A thesis survey introduction should explain who is conducting the study, whom it invites, what the questions concern, how long participation takes and what will happen to the responses. Participants also need instructions and information about voluntary participation and their data. A useful opening lets someone decide whether to take part before answering the first question.
An anonymous online questionnaire for students needs a different opening from a study linking responses across two measurements. That difference must be visible in the wording. The four extended examples in this guide cover both arrangements, separate contact collection and returning a paper questionnaire. You can use their structure, but statements about data and timing must match your own study.
Survey invitations, introductions and instructions have different jobs
An invitation is a recruitment message: a group post, email or short request sent to potential participants. It introduces the topic, identifies the intended group and leads to the questionnaire. For example: “Do you combine university study with paid work? You are invited to a study about organising your learning. Participation information and the questionnaire are available at the address provided.” That post does not replace the information in the form, because someone may forward only the link.
The introduction belongs inside the questionnaire. It should remain available to everyone, wherever they found the invitation. It introduces the study and participation arrangements. A more complex project may also have a separate participant information sheet; the welcome screen does not necessarily contain every document.
Instructions tell participants what to do: choose one option, select several, rate a statement or describe an experience. General instructions belong near the beginning, while exceptions are best placed beside the relevant question. “Select no more than three answers” should not be hidden several screens earlier.
For the complete questionnaire-design process, use the guide to designing a research questionnaire. Here the focus is communication before the first question and its consistency with the actual study.
What should a thesis survey introduction include?
The University of Warsaw's practical participant-information guidance emphasises understandable language, researcher identification, purpose, voluntariness and an account of participation. The Jagiellonian University Medical College research ethics committee also identifies completion time and a safe return location for paper questionnaires. Use these points to review your own opening:
- Who is conducting the study? Give your real name, thesis context and contact details. State your affiliation accurately. Being a student does not make the questionnaire an official study conducted by the entire university.
- Why are you collecting responses? Name the topic plainly and explain the intended use. “For the research section of my master's thesis” is more specific than “for scientific purposes”. If publication or data sharing is also planned, address that in the appropriate information.
- Who is invited? State the actual criteria, such as adult students combining study with paid employment. Do not add arbitrary criteria just because they appear in another person's template.
- What will participants do? Explain closed questions, written answers, further stages or other tasks. Someone invited to one questionnaire should not discover an interview requirement only after opening it.
- How long will participation take? Give a time checked during a trial. Include reading the information, typing and different routes through the form.
- Can someone decline or stop? Explain participation and skipping arrangements. Make required fields, branching and treatment of partial responses consistent with them.
- What data will the researcher receive? Describe whether responses are anonymous or identifiable, who can access them and how results will be presented. Do not promise anonymity while requesting an identifying email in the same dataset.
- Where can participants get further information? Provide a contact and data information where needed. Give appropriate advance information about sensitive questions or particular demands on participants.
This is a content-planning checklist, rather than one legal form for every department. Establish the requirements of your particular project first. If you cannot explain the purpose without inserting the expected outcome, use the guide to research aims and research questions to clarify it.
How should you describe anonymity, confidentiality and separate contacts?
An anonymous questionnaire
In this arrangement, the researcher has no reasonably available way to attribute a response to an individual. Check names, demographic questions, written accounts, identifiers in links and collection arrangements. In a small team, a rare role combined with exact length of service may identify one employee. Poland's data protection authority, UODO, emphasises contextual identifiability; removing one field does not settle the question.
A confidential study with possible identification
If you know the participant or can connect their response to a list, explain safeguards and access instead of calling the responses anonymous. This includes two measurements linked by a code or a questionnaire collecting emails for later interviews. A code and a separate linking list may restrict access to identity, but that is different from making identification impossible.
An anonymous survey with separate contact registration
You can separate the questionnaire from requests to receive a results summary. Describe the two datasets and check that they are genuinely unlinked. A shared code, individual link or other identifier may reconnect them. Opening a second form is not, on its own, evidence that the data are separate.
Establish separately what happens when someone stops before submission and whether a response can be located afterwards. Do not promise deletion of a specific record if an anonymous dataset gives you no way to identify it. Where the project requires it, agree data information, the grounds for using data and necessary permissions with the appropriate university contact.
Four complete survey introduction examples
All scenarios are fictional. Marta Nowak is an invented researcher, and study@example.org is an example address. Topics, arrangements, dates and times illustrate the scenarios; they are not findings from Student Support research. Replace the identification and use a time measured in your own trial. These examples cover introductions and instructions, not required data-processing information or an ethics assessment.
Students combining university study with paid work
Example 01 · anonymous online questionnaire
Scenario assumptions: an open link, adult students in paid employment, and questions about organising study. The researcher has checked settings, demographic questions and the export; she does not collect information allowing her to attribute a response to an individual.
Hello, my name is Marta Nowak. I am preparing a bachelor's thesis in sociology about how students in paid employment organise their learning. I invite adults who are currently university students and have paid work. The questionnaire concerns study planning and difficulties experienced. It does not assess individual students' performance or commitment.
Completion takes approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Most questions ask you to choose one answer; questions allowing several selections have their own instructions. You may skip the two short open questions. Opinion questions have no correct or incorrect answers: please choose the option that best describes your experience.
Participation is voluntary. You may close the form before submitting it. The questionnaire does not collect names or email addresses, and responses will not be linked to contact information. Please do not include names or details identifying yourself or others in written answers. Results will be presented in aggregate in the thesis. After submission, I will be unable to identify your individual questionnaire. Questions about the study can be sent to study@example.org. Thank you for your time.
Why this wording fits: it identifies eligible participants, describes the subject without suggesting a result, distinguishes single and multiple selection, and explains what anonymity means for finding a response later. Do not copy the data statement before checking it against your own form.
Two survey rounds after a training course
Example 02 · confidential responses linked by a code
Scenario assumptions: adults complete two assessments of training materials. The researcher holds a separate list connecting codes and contacts to link the measurements and send the second invitation. The study is not anonymous to her.
You are invited to a study about participants' assessments of training materials. My name is Marta Nowak, and the findings will be used in the research section of my master's thesis. Adults who attended the completed training course are invited. The first questionnaire takes approximately 8 minutes; the second, sent two weeks later, approximately 5 minutes.
Enter the participant code you received at the beginning. It allows your two questionnaires to be linked. I store the list connecting codes to contacts separately and am the only person with access to it. Responses are confidential, but not anonymous. The training organiser will not receive individual questionnaires. The report will present aggregate results without naming participants.
Both stages are voluntary. Declining the second measurement does not prevent your first response from remaining in the study. Until 30 November 2026, you may contact me with your code to arrange withdrawal of your material under this project's conditions. Information about data use and storage is available before the first question. Select the rating matching your opinion; an additional comment is optional. Contact: study@example.org. Thank you for participating.
What differs from the first example: a code, another questionnaire, identifiability and a specific route for dealing with submitted material are introduced. The date belongs to the fictional study arrangements, rather than a universal legal deadline. The organiser's lack of access must be achievable in practice.
Anonymous feedback with an optional results summary
Example 03 · survey and contacts held separately
Scenario assumptions: a survey of adult library users. After submitting, participants may open an independent registration form for a summary. There is no shared code or connection between contact details and answers; other potential links have also been checked.
Hello, I am Marta Nowak. For my bachelor's thesis, I am studying library users' experiences. I invite adults who have borrowed a book or used the reading room within the last three months. The form concerns access to materials and use of library services. Completion takes approximately 5 minutes.
Participation is voluntary. Open questions may be skipped, and you can stop before submission by closing the form. The questionnaire does not collect contact details. Please do not name staff or include information identifying particular people. Results will be described in aggregate in the thesis.
After finishing, you will see a separate, optional registration form for people wishing to receive a summary. An address entered there will not be linked to survey responses. Do not enter it in this questionnaire. You may participate without registering contact details. Read the information about the separate contact dataset before providing an address. Research enquiries: study@example.org. Thank you for your help.
The key difference: contact registration is not used to select people based on their questionnaire answers. If you want to invite particular respondents to interviews because of their answers, you need different arrangements and wording, closer to the second scenario.
Workshop feedback returned independently of the instructor
Example 04 · paper questionnaire
Scenario assumptions: adult participants in one workshop, an independent researcher and a locked return box. The instructor does not inspect individual questionnaires. The researcher has assessed identification risks from written content and the paper collection arrangements.
You are invited to complete a questionnaire about the usefulness of materials from today's workshop. My name is Marta Nowak, and I am preparing a master's thesis about participants' experiences of learning activities. The questionnaire is for adults who attended the whole workshop. Participation is voluntary and does not affect receiving confirmation of attendance.
Completion takes approximately 7 minutes. For each statement, circle one rating: 1 means “strongly disagree” and 5 means “strongly agree”. If you change an answer, cross out the previous selection and circle the new one. In the open question, you may briefly describe which materials you found useful; answering it is optional.
Do not sign the questionnaire or enter names. Place your completed form in the locked box marked “Workshop materials study” near the room exit. Only the researcher will open it; the instructor will receive an aggregate report. You can withdraw before returning the questionnaire. Once the forms are mixed, it will not be possible to identify a particular sheet as yours. Research contact: study@example.org. Thank you for your time and opinions.
Why return arrangements belong in the introduction: participants know whom they give responses to and who will read them. Handwriting or a highly detailed account may still make recognition easier. Do not assume paper is anonymous merely because it has no name field.
An unsuitable introduction and an edited version
Replace unsupported declarations with specific information
A student's draft
“I am a sociology student writing a thesis about organising study. Please complete my anonymous questionnaire, which takes a few minutes. Responses will be used in my thesis. You can leave your email at the end to receive a summary. Thank you for your help.”
Edited: contacts collected separately
“Adult students in paid employment are invited to a voluntary survey about planning their learning. I am Marta Nowak, and responses will be used in my sociology bachelor's thesis. Completion takes approximately 6 to 8 minutes. For opinion questions, select the option closest to your experience; open questions may be skipped. You may close the form before submission. The questionnaire does not collect contacts, and results will be presented in aggregate. After submitting, you may separately register for a summary; that address will not be linked to responses. Research contact: study@example.org.”
This fictional revision chooses separate contact collection. It resolves “anonymous, but leave your email”, identifies the intended group and replaces “a few minutes” with a defined time. The edit adds participation arrangements and instructions rather than simply smoothing sentences. Its statement about separate contacts can be used only after those arrangements are in place.
How do you check anonymity and instructions in Google Forms?
Open the response settings first, then the participant view, and finally the response export. These three places may reveal different parts of the same situation.
Check whether you collect email addresses
Google distinguishes verified account email collection from an address entered by the respondent. Review your own fields as well as settings: “Enter your email” collects contact information even with automatic email collection disabled. Do not use an introduction intended for responses anonymous to the researcher in that arrangement.
Check sign-in and access
The one-response limit requires a Google Account sign-in. Official help explains that the username is not stored with the response unless email collection is enabled. Signing in does not therefore automatically mean an email in the export. Check whether people outside the organisation can access the survey and whether the invitation explains any account requirement.
Test response summary privacy
Response summary sharing may show charts and full written answers to respondents. Do not leave it enabled without an informed decision. Review form collaborators and access to the linked spreadsheet. “Only the researcher” does not describe a spreadsheet shared with the whole group.
Submit a test record and inspect the file
Follow every branch from the participant link on a phone and with an external account if those participants are intended. Submit fictional answers and examine export columns, required fields and stopping arrangements. Separate test material from participant responses before collection begins. Do not assume anything about IP addresses or the provider's technical logs without checking the particular environment.
Piloting the introduction: what should you check besides minutes?
The statistical office in Poznań recommends trial completion, discussion of comprehension, timing and technical checks. For the introduction, arrange a short trial with people similar to your intended participants. Do not use only people who already know your thesis and fill in the missing information themselves.
- Ask the tester to explain in their own words who is eligible and what the survey concerns.
- Ask what data they expect the researcher to see and whether their response can be found after submission.
- Check understanding of required questions, optional questions and multiple-selection instructions.
- Time the whole route, including reading and typing; record the device and any difficulties.
- Revise unclear passages and recheck timing and operation after a substantial change.
If one tester finishes in 4 minutes while others need between 7 and 9, do not advertise the shortest time just because it sounds attractive. This illustrates a decision, rather than reporting an actual study. Keep a note of your real trial: what was checked, what went wrong and what changed.
Trial completion does not automatically validate an instrument. The guide to describing a research instrument explains how to report your questionnaire, its source and the checks performed.
What should you avoid claiming about consent and university requirements?
“Completing the questionnaire indicates consent” is not a solution for every project. UJ Medical College specifies wording of this kind in its own anonymous-questionnaire guidance, while another committee may require different documentation. Check the rules applying to your unit and study type first.
Do not invent ethics approval, supervisor oversight, guaranteed complete anonymity or GDPR compliance from a template. Minors, health information, recordings or manager-employee relationships may require particular arrangements. The introduction should explain the approved study arrangements, rather than appear to replace them.
Final checks before sending the questionnaire
- The purpose is neutral and matches the questions, without promising to prove a hypothesis.
- Participants know the eligibility criteria, expected time and all planned stages.
- The introduction and instructions remain available when someone opens only the link.
- The data statement matches settings, export columns, demographic questions and actual access.
- Contact and withdrawal arrangements are workable; promises stay within the researcher's capabilities.
- Each language version has been checked with intended readers, without unresolved terminology or form problems.
If you need help with the questionnaire itself, consider Questionnaire design for your thesis. Where the issue also concerns aims, research questions and study organisation, support may include Help with your thesis methodology chapter. Start by identifying whether the introduction, the complete question set or the working form needs review.
Sources and how they were used
Materials were checked on 25 October 2026. Polish institutional guidance is used within its actual scope; one committee's rules are not presented as requirements for every university. Examples and editorial commentary are original.
- University of Warsaw, Rector's Research Ethics Committee with Human Participants: Informacja dla uczestników badania: praktyczne wskazówki, undated document, pp. 1 to 3. Used for accessible titles, researcher identification, purpose, voluntariness and participation procedures.
- Research Ethics Committee, Jagiellonian University Medical College: Wskazówki dla wnioskodawców, questionnaire-introduction section, undated page. Used for anonymous questionnaire headings and paper returns; its consent wording is an institutional requirement.
- Magdalena Bryza, Wanda Nowara, Arleta Olbrot, Artur Owczarkowski, Statistical Office in Poznań (2024): Jak przygotować i przeprowadzić badanie ankietowe?, pp. 1 to 4. Used for introductory letters, instructions, piloting, timing and technical checks.
- UODO (9 July 2026): EROD wyjaśnia kwestie anonimizacji i web scrapingu w kontekście generatywnej AI oraz przyjmuje ostateczną wersję wytycznych dotyczących technologii blockchain, anonymous-data section. Used for contextual identifiability.
- Google, Google Docs Editors Help: Publikowanie formularza i udostępnianie go użytkownikom. Used for one-response restrictions, sign-in, access and response summaries.
- Google, Google Docs Editors Help: Wyświetlanie odpowiedzi z formularza i zarządzanie nimi. Used for verified and respondent-entered email collection.
Questions about survey introductions and preparation
Is an online survey always anonymous?
No. It depends on the information collected and how the study is organised. Even without a name, detailed demographic information and the content of responses may make it possible to identify a person in a small group. The survey introduction must reflect how data are actually collected.
Does piloting a questionnaire mean the instrument has been validated?
No. Trial completion can help check question comprehension, response options and form operation. It does not automatically establish all measurement properties. Report what the pilot actually covered and the resulting changes; do not call it full validation without appropriate studies.
Does questionnaire preparation include setting it up as an online form?
Not automatically. Transferring questions to a chosen form, setting filters, and checking functionality must be included in the scope of the commission. Before starting, I agree on how the instrument will be delivered, the required settings, and access organisation. A file with questions does not mean the survey is published.
Can I request a review of just the questionnaire?
Yes. Please provide the questionnaire, the topic, the objective, the research questions, and information about the target group. I will check whether the questions allow you to collect the necessary information and whether the instrument is consistent with the research assumptions.
Prepare a questionnaire participants understand from the first screen.
Send your introduction, questions, research aim and participant group description. I will review participant information, instructions and the instrument's consistency with your thesis plan. You can request a questionnaire review or also agree support with methodology and checking the working form.
Discuss questionnaire preparation or review
