Questionnaire design • Questionnaire is a technique for collecting data • Open ended questions provide important and detail feedback • Close ended questions provide ease in analysis • There is no guaranteed technique that will give good questionnaire • It is a skill that can be mastered by experience.
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Preliminary considerations for designing questionnaire • Data needs: Refer Investigative questions • Respondent’s profile • Method of administering questionnaire: – Personal interview – Mail questionnaire – Telephone interview – Internet
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Personal interview • Advantages: – Ability to show visual aids – More complex questions can be asked – Spontaneous response can be obtained – Higher response rate • Disadvantages: – Expensive & time consuming – Not suitable if respondent wants to be anonymous
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Mail questionnaire • Advantages: – Efficiency in cost and time if sample is geographically spread – Useful if respondent wants to be anonymous (sensitive subjects of research) • Disadvantages: – Non-response can be high – Answers can be incomplete – Not suitable for spontaneous response
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Telephone questionnaire • Advantages: – Efficiency in cost and time if sample is geographically spread – Useful if respondent wants to be anonymous – Spontaneous response can be obtained • Disadvantages: – Visual aid can not be used
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Preliminary considerations for designing questionnaire • Research design used: – Open ended questions are suitable for exploratory research – Close ended for conclusive research
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Steps in questionnaire design • Prepare flowchart to decide flow of questions. • Prepare first draft of the questionnaire • Test questionnaire for finding any mistakes • Finalize questionnaire
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Do’s of questionnaire • Interviewer should first reveal his identity and purpose of study • Assure respondent that responses given by him will be kept confidential • Convince him about benefit that will be derived from his co-operation • Place neutral or filter questions at the beginning • Use conversational language • State meaning of technical words • Use categories for sensitive data. E.g. age, income January 19, 2010 Prepared by Prof C Y Nimkar 9 Do’s of questionnaire • Include all relevant answers to a close ended question • Options given to a question should be mutually exclusive • Use balanced scale in attitude measurement • Sequence questions from general information to specific information • Place demographic questions at the end unless required for screening respondent or for quota sample • Ask respondent to give spontaneous response to know his top of mind awareness • Give examples to respondents for understanding scale
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Do’s of questionnaire • Write instructions to interviewer at the beginning of questionnaire • Use capital letters for instructions • Do not provide lines for answers to open ended questions • Use checkboxes [ ] for recording answers • Send covering letter for mail questionnaire • Thank the respondent at the end of questionnaire • Layout should be such that it avoids flipping pages
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Do’s of questionnaire • Physical appearance of the questionnaire should be pleasant – Leave sufficient white space – Use booklet form • Provide visual aid to respondent, if necessary • Each questionnaire should have unique serial number and interviewer’s code no. January 19, 2010 Prepared by Prof C Y Nimkar 12 Don'ts of questionnaire • Avoid ambiguous adjectives like usually, often, rare, occasionally, frequently. Instead better to quantify choices like: – Dou you often visit temple? (Incorrect) – How may times do you visit temple in a week? (Correct) • Every day • 4 to 6 times in a week • 2 to 3 times in a week • Once a week • Other
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Don'ts of questionnaire • Avoid double negatives – Are you against ban on smoking? (Incorrect) – Will you support ban on smoking? (Correct) • Avoid double-barreled questions. – Is fast food tasty and nourished? (Incorrect) – Is fast food tasty? (Correct) – Is fast food nourished? (Correct) • Do not use abbreviations. January 19, 2010 Prepared by Prof C Y Nimkar 14 Don'ts of questionnaire • Avoid questions that will tax respondent’s memory. • Avoid leading question. For e.g.: – Don’t you feel that religion should be kept away from politics? (Incorrect) – Do you feel that religion should be kept away from politics? (Correct) • Do not assume that respondent has prior knowledge. Confirm it or provide it. January 19, 2010 Prepared by Prof C Y Nimkar 15 Don'ts of questionnaire • Do not substitute respondent. For e.g. do not interview husband if wife is not available.
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Pre-testing questionnaire • Check the questionnaire for any flaw in the questionnaire. Some of the areas are: – Required data is obtained fully – Scales used are valid – Meaning of questions are properly understood by everybody – Respondent does not get irritated • About 75 respondents are found sufficient for testing • Perform analysis on the data obtained during pre- testing and show it to the decision maker January 19, 2010 Prepared by Prof C Y Nimkar 17 Qualities of interviewer • Understands respondents • Listens well • Maintains attitude of genuine interest • Accepts rejection • Does not let mood affect performance • Is sincere, committed and of high integrity
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Field Survey • Inform respondents in advance, if possible • Have proper checks while survey is on • Do courtesy call or send thanks giving letters to those who responded to survey • Send reminders to those who have not sent responses to mail survey