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Questionnaire Design
Questionnaire
Definition A questionnaire is a set of questions to be asked from respondents It should also have appropriate instructions for interviewer for proper administration Functions Enables data collection Lends structure to the interview Provides standard mean to write down answers Helps in processing collected data
Preliminary Decisions
Required Information : The information needed keeping in view objectives of the study. Questionnaire translates information needed into a set of specific questions Target population: The characteristics of respondent group has great influence on questionnaire design.(users/nonusers, illiterates/educated) Interviewing Technique: The format & type of questions will be different for personal interviews, FGD,s ,Mailed Questionnaires & telephonic interviews
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Question Content
Once the information needed is specified & type of interview method is decided next step is to determine individual question content Five major questions need to be answered while deciding question content --Utility of question ( Can the question be dropped ?) --Effectiveness of question (Double barreled question) --Respondents ability to answer accurately( Memory Lapse) --Respondents willingness to answer(Sensitive Question) --Effect of external events( rained last week)
Response Format
Unstructured/open ended: Questions that respondents answer in their own words Structured/ closed ended :Questions that prespecify the set of response alternatives & the response format:( multiple Choice, Dichotomous, Scales)
CloseEnded
Questions are more specific &easy to answer It becomes easier to code, record & analyse the results No difference between articulate & inarticulate respondents Higher response rates Less expensive & time consuming
The answers might not reveal true feelings of the respondents Poor questionnaire design & limited range of options might lead to misleading conclusions Requires pre testing & prior open ended research to ensure relevant choices
Response Format
Undisguised/Direct: Questions that are directly asked to get respondents answer Disguised/ Indirect :Questions that are indirectly asked to tackle sensitive issues or to probe onto respondents psyche or to get rid of biased responses(Projective techniques used mostly for exploratory research)
Undecided
Definitely will
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Question Wording
Question wording is translation of desired question content & structure into words that can be easily &clearly understood by respondents Guidelines for question wording define the issue-Define clearly the issue being addressed language of communication- Language respondents understand use non technical words-Matching vocabulary level avoid ambiguous words-Should have a single meaning avoid leading questions-Leads respondent to an answer avoid implicit alternatives-Alternative not explicitly given avoid generalizations & estimates-Qs Specific not general Avoid double barrelled Questions-Two or more ideas included in one question
Question Wording
Define the issue: ---Which brand of shampoo do you use? (incorrect) ---Which brand or brands of shampoo have you personally used at home during the last month? In case of more than one brand please list all the brands that apply .( Correct) ---Who = Respondent ---What =What brand ---When = Last week, last time, last month ---Where = At home
Question Wording
Please list all the departments from which you purchased merchandise on your most recent shopping trip to a department store. (Incorrect) In the list that follows, please check all the departments from which you purchased merchandise on your most recent shopping trip to a department store. 1. 2. 3. 4. . . . 16. 17. Women's dresses Men's apparel Children's apparel Cosmetics ____
____ ____ ____
____ (Correct)
Question Wording(Recall)
How many litres of soft drinks did you consume during the last four weeks? (Incorrect) How often do you consume soft drinks in a typical week? (Correct) 1. ___ Less than once a week 2. ___ 1 to 3 times per week 3. ___ 4 to 6 times per week 4. ___ 7 or more times per week
Question Wording
Use ordinary non technical word: ---Do you think the distribution of soft drinks is adequate? (incorrect) ---Do you think soft drinks are easily available when you want them?( Correct) Avoid ambiguous words --In a typical month how often you shop in a department store?
INCORRECT Never------------CORRECT Never-----
Occasionally-----------Sometimes--------Often-------Regularly---------
Avoid Leading Questions: ---Do you think patriotic Indians should buy imported cars
that would put Indian labour out of work ? Yes---No---Dont know-----(incorrect) --- Do you think the Indians should buy imported cars Yes---No---Dont know-----(correct)
Question Wording
Question Wording
Avoid Leading Questions: ---Do you think that TV has a negative effect on children
?(Incorrect) --- (What are your views on effect of TV on children? (correct)
Avoid implicit alternatives: Do you like to fly when traveling short distances? (incorrect) Do you like to fly when traveling short distances or would you like to drive ? (correct) Avoid generalizations & Estimates What is the annual per capita expenditure on groceries in your household? (Incorrect) What is the monthly expenditure on groceries in your household? How many members are there in your household? (correct)
Question Wording
Such a question is called a double-barreled question, because two or more questions are combined into one. To obtain the required information, two distinct questions should be asked:
Do you think Coca-Cola is a tasty soft drink? and Do you think Coca-Cola is a refreshing soft drink? (Correct)
Question Wording
Avoid Double barreled Questions: --Do you like fuel efficient cars with comfortable seats? (Incorrect) --Do you like fuel efficient cars ? --Do you like cars with comfortable seats? ( Correct)
Questions should be properly sequenced for better & effective responses The sequencing tends to drive the interview through a funnel shaped process starting with general questions & progressing to more specific ones The interviewer before moving to sequential steps should give a brief introduction about purpose of the survey
Order of Questions
Order of Questions
Sequencing involves following steps Lead-In Questions Qualifying Questions Warm-Up Questions Specific Questions Demographic Questions
Lead-In Questions: ---Introductory, non threatening or ice breaking --Crucial in gaining participants confidence --About hot topics of the day with little importance to survey --Q:It is generally said that economic condition in India is by product of political situation.Do you agree? --Ans: Yes/No
Order of Questions
Qualifying Questions: ---Questions that slowly lead to surveys objective --Questions that evaluate the respondent & qualify him/her for further questioning. -- Survey for estimating market potential for a new fluoride based toothpaste brand could ask qualifying question like Q: What type of toothpaste do you like ? Ans : Fluoride, Herbal , Calcium
Order of Questions
Warm up questions: --- After a series of lead in & qualifying questions warm up questions are asked --Questions that play on respondents' mind by making them think of certain facts related to survey -- Survey for estimating market potential for a new fluoride based toothpaste brand could ask warmup question like Q:When was the last time you bought toothpaste? Was it fluoride or herbal ?
Order of Questions
Specific questions: --- After a series of lead in , qualifying & warm up questions specific questions are asked --Questions that are specific to research objectives -- Are asked to participants who show favorable response or are end users of product (Fluoride Toothpaste) --Questions relating to usage pattern, influential factors in using fluoride toothpaste --These questions play a major role in data collection & analysis --After ensuring that enough rapport has been established this section can probe to get insights into sensitive issues
Order of Questions
Demographic questions: ---These are necessary part of every survey --Set of questions related to age, sex, location, occupation used for classification in analysis --These are kept at the end to avoid respondent's resistance & to prevent his attention from being diverted --
Order of Questions
Pre Testing: ---It refers to testing questionnaire on a small sample selected on convenience basis ---To identify & eliminate flaws in all aspects of questionnaire from question content to question sequence ---Pre testing is always done by personal interviews so that first hand information about likely problems in data collection can be obtained ---After pre testing the questionnaire is revised by removing flaws --After the revision the questionnaire is ready as a final draft used for actual survey
1. Do you believe that private citizens have the right to own firearms to defend themselves, their families, and property from violent criminal attack? Yes No Undecided
2. Do you believe that a ban on the private ownership of firearms would be significantly reduce the number of murders and robberies in your community? Yes No Undecided
1a. How many years have you been playing tennis on a regular basis? Number of years: __________ b. What is your level of play? Novice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lower Intermediate . . . . . Upper Intermediate . . . . . -1 -2 -3 Advanced . . . . . . . Expert . . . . . . . . . Teaching Pro . . . . -4 -5 -6
c. In the last 12 months, has your level of play improved, remained the same or decreased? Improved. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remained the same . . . . . -1 -2 Decreased. . . . . . . -3
Yes . . . . . . . No . . . . . . .
-1 -2
b. How many people in your household - including yourself - play tennis? Number who play tennis ___________ 3a. Why do you play tennis? (Please X all that apply.) To have fun . . . . . . . . . . To stay fit. . . . . . . . . . . . To be with friends. . . . . . To improve my game . . . To compete. . . . . . . . . . . To win. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6
b. In the past 12 months, have you purchased any tennis instructional books or video tapes? Yes . . . . . . . -1 No . . . . . . . -2
Dear Passenger: Indian Airlines is pleased to have you on board today. To help us provide the best service possible, we need to know more about you and your opinions of our service. If you are over 18 years old, we would appreciate it if you would complete this questionnaire.
1. Please indicate: Flight number ___________ Date_____________ 2a. At the city where you boarded this particular plane, did you make a connection from another flight? Yes, from IA . . . . 1 Yes, from Other Airline . . 2 No . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 b. Did you board this plane at the airport from which it just took off, or were you a through passenger for which that was an intermediate stop? Boarded here . . . . . . . . . . Through passenger. . . . . . 1 2
3. How would you rate the overall service from IA for this flight, all things considered, from your arrival at the airport terminal until now? Excellent Good 1 2 Fair 3 Poor 4
Overall Service . . . . . . . . . .
4. Please rate each of the following with regard to this flight, if applicable. Excellent Good
1 Courtesy and Treatment from the: Skycap at airport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Airport Ticket Counter Agent . . . . . Boarding Point (Gate) Agent . . . . . Flight Attendants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Your Meal or Snack. . . . . . . . . . . . . Beverage Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seat Comfort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carry-On Stowage Space. . . . . . . . Cabin Cleanliness . . . . . . . . . . . . . Video/Stereo Entertainment . . . . . . On-Time Departure . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3
Fair
4
Poor
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Step 9.
Step 2. Type of Interviewing Method 1. Review the type of interviewing method determined based on various considerations
1. Is the question necessary? 2. Are several questions needed instead of one to obtain the required information in an unambiguous manner? 3. Do not use double-barreled questions.
10. If the information is sensitive: a. b. c. d. e. f. Place sensitive topics at the end of the questionnaire. Preface the question with a statement that the behavior of interest is common. Ask the question using the third-person technique. Hide the question in a group of other questions which respondents are willing to answer. Provide response categories rather than asking for specific figures. Use randomized techniques, if appropriate.
6. If the response alternatives are numerous, consider using more than one question to reduce the information processing demands on the respondents.
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Basic information should be obtained first, followed by classification, and, finally, identification information.
Difficult, sensitive, or complex questions should be placed late in the sequence. General questions should precede the specific questions. Questions should be asked in a logical order. Branching questions should be designed carefully to cover all possible contingencies. The question being branched should be placed as close as possible to the question causing the branching, and (2) the branching questions should be ordered so that the respondents cannot anticipate what additional information will be required.
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10. The responses obtained from the pretest should be coded and analyzed.