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View our inclusive screener question examples, crafted with best practices to consider intersectional identities. These examples will guide you and your team in ensuring your screeners are inclusive and demonstrate empathy in practice. |
This article applies to: UserTesting
On this page:
About inclusive screener questions
- The following screener questions may be used as a starting point to think through intersectional identity as you recruit test contributors.
- You may need to tweak or add options as appropriate for your study.
- Consider what combination of answer choices will ensure that you include, rather than exclude contributors; consider erring on the side of including rather than excluding people.
- These screener questions pertain to a variety of identities and aim for inclusivity, while rooted in diversity and belonging.
- Using screener questions in this manner will help ensure that your feedback is not skewed by any one particular demographic or community.
- It's a best practice to always provide contributors with “I prefer not to answer” as an answer choice and to make it the first option so that they can opt out of providing sensitive or triggering information.
Gender, sex, and sexual orientation
What is your gender identity (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- Male
- Female
- Non-binary
- Genderqueer
- Agender
- Pangender/Gender-fluid
- My identity is not on the list
What sex were you assigned at birth, for example, on your original birth certificate? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- Male
- Female
- Unassigned
Do you identify as transgender?
- I prefer not to answer
- Yes
- No
Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- Asexual
- Heterosexual or straight
- Gay or Lesbian
- Bisexual
- Pansexual
- Questioning
- Queer
- My identity is not on the list
Financial status
Over the last 12 months, which income range reflects your total earnings for all of your jobs (wages, salary, bonuses, tips, commissions)? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- $0 - $20,000
- $20,001 - $40,000
- $40,001 - $60,000
- $60,001 - $80,000
- $80,001 - $100,000
- $100,001 - $120,000
- $120,001 - $140,000
- $140,001 - $160,000
- More than $160,000
- I am not sure
Over the last 12 months, which income range reflects your household total earnings for all of the jobs held by people who live with you? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- $0 - $40,000
- $40,001 - $60,000
- $60,001 - $80,000
- $80,001 - $100,000
- $100,001 - $120,000
- $120,001 - $140,000
- $140,001 - $160,000
- $160,001 - $180,000
- More than $180,000
- I am not sure
If you were to sell today, about how much do you think your home and lot, apartment, mobile home (and lot, if owned) would sell for? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- $0 - $100,000
- $100,001 - $2,000
- $200,001 - $300,000
- $300,001 - $400,000
- $400,001 - $500,000
- $500,001 - $600,000
- $600,001 - $700,000
- $700,001 - $800,000
- $800,001 - $900,000
- Over $900,001
Religion
- Communities with certain religious beliefs tend to live together in certain regions of the world, connecting religion frequently to a region.
- This means that if you are recruiting in the United States, you might expect a different mix of religions than you'd find in Italy, for example.
- The following recommended question is intended to be asked of contributors in the United States.
- We recommend that you consult with local experts for best practices in other regions.
What, if any, is your religion, even if you are not currently practicing? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- Atheist (do not believe in God)
- Agnostic (not sure if there is a God)
- Baha’i
- Buddhist
- Christian
- Hindu
- Jewish
- Muslim/Islam
- Sikh
- Nothing in particular
- I don't know
- My religion is not on the list
Education
Option One: US
This question is modeled on the US American Community Survey questionnaire.
What is the highest level of education you have completed? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- No schooling completed
- Nursery or Preschool through grade 12
- High school graduate or International Baccalaureate
- GED or alternative credential
- Some college
- Associate’s degree (for example, AA, AS)
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree (for example, MA, MS, MSW, MBA, etc.)
- Professional degree (for example, MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, JD)
- Doctorate degree (for example, PhD, EdD)
Option Two: UK
This question is modeled on the UCAS form.
What is the highest level of education you have completed? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- No qualifications completed
- Honors degree level qualifications (for example, AS or A level, IB, HNC, HND, CertHE, bachelor's degree at ordinary level)
- Honors degree level or above qualifications (for example, bachelor's degree with honors, master's degree, PhD)
Option Three: Germany
What is the highest level of education you have completed? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- No qualifications completed
- Secondary (for example, Abitur, Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss, International Baccalaureate)
- Bachelor's degree or Diplom (for example, B.A, BSc, BEng, B.F.A, B.Mus, etc.)
- Master's degree (for example, M.A, MSc, MEng, etc.)
- Doctorate degree (for example, PhD)
Was ist die höchste abgeschlossene Ausbildung? [single select]
- Ich antworte lieber nicht
- Keine abgeschlossene Qualifikation
- Schulabschlüsse (zum Beispiel, Abitur, Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss, International Baccalaureate)
- Bachelor-Abschluss oder Diplom (zum Beispiel: B.A., B. Sc., B. Eng., B.F.A. oder Dipl.-Betriebsw. (FH), Dipl.-Chem. (FH), etc.)
- Master-Abschluss oder Diplom (zum Beispiel: M.A., MBA, M.Ed., M.Eng. oder Dipl.-Biol., Dipl.-Geogr. etc.)
- Doktortitel (zum Beispiel: PhD, Dr. med, Dr. Ing.)
Language
- Given regional differences in the variety of languages spoken, the list of answer choices will vary.
- Best practices recommendation is to select those that align with the region in which you will be testing.
What is the primary language you speak at home? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- [Language names]
- I do not speak any of these languages at home
What language(s) are you proficient in speaking? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- [Language names]
- I do not speak any of these languages
Option One: US
How proficient are you in [language]? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- Basic knowledge: I can speak simple phrases or sentences, and have a limited vocabulary.
- Conversant: I can ask and answer questions and participate in simple conversations.
- Proficient: I can have complex conversations, but I'm not as fluent as a native speaker.
- Fluent: I can read the newspaper, write correspondence, and speak with and be understood easily by native speakers.
- Native language: This is my primary language.
- I am not sure
Option Two: International
These reference levels are outlined in the Common European Framework (CEFL).
How proficient are you in [language]? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- A1: Basic User, Breakthrough. I can introduce myself and others, and communicate slowly with assistance.
- A2: Basic User, Waystage. I can communicate in simple and routine tasks such as local geography, shopping, employment, and basic family and personal information.
- B1: Independent User, Threshold. I can use and understand ideas about matters I regularly encounter in work, school, or leisure.
- B2: Independent User, Vantage. I can converse easily with native speakers and discuss opinions and topics on a wide range of subjects.
- C1: Proficient User, Advanced. I can use language flexibility and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes.
- C2: Proficient User, Mastery. I can understand almost everything I hear or read and can use language to communicate complex ideas or topics.
- I am not sure
Race
- If you need to screen for ethnic identity (for example, Hispanic) or sexual identity, do those through separate questions.
- Trying to mix ethnicity and race in a single question can be perceived as insensitive.
- In the US, we recommend a slightly tweaked version of the approach used by the US Census Bureau.
- Outside the US, we recommend using the same language used by your local branch of the Census Bureau (or equivalent).
- This reduces the potential for causing offense and will enable you to relate your results to standard demographic data.
- We also recommend that you consult with your local experts for best practices.
Which of the following reflects your racial identity? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Middle Eastern or North African (e.g. Arab, Kurd, Persian. Turkish)
- Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
- White (e.g. German, Irish, English, American, Italian, Polish)
- My identity is not on the list
Considerations:
- To ensure you can evaluate the feedback and compare and contrast groups effectively, you'll need to carefully consider how to map contributor groups to answer choices.
- Here's a sample approach you might use to consider how to structure the answer choice selection criteria.
| Answer choice | Group | Strategy |
| I prefer not to answer | Reject | Respect the choice of these contributors. |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | American Indian or Alaska Native |
|
| Asian | People who select Asian only and people who select Asian and at least one additional identity |
|
| Black or African American | People who select Black or African American only and people who select Black or African American and at least one additional identity |
|
| Middle Eastern and North African | People who select Middle Eastern and North African only and people who select Middle Eastern and North African and at least one additional identity |
|
| Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander | People who select Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander only and people who select Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander and at least one more additional identity |
|
| White | People who select White only and people who select White and at least one more additional identity |
|
| My race is not listed here / Selects multiple races | Multiracial and people who do not feel that the options provided align with their identity |
|
Ethnicity
- Hispanic origin is not considered a race; people of Hispanic origin can be of any race, ancestry, or country of origin.
- If you're interested in discussing this topic with contributors, we recommend not only using a screener to qualify them, but also including an open-ended verbal question early in the study.
- This question should invite contributors to elaborate on their Hispanic identity.
- This will be the best way to learn about how contributors self-identify and enable them to surface their reasoning.
- For more information, refer to the “Who is Hispanic?” post by the Pew Research Center, which speaks to the complexity of Hispanic identity; the language people use, their preferences around speaking to their country of origin, family background, etc.
- Outside of the US, we recommend consulting with your local experts for best practices. This question is modeled on what the US Census uses.
Are you of Hispanic, Latina/o, or Spanish origin? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- Yes, I am of Hispanic or Latina/Latino or Spanish origin
- No, I am not of Hispanic or Latina/Latino or Spanish origin
- I am not sure
Ethnic or Cultural Origins Approach: Canada
- Statistics Canada has evolved the approach for capturing information related to peoples' ethnic or cultural backgrounds to ensure that everyone may use their knowledge of their family history, their understanding, and opinions on their origins during the last several years.
- Rather than screening for specific groups, if you are interested in capturing information about contributors, add a written question to the end of the test.
- For more information, refer to Ethnic of Cultural Origins: Technical Report on Changes for the 201 Census. Here's how you might write your question:
What were the ethnic or cultural origins of your ancestors? Ancestors may have Indigenous origins, or origins that refer to different countries, or other origins that may not refer to different countries. For examples, refer to this list of ethnic or cultural origins. Specify as many origins as applicable. (Written question)
Disability
- If you're a covered entity or business associate, prior to collecting any information about a contributors health, disability, or mental status, you must execute a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with UserTesting.
- For more information on BAAs please see, Protected Health Information (PHI) and HIPAA.
Consent
Your first screener question should enable contributors to opt out of providing any answers about their mental or physical status.
We are collecting perspectives about experiences related to contributors’ mental and physical status including Personal Health Information (PHI). We will use this information to understand your needs and preferences. None of this information will be shared publicly; it will only be used by the teams working on projects related to the topics covered in this test. Are you willing to participate in this study? (single select)
- Yes, I am willing to participate in this study
- No, I am not willing to participate in this study
Physical disability
- Here are suggested approaches to screening to find contributors who either have disabilities or provide care to people who have them.
- If you're interested in getting feedback from caregivers, adjust the language by adding (or replacing, as appropriate) “...or anyone you provide care to.”
What, if any, learning or physical disabilities do you have? [multi-select]
-
I prefer not to answer [reject]
-
I do not have any learning or physical disabilities. [reject]
-
I am deaf or hard of hearing [may]
-
I am blind or have diverse vision (including color blindness, partially, legally, or totally blind) [must]
-
I have difficulty reading due to dyslexia or alexia. [may]
-
I have a physical or mobility impairment. [may]
-
I have a speech disorder or disability. [may]
-
None of the above [reject]
Vision
It is recommended that if you are looking for people who will need to use a screenreader during the test, you use all three of these questions, in the order they appear in this document.
What, if any, difficulties do you have seeing? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
-
I prefer not to answer [reject]
-
I have no visual difficulties [reject]
-
I use corrective lenses e.g. glasses or contacts (some or all of the time) [reject]
-
Low vision (e.g., blurry vision, seeing only the middle of the visual field, seeing only the edges of the visual field, clouded vision, glaucoma, light sensitivity or night blindness) [may]
-
Blindness (i.e., substantial loss of vision in both eyes.) [must]
-
Color blindness (i.e., difficulty distinguishing between colors generally red and green, or yellow and blue, and sometimes the inability to perceive any color.) [may]
Vision Supporting Assistive Technology
What, if any, assistive devices or software do you use with your computer or phone? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
-
I prefer not to answer. [reject]
-
I do not use an assistive device. [reject]
-
I use a screen reader [must select]
-
I use a monitor magnifier. [may]
-
I use a Braille translator. [may]
-
I use electronic glasses [may]
-
I zoom in or use other software options. [reject]
-
I use a device or technology that is not included in this list. (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test.) [may]
We recommend that you use only 7-10 total answer choices to avoid choice fatigue. Since most people in the UserTesting contributor network use JAWS or NVDA, those two options should always be included.
What, if any, screen reader(s) do you use? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
-
I do not use a screen reader [reject]
-
JAWS [may]
-
Screen Reader I [reject - misdirect]
-
NVDA [may]
-
ChromeVox [may]
-
Narrator (Windows) [may]
-
VoiceOver (Desktop and Mobile on Apple devices) [may]
-
Vio Read [reject - misdirect]
-
I use a device or technology for screen reading that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test) [may]
How frequently do you use screen reading software to navigate the internet?
-
Never [reject]
-
Rarely [reject]
-
Sometimes [reject]
-
Often [accept]
-
Always [accept]
You will be asked to use a screen reader during today's test. Please confirm that you have such a device or technology and are willing to use it as you complete the test today. [single select]
-
Yes [accept]
-
No [reject]
Color Blindness
It is recommended that you avoid using gender as a filter when screening for colorblind contributors; the majority of people who experience color blindness are male.
Option One: Find Any Color Blindness
What, if any, challenges do you have with seeing colors? [can be single or multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- I have no challenges in seeing colors
- I have difficulty seeing one or more colors (follow up with a question during the test to ask for more detail about what type of color blindness the contributor experiences.)
- I cannot see colors at all
Option Two: Find a Specific Type of Color Blindness
What, if any, challenges do you have with seeing colors? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- I have no challenges seeing colors
- It is hard for me to see the difference between red and green
- It is hard for me to see the differences between blue and green, purple and red, and yellow and pink
- It is hard for me to see the difference between yellow and red as well as blue and green
- It is hard for me to see the difference between blue and green
- I cannot see colors at all
Mobility/Gross Motor (in Metric System Locations)
What, if any, difficulties do you have with lifting items that are 5 kilos/10 pounds or heavier? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- No difficulty
- Some difficulty
- A lot of difficulty
- I cannot lift more than 5 kilos/10 pounds
What, if any, difficulties do you have walking on flat ground? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- I can walk five or more city blocks (0.3 miles or 400m) without assistance
- I can walk one city block (300ft or 100m) without assistance
- I can not walk one city block (300ft or 100m) without assistance
- I am not sure
What, if any, difficulties do you have walking up or down 12 stairs? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- No difficulty
- Some difficulty
- Cannot do at all
- I am not sure
Mobility Supporting Assistive Technology
Do you use any of the following to walk or move your body? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- I can walk without assistance
- Cane or walking stick
- Walker or Zimmer frame
- Crutches
- Wheelchair or scooter
- Artificial limb (leg/foot)
- Someone’s assistance
- I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)
Fine Motor
What, if any difficulties do you have with using your hands to do things like pick up small objects like pencils or containers or use a keyboard or mouse? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- No difficulty
- Some difficulty
- A lot of difficulty
- I cannot use my hands at all
Fine Motor Supporting Assistive Technology
What, if any assistive devices do you use with or in place of your keyboard? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I do not use any assistive devices
- Intellikeys
- KeyGuards
- KeyWizard [reject - misdirect]
- BigKeys
- KidGlove
- On-Screen keyboard
- Chording keyboard
- Speech-to-text software
- I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)
What, if any, assistive devices do you use with or in place of your mouse? (choose all that apply) [multi-select]
- I do not use any assistive devices
- Adaptive keyboard
- Joystick
- Trackball
- Trackpad
- Switch interface
- Sip and puff
- Mouth-stick
- I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)
Hearing
- People who have complete hearing loss are more likely not to be able to speak clearly.
- We recommend that you either plan to use only Task, Written, Multiple Choice, or Rating Scale questions to gather feedback or to require people who use text-to-voice hardware or software.
What, if any, difficulties are you currently experiencing with hearing? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- I have no difficulties with hearing
- I have partial hearing loss
- I have complete hearing loss
- I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)
What, if any, assistive devices do you use to hear? (single select)
- I prefer not to answer
- I do not use any assistive devices
- I use a phone with headphones/earbuds
- I use a hearing aid
- I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)
Neurodiversity and cognitive disability
Neurodiversity
Dyslexia
- Many people have not been formally diagnosed with dyslexia, and may only suspect that they experience it.
- Diagnostic tests are often time-consuming and may be perceived as invasive, so for testing, we do not recommend that a formal diagnostic test be completed within the context of a UserTesting test.
- Common symptoms of dyslexia include reading and writing more slowly than most, problems with spelling, difficulty with reading, extra time completing tasks that involve reading or writing, or mispronunciation of names or words; you may see these behaviors as you watch videos, regardless of whether or not you have screened for people who have identified themselves as experiencing dyslexia.
- It's recommended that you add a verbal response question to the test to understand more about the contributor's experience.
- An example question would be "Briefly describe how you were diagnosed with dyslexia."
What, if any, difficulties do you have with reading? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- I have dyslexia
- I have hyperlexia
- I have difficulty with reading comprehension
- The difficulty I have is not described above (You must be willing to describe this difficulty during the test)
How do you feel about reading? [single select]
- I read as often as I can
- I read when I have to, but don't seek it out
- I avoid reading as much as possible
Have you been diagnosed with any of the following? [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- ADHD
- Autism
- Dyscalculia
- Dysgraphia
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Tourette Syndrome
- Williams Syndrome
- I have not been diagnosed with any of the above conditions
Cognitive Disability
- Many people have not been formally diagnosed with cognitive disabilities.
- As this type of disability might make it difficult to complete tests, it is recommended that you consider recruiting and testing with caregivers.
What, if any difficulties do you have with concentration?
- I prefer not to answer
- No difficulty
- Some difficulty
- Cannot do at all
- I am not sure
What, if any difficulties do you have with your memory?
- I prefer not to answer
- No difficulty
- Some difficulty
- Cannot do at all
How often, if at all, do you have difficulties concentrating for more than 10 minutes? [single select]
- I prefer not to answer
- Never
- Sometimes
- Often
- All of the time
- I am not sure
Have you been diagnosed with any of the following? [multi-select] (alternatively) Are you a primary caregiver for someone who has been diagnosed with any of the following? [multi-select]
- I prefer not to answer
- Alzheimer's
- Amnesia
- Aphasia
- Dementia
- Huntington's disease
- Lewy body dementia
- Mild cognitive impairment
- Parkinson's disease
- I have not been diagnosed with any of the above conditions
Mental health
Have you been diagnosed with any of the following? (choose all that apply) (multi-select)
- I prefer not to answer
- Anxiety disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Eating disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Personality disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- I have not been diagnosed with any of the above conditions
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