Homework questions that show when the load gets too heavy
Ask older students how homework fits into their week, from the hours it takes to what gets in the way. Each question below comes with when to ask it and what the answer tells you.
What homework survey questions tell you
Homework survey questions ask students how much work goes home with them, how long it takes, whether instructions are clear and what gets in the way. The answers show teachers whether the load across subjects adds up to more than anyone planned, which no single teacher sees on their own.
These questions speak to the student, so ask students aged 16 and older, in the last years of high school, in college or in evening courses. Ask a few weeks into term and again before exams, share the link on the course page or show a QR code at the end of a class, and pick five to seven questions. For younger students, ask their parents in a separate survey.
Each written answer is read as it arrives and given a theme and a sentiment, so the things students drop for homework, such as sleep, sports or a part-time job, group together. Results compares each card with the period before, which shows whether a new homework policy changed the hours.
- Questions
- 14
- Best asked
- A few weeks into term and before exams
- Industry
- Education
- Where to find them
- From library in the Usertick survey editor, on every plan
The 14 homework load questions, with when to ask each
Grouped by what they tell you. Use them as they are or change the wording.
How much homework
The amount, the hours and the evenings it takes, with the subject that takes longest, to compare across classes.
- 01Multiple choice
How much homework is set each week?
Three options on the weekly amount. Read it with the hours question: Too much from students who report few hours can mean the work is hard to start.
- 02Ruler
How many hours of homework did you do this week?
Hours of homework this week, on a ruler. Results shows the median and the middle half, which you can compare with the hours each course expects.
- 13Number
How many evenings a week do you have homework?
How many evenings a week bring homework. Results shows the median; homework on six or seven evenings for many students points at deadlines that bunch up across subjects.
- 06Dropdown
Which subject takes you the longest at home?
Which subject takes the student longest. Results shows each share and count; one subject far ahead of the rest is worth a word with its teachers.
Getting it done
What makes homework hard to start or finish, and what gives way when it runs long.
- 03Customer effort
How easy is it to sit down and begin homework?
How easy it is to sit down and begin, on a 7-point scale. Results shows the average and the share who found it easy; read a low score with what gets in the way.
- 05Multiple choice
What gets in the way of homework?
Picks everything that gets in the way, from no quiet place to tiredness. Results shows bars with each share; an unclear task and missing materials are the ones teachers can fix.
- 09Multiple choice
When do you usually do homework?
When the student usually does homework. A large share Late at night is a reason to look at the total load and the deadlines across subjects.
- 12Number
How many homework tasks were late this month?
How many tasks were late this month. Results shows the median and the middle half; a few students with many late tasks are worth a quiet word with an advisor.
- 14Text
What do you skip when homework takes too long?
Asks what the student gives up when homework runs long. Each answer gets a theme and a sentiment, and the themes show what the load costs students outside school.
Clear tasks and feedback
Whether students know what to do and hear back on their work, which teachers can fix quickly.
- 08Stars
How clear are the homework instructions?
How clear the instructions are, in stars. Results shows the average and the share who rated 4 or higher; ask it per course to see which instructions need rewriting.
- 10Matrix
How true is each of these for homework?
Four statements on knowing what to do, time, help and links to the lesson, on an agree scale. The heat map shows which statement students agree with least.
- 11Yes / No
Do you get feedback on the homework you hand in?
Whether students get feedback on homework they hand in. Read it with the usefulness score, since work that comes back without comments can feel pointless.
Whether homework helps
How useful students find homework and what would make it more so, for the next homework policy review.
- 04Big scale
How useful is homework for your learning?
How useful homework is for learning, from 1 to 10. Results shows the average and a column per step; select the low end to read what those students would change.
- 07Text
What would make homework more useful?
Asks what would make homework more useful. Each answer gets a theme and a type such as idea, so suggestions like worked examples or fewer, longer tasks group together.
Tips for asking about homework load
Small choices that get honest, useful answers.
- 01
Ask students 16 and older
These questions speak to the student directly, so use them in the last years of high school, in college and in adult courses. For younger students, ask their parents.
- 02
Ask in an ordinary week
Avoid exam weeks and holidays for the first round, so the hours reflect a usual week. Ask again before exams to compare.
- 03
Compare across courses
Ask the same questions in every course, or tag the link with the course, so the total load across subjects shows up.
- 04
Fix what teachers control first
Start with unclear tasks, missing materials and feedback. Those changes cost little and show students their answers were read.
Add these questions to a survey
From the library to the first answers.
- 1
Open the library
In the Usertick survey editor, choose From library, filter by industry and topic, and add several questions at once.
- 2
Or paste your own list
Paste questions reads up to 10 questions from any text on Free, 100 on Starter and 200 on Pro and above, keeps your wording and picks an answer type for each.
- 3
Choose where it runs
Show the survey on your website, send it by email, share its link and QR code, or switch it to a conversation.
- 4
Read the answers
Results counts every score and choice, and Usertick reads each written answer and files it by topic, on every plan.
Templates and more questions about homework load
Full surveys that ask about the same things, and neighboring topics in the library.
Templates
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
Students aged 16 and older answer for themselves. For younger students, send a short survey to parents and guardians about the hours and the evenings homework takes.
A few weeks into term, in an ordinary week, and again before exams. Keep the same questions so Results compares each round with the one before.
Show the survey's QR code at the end of a lesson, and students answer on their own phones on the hosted survey page.
Yes. Tag the link with the course name; the tag is kept with each answer for workflows, Google Sheets and the API.
Yes. The question library comes with every plan, the free plan included, and the free plan covers 150 responses a month across your surveys.
Yes. Once a question is in your survey, reword it, change its options or its answer type, and add logic to skip it for some answers.
Yes. The library is translated into Usertick's built-in languages, and in any other language it shows in English for you to translate.
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