Here are some of the best questions for a student survey about homework load, plus practical tips for crafting them. If you need to build a tailored survey fast, you can use Specific to generate one in seconds.
What are the best open-ended questions for student survey about homework load?
Open-ended questions invite students to share their genuine experiences and opinions, not just select from preset options. These questions are powerful when you want to understand the nuances of homework challenges, unearth frustrations, or hear about personal strategies—things a multiple-choice won’t capture. Research shows that open-ended feedback often reveals deeper reasons behind behavior and emotional impact, which is especially important considering that a 2019 Pew Research Center review found 15-, 16-, and 17-year-old Americans spend about one hour per day on homework. [1]
How much time do you usually spend on homework each school night?
What types of homework do you find most challenging or time-consuming?
In your experience, how does homework affect your stress levels?
Has your homework load ever interfered with activities outside of school? Please give examples.
What helps you manage your homework most effectively?
Are there specific subjects where your homework feels excessive? Which ones?
What, if anything, would you like to change about your homework assignments?
Do you receive enough support from teachers when you have trouble with homework?
Describe a time when homework had a positive (or negative) impact on your learning or well-being.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your homework experience?
What are the best single-select multiple-choice questions for student survey about homework load?
Single-select multiple-choice questions are great when you want to quantify experiences, compare patterns, or make it simple for students to answer quickly. They're especially effective at the start of surveys for breaking the ice or identifying trends—sometimes it’s easier for respondents to select an answer than think through a detailed response. This can build up the conversation, so you can dig deeper with smart follow-ups.
Question: On average, how long do you spend on homework each night?
Less than 30 minutes
30–60 minutes
1–2 hours
More than 2 hours
Question: How often does your homework cause you stress?
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Almost always
Question: In which subject do you usually receive the most homework?
Math
Language Arts
Science
Other
When to follow up with "why?" Right after a student picks a multiple-choice answer—for example, “How often does your homework cause stress?”—ask “Why do you feel that way?” or “Can you share an example?” This reveals the reasoning or emotion behind the choice, providing richer insights than just the raw data.
When and why to add the "Other" choice? Always include an “Other” option when your list might miss unique experiences—like an unexpected subject area. The follow-up (“Which subject?” or “Please specify”) invites students to share something you hadn’t considered, giving you unexpected and valuable feedback.
NPS-style question: Would it make sense?
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) question—“How likely are you to recommend this to a friend on a scale from 0–10?”—is usually for products, but it can work well in the education context. For homework load, it helps you gauge overall student satisfaction and the likelihood they support current practices. This is extra relevant as homework volume is directly linked to student stress, as found in a study published in the American Journal of Family Therapy. [2] You can use an NPS survey builder for homework load to simplify this process. Analyze what’s driving advocacy—or complaints!—and follow up for richer details.
The power of follow-up questions
Getting to the “why” is everything in understanding student feedback. Automated follow-up questions—like those baked into Specific—can dig far deeper than traditional forms. They nudge for clarification, specifics, or emotion, all while respecting the context. Check out this feature in our automated AI follow-up questions article.
Student: “Sometimes my homework takes too long.”
AI follow-up: “What kind of homework usually takes you the most time? Can you give an example?”
How many followups to ask? Two or three follow-ups usually collect enough context—though flexibility matters. If you’re already getting detailed answers, set Specific to skip further follow-ups and move on. That balance lets responses flow smoothly without making surveys long or repetitive.
This makes it a conversational survey: Because follow-ups are dynamic and adapt to student responses, they create a genuine back-and-forth—a real conversation, not a monologue. Respondents feel heard, not interrogated.
AI response analysis is easy: With Specific’s AI survey response analysis, sifting through qualitative feedback is a breeze—even when students write long, unstructured replies. AI spots patterns, themes, and outliers right away, helping you focus on what matters most.
These automated follow-ups are a new, game-changing concept. If you haven’t tried generating a survey like this, build one and see the experience for yourself.
How to compose a prompt for ChatGPT or other GPTs to get great questions for student survey about homework load
Prompting AI the right way can instantly level-up your survey design. Start simple, then layer in more detail:
Ask for open-ended questions:
Suggest 10 open-ended questions for student survey about homework load.
But for better results, give more context about your goals and audience. For example:
Suggest 10 open-ended questions for a high school student survey about homework load, focusing on challenges, support, and well-being. We want honest feedback for school improvement plans.
Next, group your questions into themes to prioritize:
Look at the questions and categorize them. Output categories with the questions under them.
When you know which themes resonate, drill deeper:
Generate 10 questions for categories “Homework-Related Stress” and “Managing Time for After-School Activities”.
Keep refining the conversation—AI works best with clarity and specifics.
What is a conversational survey?
Conversational surveys replicate the feel of a real chat. Instead of an impersonal form, students see their answers acknowledged, get thoughtful follow-up questions, and respond as if talking to a human. This makes feedback richer, more honest, and more complete—which is exactly why Specific exists.
Let’s do a quick comparison:
Manual Surveys | AI-Generated Surveys (Specific) |
|---|---|
Rigid, static forms | Dynamic, adapts in real time |
No real follow-ups | Smart, contextual follow-up questions |
Hard to analyze open-ended responses | AI summarizes, highlights themes |
Time-consuming to build | AI creates survey instantly from a prompt |
Why use AI for student surveys? Automated AI survey tools like Specific not only save you hours building and analyzing surveys, but also deliver personalized, conversational student experiences—resulting in higher response rates and deeper insights. (The National Survey of Student Engagement shows response rates can be boosted when surveys feel relevant and engaging. [3])
Curious how to get started? There’s no need to start from scratch. Use our AI survey generator, or get step-by-step guidance in our survey creation guide. Specific’s best-in-class conversational experience turns surveys into a smooth, engaging process for both students and those seeking feedback.
See this homework load survey example now
Turn your questions into actionable insights quickly. Experience a conversational AI survey with smarter follow-ups and instant analysis—designed to help you uncover what students really think about their homework load.