Q01
Message
All templatesIndustry-Specific
News Trust Signals & Credibility Assessment
Measures which editorial, platform, and social cues drive audience trust in news sources across channels. Designed for media researchers, newsrooms, and platform teams seeking to benchmark perceived credibility and identify the trust signals that matter most.
Sample questions
A preview of what’s in the template. Every question is editable before you launch.
21 questions · ~10 min
Q02
Multiple Choice
In the past 30 days, how often did you consume news in any format?
- Multiple times a day
- Daily
- A few times a week
- Weekly
- Less than weekly
- I rarely or never consume news
Q03
Multiple Choice
Which of the following social platforms, if any, have you used for news in the past 30 days? Select all that apply.
- X (Twitter)
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Snapchat
- Other
- None — I don't use social media for news
Q04
Opinion Scale
Overall, how much do you trust the news sources you have personally used in the past 30 days?
Scale: 1 – 7
Min:Not at allMax:A great deal
Q05
Ranking
Rank these trust signals from most to least important to you when evaluating a news story.
- Clear sourcing and citations
- Independent verification or corroboration
- Expert author credentials
- Neutral, non-sensational tone
- In-depth context and background
- No obvious conflicts of interest
Drag to rank
Q06
Opinion Scale
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Seeing corrections or updates on a story increases my trust in that publisher.
Scale: 1 – 7
Min:Strongly disagreeMax:Strongly agree
Q07
Long Text
Think of a specific news story from the past 30 days that you either trusted or distrusted. Please briefly describe the story and explain what led you to trust or distrust it.
Q08
Multiple Choice
What is your age?
- 18–24
- 25–34
- 35–44
- 45–54
- 55–64
- 65+
- Prefer not to say
Q09
Message
Thank you for completing this survey. Your responses will help us understand which signals build trust in news and will be reported in aggregate form only.
Q10
Multiple Choice
In the past 30 days, which single channel did you rely on most for news?
- Online news sites or apps
- TV
- Radio
- Print newspapers or magazines
- Social media platforms
- News aggregators (e.g., Apple News, Google News)
- Podcasts
- Email newsletters or messaging apps
- Other
Q11
Multiple Choice
When you see news on social media, which of the following cues make a post seem more trustworthy to you? Select all that apply.
- Verified account or official badge
- Link to an official or original source
- Clear attribution to named reporters or organizations
- Community notes, fact-check labels, or context panels
- Detailed timestamp or post age
- Comments from recognizable experts
- High engagement (likes, shares, or comments)
- Consistent posting history on the topic
- None of the above
Q12
Opinion Scale
How confident are you in your own ability to distinguish trustworthy news from untrustworthy news?
Scale: 1 – 7
Min:Not at all confidentMax:Extremely confident
Q13
Multiple Choice
Which of the following headline elements, if any, increase your trust in a news story? Select all that apply.
- Specific numbers or data in the headline
- Quotes or attribution to named sources
- Neutral or balanced wording
- Link to full report or study
- Author's full name shown
- Publication date and time visible
- None of these
- Other
Q14
Multiple Choice
When a news piece is clearly labeled as sponsored or advertorial content, how does that affect your trust in the information presented?
- Increases my trust
- No change
- Decreases my trust
- Depends on the source or topic
- Not sure
Q15
AI Interview
Based on your survey responses, we'd like to explore your news trust experiences in a bit more depth. An AI moderator will ask you a couple of brief follow-up questions.
Q16
Multiple Choice
Which best describes your gender?
- Man
- Woman
- Non-binary
- Self-describe
- Prefer not to say
Q17
Multiple Choice
In the past 7 days, approximately how often did you cross-check a news story by looking at another source?
- Never (0 times)
- Once or twice
- 3–5 times
- 6–10 times
- More than 10 times
Q18
Long Text
If you selected 'Self-describe' above, you may share your gender identity here (optional).
Q19
Multiple Choice
What is the highest level of education you have completed?
- Some high school or less
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Some college or associate degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Postgraduate degree
- Prefer not to say
Q20
Multiple Choice
What is your current employment status?
- Employed full-time
- Employed part-time
- Self-employed
- Unemployed and looking for work
- Student
- Retired
- Not working by choice
- Prefer not to say
Q21
Multiple Choice
In which region do you currently live?
- North America
- Latin America & Caribbean
- Europe
- Middle East & North Africa
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Asia
- Oceania
- Prefer not to say
What’s included
AI follow-ups
Adaptive probes on open-ended answers that pull out detail a static form would miss.
Attention checks
Built-in safeguards against rushed answers and low-quality respondents.
AI-drafted copy
Wording, ordering, and branching written by the AI — tuned to your research goal.
Auto report
Themes, quotes, and a plain-English summary write themselves once responses come in.
Frequently asked questions
What questions are in the “News Trust Signals & Credibility Assessment” template?
The template includes 21 ready-to-use questions, starting with: “Welcome to this study on how people evaluate the trustworthiness of news. This survey takes approximately 7–10 minutes t…” · “In the past 30 days, how often did you consume news in any format?” · “Which of the following social platforms, if any, have you used for news in the past 30 days? Select all that apply.”. The full set is previewed above, and every question is editable.
How long does this survey take to complete?
Respondents typically finish the 21 questions in about 10 minutes.
Can I customize this template?
Yes — every question, answer option, and the ordering is editable before you launch. You can add or remove questions, or ask the AI editor to rework the survey around your research goal.
Is this template free to use?
Yes. Open it in the editor and start customizing right away — no account required to try it, and the free plan covers launching your survey.
Ready to launch?
Open this template in the editor. Every part is yours to change before the first respondent sees it.
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