genuinely different kind of research question. Picking the wrong one doesn't just make the section slightly awkward to build - it usually means the results answer a different question than the one you actually needed answered.

Plain Questions¶

The default section type: standard survey questions with no media or comparison structure attached. Use it whenever the research question is a straightforward one - opinions, facts, demographics, satisfaction, anything that doesn't require showing respondents something or forcing a comparison between options.

Stimuli Testing¶

Use this when respondents need to react to a specific image or video - ad creative, a product concept, packaging, a prototype screen - and the question is "what do you think of this," not "which of these do you prefer." See Setting Up Image and Video Stimulus Testing.

Pairwise Comparison¶

Use this when the question is genuinely comparative and you want a forced choice rather than independent ratings - "which of these concepts wins," tested head-to-head across a pool of images or videos. This is the right tool when independent ratings would likely cluster near the top and hide real preference. See Pairwise Comparison Testing: Setting Up a Head-to-Head Tournament.

Sequence Flow¶

Use this when the question is about order, not just selection - which steps come first, how items should be prioritized relative to each other, or what sequence makes sense for a process or navigation structure. Unlike Pairwise Comparison, which asks "which one wins," Sequence Flow asks "where does each one belong relative to all the others." See Introduction to Sequence Flow and Ranking Questions vs. Sequence Flow for more, including when a simpler Ranking question is enough on its own without a full Sequence Flow section.

A Quick Decision Guide¶

• Asking about one thing on its own? Plain Questions (text-based) or Stimuli Testing (needs media).
• Asking respondents to pick a winner between options? Pairwise Comparison.
• Asking respondents to put things in order? Sequence Flow (or a simpler Ranking question - see Ranking Questions vs. Sequence Flow).
• Just need standard demographic or opinion questions? Plain Questions.

Mixing Section Types¶

A single Advanced Survey isn't limited to one section type - it's common to open with Plain Questions for screening and demographics, move into a Stimuli Testing or Pairwise Comparison section for the core research task, and close with a few more Plain Questions for follow-up context. Each section behaves independently, so mixing types doesn't require any special handling.

FAQ¶

Can I convert a section from one type to another after building it?
Section type is generally set when you create the section - if you need a different type, it's usually more reliable to add a new section of the right type than to try to convert an existing one.

Do all four section types support Display Logic?
Display Logic works based on previous answers regardless of the section type asking the current question - check your specific section for exactly which condition options are available.

Which section types work with Text Analytics?
Any open-ended question, in any section type, can be run through Text Analytics - it's the open-ended question itself that matters, not which section it lives in.

Is Reporting different depending on which section types I use?
Reporting adapts automatically - Pairwise Comparison and Sequence Flow sections unlock their own specific widget types (see Choosing the Right Widget for Your Report), while Plain Questions and Stimuli Testing questions use the standard chart types available to any question.

Ready to build? Head to your survey and try adding each section type from the section picker to see how it fits your specific research question.