3.Questionnaire
3.1 Asking Questions
3.2 Overcoming Inability to Answer
3.3 Overcoming Unwillingness to Answer
3.4 Increasing Willingness of Respondents
3.5 Determining the Order of Questions
3.6 What’s Next?
Questionnaire
A Questionnaire – is a formalized set of questions for obtaining information from respondents.
Objectives of a Questionnaire:
- translate the information need into a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer
- uplift, motivate, and encourage respondents to become involved in the interview, to cooperate, and to complete the interview
- minimize response error
Questioning Tactics
Structured:
- Choose an answer form a list of answer choices
- +: easy to analyze, do not task respondents’ memory and make less stress
- –: automatic and snap answers
Unstructured:
- Response options are not set
- +: unlimited range of possible responses, “tests” respondent’s memory
- –: complexity of coding and analysis, respondents may refuse to answer
Direct:
- Do you drink alcohol every day?
Indirect:
- What drinks do you prefer for dinner?
Bias in Formulation
Q: Do you approve smoking whilst praying?
A: No
Q: Do you approve praying whilst smoking?
A: Yes
Issues to Consider in Questionnaire Design
- Is the question necessary?
- Are several questions needed instead of one?
- Is the respondent informed?
- Can the respondent remember?
- Effort required of the respondents
- Sensitivity of question
- Legitimate purpose
- Cultural issues
- Ease of completion
- Comprehensiveness
- Bias in formulation
