Questionnaire DesignKrystsina Sharambei

Theoretical Principles of Questionnaire Design• Questionnaire -  is a research instrument

consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents.

• Questionnaire Design -  refers to the design (text, order, and conditions for skipping) of the questions used to obtain the data needed for the survey.

Four Theoretical Components of a Questionnaire

Words Questions Format Hypothe

ses

Words• The most obvious component is words. The

researcher must carefully consider which words to use in creating the questions and scales for collecting raw data from respondents

Questions• Two important issues relating to question phrasing

that have a direct impact on survey designs are (1) the type of question format (unstructured or structured) and (2) the quality of the question (good or bad)

QuestionsUnstructured questionsOpen-ended questionsformatted to allowrespondents to reply intheir own words

Structured questionsClosed-ended questionsthat require the respondent to choose from a predetermined set ofresponses or scalepoints

Bad questions Any questions that preventor distort the fundamental communicationbetween the researcherand the respondents

Good questionsThe opposite to bad questions

Questions Incomprehensible to the respondentbecause the wording, the concept, or both can not be understood. An example would be: “What is your attitude about the linkage between the 2002 war on the terrorists of al-Quaida in Afghanistan and the Democratsdecrying of sexual McCarthyism toward improving the environment in Arizona?”

Unanswerable either because the respondent does not have access to the informationneeded or because none of the answer choices apply to the respondent. An examplewould be: “What was your parents’ exact annual income two years ago?”

Leading in that the respondent is forced or directed into a response thatshe or he would not ordinarily give if all the facts of the situation were provided. An example of this would be: “Do you believe that Democrats who loved William Jefferson Clinton agreed he did a good job as president of the United States?”

Double-barreled in that they ask the respondent to address more than one issue at a time. An example would be: “To what extent do you agree or disagree that Monica Lewinsky and Representative Henry Hyde, R-Ill., were responsible for the impeachment vote against President Clinton?”

Questionnaire Format• The integrated layout of sets of questions or scale

measurements into a systematic instrument. The questionnaire’s format should allow for clear communication.

Hypothesis• A formalized statement of a testable relationship

between two or more constructs or variables.

Description versus Prediction• A descriptive

design allows the researcher to collect raw data that can be turned into facts about a person or object.

• A predictive questionnaires force the researcher to collect a wider range of state-of-mind and state-of-intention data that can be used in predicting changes in attitudes and behaviors as well as in testing hypotheses.

Accuracy versus Precision• Accuracy refers to

the degree to which the data provide the researcher with a description of the true state of affairs.

• In contrast, precision in questionnaire designs focuses on the reproducibility of the results over repeated usages.

The flowerpot approach• This scientific approach involves a series of

activities that have a logical, hierarchical order. The flowerpot notion is symbolically derived from the natural shape associated with a clay pot used for planting and growing flowers. The shape is wide at the top and tapered (or narrower) at the bottom—symbolizing a natural flow of data from general to specific.

The flowerpot approach• According to the flowerpot concept, in a good

questionnaire design, the data will flow from a general information level, down to a more specific information level, and end with identification data. A questionnaire should begin with an introductory section that gives the respondent a basic idea of the main topic of the research. This section should also include general instructions for filling out the survey. The introduction’s appearance will vary with the desired data collection method.

The Role of a Cover Letter• Cover letter A separate written communication to

a prospective respondent designed to enhance that person’s willingness to complete and return the survey in a timely manner.

• The main role of the cover letter should be that of winning over the respondent’s cooperation and willingness to participate in the research project. In other words, the cover letter should help persuade a prospective respondent either to fill out the questionnaire and return it in a timely fashion or to participate in the current interview.

Developing of cover letter• Factor 1. PersonalizationThe cover letter should be addressed to the particular person who was randomly selected as a prospective respondent.• Factor 2. Identification of the Organization

Doing the StudyClear identification of the name of the research firm conducting the survey or interview; decide on disguised or undisguised approach of revealing the actual client (or sponsor) of the study

Developing of cover letter• Factor 3. Clear Statement of the Study’s

Purpose and ImportanceDescribe the general topic of the research and emphasize its importance to the prospective purpose and importance respondent.• Factor 4. Anonymity and ConfidentialityGive assurances that the prospective respondent’s name will not be revealed. Explain how the respondent was chosen, and stress that his or her meaningful input is important to the study’s success.

Developing of cover letter• Factor 5. Time Frame Communicate the overall time frame of the survey or interview. It should state the actual completion time requirements and any compensation that might be offered. • Factor 6. Reinforcement of the Importance

of the Respondent’s ParticipationWhere appropriate, communicate the importance of prospective respondents’ participation.

Developing of cover letter• Factor 7. Acknowledgment of Reasons for

Not Participating in the StudyPoint out “lack of leisure time,” “surveys classified as junk mail,” and “forgetting about survey” reasons for not participating, and defuse them.• Factor 8. Time Requirements and

CompensationClearly communicate the approximate time required to complete the survey; discuss incentive compensations program, if any.

• Factor 9. Completion Date and Where and How to Return the Survey

Communicate to the prospective respondent all instructions for returning the completed how to return the survey questionnaire.• Factor 10. Advance thank-you statement for

willingness to participateThank the prospective respondent for his or her cooperation.

Supplement Documents Associated with Survey Instrument Designs• Supervisor InstructionsA form that serves as a blueprint for training people on how to execute the interviewing process in a standardized fashion; it outlines the process by which to conduct a study that uses personal and telephone interviewers

Supplement Documents Associated with Survey Instrument Designs• Interviewer InstructionsThe vehicle for training the interviewer on how to select prospective respondents, screen them for eligibility, and conduct the actual interview.

Supplement Documents Associated with Survey Instrument Designs• Screening forms A set of preliminary questions that are used to determine the eligibility of a prospective respondent for inclusion in the survey.

Supplement Documents Associated with Survey Instrument Designs• Quota SheetsA simple tracking form that enhances the interviewer’s ability to collect raw data from the right type of respondents; the form helps ensure that representation standards are met.

Supplement Documents Associated with Survey Instrument Designs• Rating CardsCards used in personal interviews that represent a reproduction of the set of actual scale points and descriptions used to respond to a specific question/setup in the survey. These cards serve as a tool to help the interviewer and respondent speed up the data collection process.

Supplement Documents Associated with Survey Instrument Designs• Call Record SheetsA recording document that gathers basic summary information about an interviewer’s performance efficiency (e.g., number of attempts, number of completed interviews, length of time of interview)

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