This article first appeared on Opinary and has been republished with permission from the author

Good polls don’t just ask questions. They frame the debate. A strong poll highlights what’s at stake in a topic, makes readers pause, think, and want to weigh in.

Opinary reviewed millions of poll questions across publishers like The FT, The Times of London, and Yahoo. This guide shares 12 clear checks to help editors write sharper questions, surface better angles and drive meaningful engagement.

If you use polls in your editorial workflow, this is the framework to work from.

To write an engaging question, it is best if you address the essence of a current debate.

Ask yourself whether your question deals with the most important aspect of the topic or if there is a bigger picture that should be addressed.

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