The underlying principle for these guidelines is Universal Presentation: all respondents should be presented with the same question and response categories, regardless of mode. While one might assume that this principle requires questions, categories, instructions, etc., to be identical across modes, this assumption turns out to be neither feasible nor desirable. Rote repetition would result in awkward and difficult-to-administer instruments that are unlikely to achieve consistent response data. Rather, Universal Presentation says that the meaning and intent of the question and response options must be consistent. In some cases, questions or instructions need to be modified so they can be communicated to, attended to, and understood by respondents the same way in different modes. The goal is that instruments collect equivalent information regardless of mode. By equivalent, we mean that the same respondent would give the same substantive answer to a question regardless of the mode of administration.

These guidelines apply the principle of Universal Presentation to nine major aspects of instrument design: question wording and instructions, examples, response categories, formatting of answer spaces, visual design elements, question order and grouping, flashcards, and prompts and help. Additional guidelines spell out apparent exceptions to the principle of Universal Presentation. These are situations in which a change in the question wording, order, instructions, or other features is essential for operational reasons, or better preserves the question than would asking exactly the same question in an identical way in different modes.