Leading Practice
Generally speaking, we recommend using textbox questions to collect a single word or short sentence response. Use essay questions to collect a paragraph or two of text. While neither the textbox nor the essay have a character limit by default, the essay field generally invites respondents to give you more information than a textbox.
So, for example, use a textbox to gather a respondent's name, street address, or city. Whereas, you would use an essay question when asking respondents to provide additional feedback in their own words.
There are also some feature differences that may influence your decision. Check out the grid below to learn about the various features available in the textbox and essay questions. Click the link to the feature to learn more!
| Textbox | Essay | |
|---|---|---|
| Default Character Limit | None | None |
| Min/Max Character | ||
| Min/Max Word | ||
| Capitalize each word | ||
| Answer Formatting | ||
| Auto Suggest | ||
| Right/Left Label | ||
| Adjust Width | ||
| Adjust Height | ||
| Default Answer | ||
| HTML Placeholder |
