In Defense of N: Why Dismissing Dichotomous and Three-Point Instruments Is Symptomatic of Academism.

Working paper on first-line survey design. Quantitative work needs large N and a clear decision, not a costume of five- and seven-point Likert items. Yes/no and three-point questions are usually the better opening contact with a public; Likert is a later, optional bridge — and often a qualitative demand wearing numbers. The paper sets a short-instrument sequence, treats the questionnaire as a favor, and reads the Likert default as academic status habit (grants, display, contempt for participants’ time). Iceland’s 29 August 2026 referendum and brand research are the witnesses. Independent; not written for the index market.