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Questionnaire DesignData CollectionAdapted fromK Alpers, C Campese, P McKeown, V Bremer, V Prikazsky#1What is a questionnaire?A tool to collect answers to questionscollect factual data A series of written questions in a fixed, rational order

#2A well designed questionnaireGives accurate and relevant information to your research questionMinimises potential sources of bias As simple and focused as possible#3How to reduce biasStructured questionnaire Ensure high response rateTraining of survey administrators#4Advantages of questionnairesCan reach a large number of peopleRelatively easy and economicRelate directly to study questionProvide quantifiable answersRelatively easy to analyse#5Disadvantages of questionnairesProvide only limited insight into a problemthe range of possible responses is limited the question maybe misleading

Varying response Unclear question can lead to misunderstanding misinterpretation

Do not allow for mistakesmust be right from the beginning missing data hard to chase #6Types of QuestionnairesInterviewer-administeredface to face

#7Types of QuestionnairesInterviewer-administeredface to face telephone

#8Types of QuestionnairesInterviewer-administeredface to face telephone

Self-administeredby post

#9Types of QuestionnairesInterviewer-administeredface to face telephone

Self-administeredby post email/Internet

#10Self-administered questionnaireAdvantagescheap and easy to administerpreserves confidentialitycompleted at respondent's conveniencenot influenced by interviewer

#11Self-administered questionnaireAdvantagescheap and easy to administerpreserves confidentialitycompleted at respondent's conveniencenot influenced by interviewer

Disadvantageslow response questions can be misunderstoodno control by intervieweronly literate personstime delay (post)e-mail/internet: need computer access/software#12Interviewer-administered questionnaireAdvantagesparticipation of illiterate peopleclarification of ambiguitiesquick answers

#13Interviewer-administered questionnaireAdvantagesparticipation of illiterate peopleclarification of ambiguitiesquick answers

Disadvantagesinterviewer biasneeds more staff resourcesonly short questionnaires possibleespecially on telephonedifficult for sensitive issues

#14Before starting to design a questionnaireConfirm your research purpose

define objectives define study questionsRisk factors for being stung by jellyfish at Pulau Redang October 2010 Research proposalMat Selam, 7 October 2010#15 Study protocol and questionnaireDefinition of objectivesList of variables to collect Analysis planStudy protocol Design questionsControl and readingPilot test questionnaireThe question must answer your objectives

The question collects appropriate information for analyses #16Use existing questionnairesAs a guideDont need to re-invent the wheelHave been tested

BUT: adapt to present situation!

#Questionnaire needs to be adapted to study populationKnow the respondentsoccupation sensitive issueseducationethnic group language

#18What makes a well designed questionnaire?Good appearance (easy for the eye) Short and simpleRelevant and logical High response Easier to collectto summarizeto analyse

#19Basic RulesOn first pageReturn addressStudy titleOn all pagesIdentifyerPage numbersNumbered questionsInstructions (in bold or italic)#Structure of a questionnaire IntroductionIdentification Instructions on how to answerQuestions Conclusion

#211 - IntroductionCover letter/ introductionWho are you / you work forWhy are you investigatingWhere did you obtain the respondents nameHow and where can you be contactedGuarantee of confidentialityTime taken to complete the survey (be honest)

Usefulness of study should be clear to all respondents#22Example of introductionGood morning , My name is Mat Selam Awang Jala , I work for ..You may have been already informed that a survey on risk factors for being stung by a jellyfish will be done this week in Pulau Redang. This study has been approved by the national ethical committee. Only anonymous data will be analysed. You have been randomly selected to participate in this study. Your participation is voluntary. The questionnaire will take about 10 minutes to answer. #232 - IdentificationEach questionnaire/interviewed person must be identified Example :I_I I_I_I I_I_I interviewer N district N person N

Demographic data : age, sex

Identifiers kept separately from names (anonymous)007017

#243 - InstructionsGive clear instructions about how to answer the questionsUse different fonts (e.g. italics) if necessary Give instruction which questions can be skipped -> where to jump to#25Content of questionsClear focus on research question avoid sidetrackingavoid unnecessary information

#26Question orderDecide on the order of items/questions easy difficultgeneral particularfactual abstractGroup questions by topicBe aware of ordering effectsDont put the most important items lastWhere to place sensitive questions?#27Starting questionsDoor-openerSimpleClosed format Relevant to main subjectNon-offendingNeither demographic nor personal questions

#28Format of questionsAdjust to responding audienceprofessionals vs. publicmiddle class vs. prisonersKeep sentences simple and shortDefine key words (fully vaccinated)Remember optionsdont know dont want to answer

#29Format of questions7 - Do you like to go swimming and do you mind to be stung by jellyfish? Yes No Ask for one information at a timeAnswer options Mutually exclusive and exhaustive Vertical order of answer options#30Be accurate8 What is the jellyfish situation? Good Bad Versus

8 - How often did you see jellyfish during the last week? Once Twice Three times or more Never Dont know #31Be appropriate 9 Are jellyfishes useless nuisance? Yes No

versus9 - How often have you been stung by jellyfish? Once a day or more Once a week Less than once a week Dont know#32Be objective10 - Do you agree that jellyfish are annoying? Yes No

versus

10 - According to you, the presence of jellyfish in Pulau Redang is not at all a public health problem not a major public health problem a potential public health problem an important public health problem no opinion/dont know #33Be simple11- Did you see more than an average of 33 jellyfish/m2 salt water surface on more than 3 occasions that you went swimming in the morning last week? Yes No

versus

11- Have you seen jellyfish on more than 3 mornings last week? Yes No Dont know#34 Two main question formatsClosed format forced choiceYes Always No Sometimes Dont know Never

Open format free text12 What did you do to avoid being stung by jellyfish? Please describe : __________________________________________________________________________________#35Advantages of open questionsnot directive detailed and unexpected answers possibleallow exploration of issues to generate hypotheses useful for exploring knowledge and attitudesqualitative researchfocus groups

#36Disadvantages of open questionsinterviewer bias time-consumingcoding problemsdifficult to analysedifficult to compare groups

#37Advantages of closed questionsStraightforward responseSimple Quick Less discrimination against less verbally expressive people Easy to code, record, analyse Easy to compare Easy to report#38Disadvantages of closed questionsrestricted number of possible answersPossible loss of additional information

Compromiseinsert field others, if yes specify : __________

#39Examples for closed questions2 - What is your age in years? ___ years

3 - How long have you stayed at Pulau Redang? ___ days

4 - What is your sex (gender)? Male Female

#40Closed questions: Checklist14 - Which of the following beaches have you visited during your stay in Trengganu? Batu BurokRedangPenantianMarang

#41Rating scale15 How often did you see jellyfish during the past weeks?Always Sometimes Seldom Never Mornings Lunchtime Evenings

#42Semantic Rating scaleNumerical16 - How severe was your pain after you were stung? (please circle) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Not painful at all Very painful

Analogue17- How severe is your pain (put the tick on the line)010#43Likert ScaleRensis Likert, 1903-1981Psychometric scaleFive (or more) ordered response levels

18 Jellyfish also have the right to swim in the Mediterranean seastrongly disagreedisagree neither agree or disagree AgreeStrongly agree#44Problems and pitfallsAvoid questions that ask two things at once - you wont know which part people are answering:19 - Have you seen or been stung by jellyfish?

Ambiguity..... 20 - Do you swim a lot?

#45Problems and pitfallsAvoid jargon/abbreviations/slang

21- Should jellyfish victims receive a PEP?

(post exposure prophylaxis)

Avoid not mutually exclusive options

22 - What is your age ? 16-20 20-25 25-30 35-40#46Problems and pitfallsAvoid leading questions23 - Do you think we should forbid people to go swimming in the mornings?

Avoid making the questionnaire too long

Typographical / spelling errors

#47CodingAnswers can be pre-coded Quicker and easier data entry

Examples:Male 1 Ill 1 Female 0 Not ill 0 Dont know 9 Dont know 9 Batu Burok 1 Cahaya Bulan 2 Teluk Cempedak 3Marang 4#485 - ConclusionDont forget to thank the respondents

Tell them when the results will be available and where#49Example of conclusionIn some investigations you might want to add:This is the end of the interview. Thanks for answering this questionnaire. The result of this study will be available on the website epiet.org in six months.Any others questions you wish to ask ? We are still in a very early phase of our investigation. Would you agree to be contacted again in case further questions arise? #50Questionnaire validationUse or adapt existing questionnaires validated (and possibly harmonised)

New questionnairesnot validated need to be tested (pilot)#51Pilot your questionnaire!Pilot with a group of people -> similar to your target subjects

Highlight problems before startingMisunderstandingsLook for alternative wordingFinal polishing#52Presentation and layoutClear and consistent adequate space to answer large font size appropriate page breaks avoid messy layoutstoo many and fancy logosprinting questionnaire on coloured paper may help

#53SummaryA well designed questionnaire:collects appropriate data -> to answer your research questionminimises potential sources of bias-> increases the validity of the repliesWill much more likely be completed#54Surveymonkeyhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZPPJY9W#