Final answer:
To prevent fence sitting in surveys, removing the middle option in Likert-type questions and using a forced-choice format is effective. This ensures respondents pick a side, clarifying their preferences.
Step-by-step explanation:
To prevent fence sitting in survey research, one can remove the middle option from Likert-type questions and use a forced-choice format instead of Likert-type format. In a forced-choice format, respondents must choose between two opposing options without the possibility of selecting a neutral middle ground. This approach can enhance the clarity of preferences and reduce the likelihood of participants defaulting to a neutral response.