> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dscout.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dscout.com/study-basics/question-types/open-ended-questions/typed-response-questions.md). # Typed response questions

Study type	Availability
Screeners	true
Usability tests	true
Media surveys	true
Intercept studies	true
AI moderated studies	false
Diary studies	true

Typed response questions let participants answer in their own words by typing. Use a typed response question when you want open-ended, written answers that give you the "why" behind what participants do or choose, such as a follow-up to a multiple choice or scale question.

Every typed response question has one of two length options: * **No limit:** Participants can write as much as they like. * **140 characters:** Participants are limited to short, direct answers. ### Typed response question settings The settings available on a typed response question depend on which type of study you're building. Select your study type below for more information. {% tabs %} {% tab title="Screeners" %} Add typed response questions to a screener in the **Additional questions** section of the **Screener** tab. | Setting | Description | | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Prompt** | The question applicants answer. You can format the prompt with `*bold*`, `_italic_`, and `[link text](http://example.com)`. | | **Limit response length** | When disabled, applicants can write as much as they like. When enabled, responses are limited to 140 characters, which suits short, direct answers. | | **Copy & paste allowed** | To encourage in-the-moment, authentic responses, applicants can't paste text into their answer by default. When enabled, applicants can copy and paste. | | **Stimuli** (optional) | Attach up to 5 images for applicants to react to. For more information, see [Question stimuli](/study-basics/question-types/question-settings-and-organization/question-stimuli.md). | | **Skip logic** (optional) | Route applicants to a later question or end the screener based on their answer. For more information, see [Skip logic in screeners](/study-basics/design-a-study/skip-logic-in-screeners.md). | {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** On Partner Panels screeners, a typed response question has only a prompt. Response length, copy and paste, stimuli, skip logic, and prompt formatting aren't available. {% endhint %} {% endtab %} {% tab title="Usability, intercept, and media surveys" %} Add typed response questions on the **Usability test**, **Study**, or **Media survey** tab of your builder. | Setting | Description | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Prompt** | The question participants answer. You can format the prompt with `*bold*`, `_italic_`, and `[link text](http://example.com)`. | | **Limit response length** | When disabled, participants can write as much as they like. When enabled, responses are limited to 140 characters, which suits short, direct answers. | | **Copy & paste allowed** | To encourage in-the-moment, authentic responses, participants can't paste text into their answer by default. When enabled, participants can copy and paste. | | **Stimuli** (optional) | Attach images or media for participants to react to. For more information, see [Question stimuli](/study-basics/question-types/question-settings-and-organization/question-stimuli.md). | | **Stimuli randomization** | Presents attached stimuli in a random order to each participant. Appears once the question has more than one stimulus attached. | | **Skip logic** (optional) | Route participants to a later question, question group, or the end of the study based on their answer. For more information, see [Skip logic](/study-basics/design-a-study/skip-logic-in-usability-tests-media-surveys-and-intercept-studies.md). | | {% endtab %} | | {% tab title="Diary studies" %} Add typed response questions to a diary study on the **Questions** tab of your builder. | Setting | Description | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Prompt** | The question participants answer. You can format the prompt with `*bold*`, `_italic_`, and `[link text](http://example.com)`. | | **Character limit** | Choose **No limit** or **140 chars**. With a limit, responses are capped at 140 characters. | | **Copy & paste allowed** | To encourage in-the-moment, authentic responses, participants can't paste text into their answer by default. When enabled, participants can copy and paste. | | **Headline** | Makes the participant's answer the title of their diary entry, instead of the date and time the entry was submitted. | | **Stimuli** (optional) | Attach images or media for participants to react to. For more information, see [Question stimuli](/study-basics/question-types/question-settings-and-organization/question-stimuli.md). | | **Stimuli randomization** | Presents attached stimuli in a random order to each participant. Appears once the question has more than one stimulus attached. | | **Skip logic** (optional) | Route participants to a later point in the activity based on their answer. For more information, see [Skip logic in diary studies](/study-basics/design-a-study/skip-logic-in-diary-studies.md). | | {% endtab %} | | | {% endtabs %} | | ### Add a typed response question to a study {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** In a screener, typed response questions go in the **Additional questions** section. They can't be knockout questions, and they aren't available on the screeners of auto-recruit studies, which support only multiple choice questions. For more information, see [Question types in screeners](/recruit-participants/what-are-dscout-screeners/question-types-in-screeners.md). {% endhint %} {% stepper %} {% step %} Navigate to the tab of your builder where you want the question—**Questions**, **Usability test**, **Study**, **Media survey**, or **Screener**, depending on your study type. {% endstep %} {% step %} Click **+ Add** in the center of the builder or in the left sidebar. (**+ Add question** in diary studies, or **Add additional question** in screeners.)

{% endstep %} {% step %} Select **Typed response**. {% endstep %} {% step %} Enter your **Prompt**.

{% endstep %} {% step %} Configure the remaining settings. For details, see [Typed response question settings](#typed-response-question-settings) above. {% endstep %} {% step %} Click **Done**. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} #### Group and randomize typed response questions Typed response questions work with Dscout's question-organization features: * [**Question groups**](/study-basics/question-types/question-settings-and-organization/question-groups.md) keep related questions together and can randomize the order they're presented in. * [**Multi-variate testing**](/study-basics/question-types/question-settings-and-organization/multi-variate-testing.md) presents different concepts or design variants to different participants. * [**Question banks**](/study-basics/question-types/question-settings-and-organization/question-banks.md) let you save a typed response question and reuse it across studies. ### Analyze a typed response question How you review typed responses depends on your study type. #### Usability tests, intercept studies, and media surveys In the **Questions** view, a typed response question shows: * **AI summary and AI themes** at the top, when AI analysis is available for your study. Select a theme to narrow the list to the responses tagged with it. * **A list of responses**, with each participant's name and a link to their entry, their answer, and any tags applied to it. Responses load in batches of 30 as you scroll. * **A participant count** for the question. You can sort the list by date (newest or oldest first) or by participant name (A to Z or Z to A).

#### Diary studies In diary study analysis, typed response questions are included on the **Open-ended responses** view. Here, you'll see: * **A word cloud chart**, collapsed by default. Expand it to see the words participants use most. Choose how many words to show (10, 25, or 50), include or exclude nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, and click a word to narrow the response list to the answers that contain it. To leave out a word that isn't useful, select **Make "word" a Stop Word**. Stop words are listed below the chart so you can see what you've excluded. * **AI summary and AI themes**, when AI analysis is available for your study. * **A list of responses**, with each participant's name, their answer, any tags applied to it, and a link to their entry. Responses load 30 per page. You can sort the list by expressiveness, date, or participant name. **Word cloud:**

**Participant's response:**

#### Individual responses Open a participant's entry or session to see their full answer. #### Tag and highlight responses To tag everything a participant wrote, select **Tag response**. To work with part of an answer, select the text and choose from the toolbar that appears: * **Apply tags (#)** tags the selected text. You need permission to manage tags. * **Copy as quote** copies the selected text to your clipboard. * **Highlight** saves the selected text as a highlight on the response.

#### Find specific responses The **Filters** panel doesn't include a filter for the text of typed responses. To narrow the list, use tags and AI themes. In diary studies, you can also click a word in the word cloud. #### Export typed responses The CSV export of your study's response data includes each typed response in full, in one column per question. In usability tests, intercept studies, and media surveys, typed response questions don't have a direct download button, but they are included in study exports. In diary studies, the word cloud chart has its own download button, which saves the chart rather than the response text. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** The study-wide crosstabs export summarizes closed-ended questions only, so it doesn't include typed responses. {% endhint %} ### Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a typed response and a Talk out loud question?

Participants answer a typed response question in writing. Participants answer a [Talk out loud](/study-basics/question-types/open-ended-questions/talk-out-loud-questions.md) question by speaking, and their answer is recorded and transcribed. Choose typed response when you want quick written answers, or when participants may not be able to speak, such as in a public place.

Why can't I add a typed response question to my AI moderated study?

AI moderated studies support Talk out loud, Task, Multiple choice, and Scale questions. Typed response questions aren't available. To gather open-ended answers, use a [Talk out loud](/study-basics/question-types/open-ended-questions/talk-out-loud-questions.md) question. You can also have the AI moderator ask follow-up questions.

Why can't participants paste into their response?

Pasting is turned off by default, to encourage in-the-moment, authentic answers. When **Copy & paste allowed** is off, participants can't paste text into their answer or cut text from it, and they see a message that pasting has been disabled for the question. When it's on, participants can paste anything into their answer, including text from the question prompt. Turn on **Copy & paste allowed** if you're asking for something that's easier to paste than to type, such as a URL or a long block of text.

Participants on iPhone are asked to allow Dscout to paste from another app. What's happening?

This is an iOS privacy prompt, not a problem with your study. iOS can ask participants for permission to paste from other apps while they type an answer. To fix it, the participant opens their iPhone **Settings**, selects **Dscout**, and changes **Paste from Other Apps** from **Ask** to **Allow**.

Why can't a participant start typing their response?

If a typed response question has stimuli attached, participants need to view them before they can type. When a participant selects the response field first, Dscout points them to the stimuli they haven't viewed yet.

Why were so many screener applicants marked as low quality?

Dscout automatically moves applicants to low quality when their open-ended answers score poorly for expressiveness. Low quality applications don't count toward your application limit, so you may see more applications than your limit allows. Typed response questions without a length limit can lead to more applicants being marked as low quality if the question only requires a short response to fully answer it. If you ask a typed response question in a screener, consider turning on **Limit response length** if you don't need a lengthy answer. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** This setting is not available when recruiting from Partner Panels. {% endhint %}

Why don't I see an AI summary or AI themes for my typed response question?

AI summaries and AI themes need at least 5 responses to a question. If a question has fewer, you'll see *This question was not analyzed because it has less than 5 entries.* For best results, wait until you have 15 or more responses. Dscout AI analyzes only the latest version of your study, and only the responses collected before you start the analysis. AI summaries also don't change when you apply filters. For more information, see [AI summaries](/dscout-ai/built-in-ai-features/ai-summaries.md) and [AI themes](/dscout-ai/built-in-ai-features/ai-themes.md#troubleshooting).

Can I search for a word or phrase across typed responses?

The **Filters** panel doesn't offer a text search for typed responses. In diary studies, click a word in the word cloud to see the answers that contain it. In other study types, use AI themes and tags to find the responses you care about.

Why don't I see typed responses in my crosstabs export?

Crosstabs summarize closed-ended questions, such as multiple choice and scale, so typed responses aren't included. To get the full text of every response, use the CSV export of your study's response data.

--- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://help.dscout.com/study-basics/question-types/open-ended-questions/typed-response-questions.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.