Questionnaires

Introduction
A questionnaire is simply a tool for collecting and recording information
about a particular issue of interest. It is mainly made up of a list of questions,
but should also include clear instructions and space for answers or
administrative details. Questionnaires should always have a definite purpose
that is related to the objectives of the research, and it needs to be clear from
the outset how the findings will be used. Respondents also need to be made
aware of the purpose of the research wherever possible, and should be told how
and when they will receive feedback on the findings.
Structured questionnaires are usually associated with quantitative
research, i.e. research that is concerned with numbers (how many? how often?
how satisfied?). Within this context, questionnaires can be used in a variety of
survey situations, for example postal, electronic, face-to-face and telephone.
Postal and electronic questionnaires are known as selfcompletion
questionnaires, i.e. respondents complete them by themselves in their own
time. Face-to-face (F2F) and telephone questionnaires are used by interviewers
to ask a standard set of questions and record the responses that people give
them. Questionnaires that are used by interviewers in this way are sometimes
known as interview schedules.
Questionnaires are commonly used:
To collect factual information in order to classify people and their
circumstances
To gather straightforward information relating to peoples behaviour
To look at the basic attitudes/opinions of a group of people relating to a
particular issue
To measure the satisfaction of customers with a product or service
To collect baseline information which can then be tracked over time to
examine changes
Questionnaires should not be used:
To explore complex issues in great depth
To explore new, difficult or potentially controversial issues (NB: longer,
relatively unstructured depth interviews would be more appropriate here)

 As an easy option which will require little time or effort (a common error)

Advantages of Using Questionnaires

1. Practical
2. Large amounts of information can be collected from a large number of
people in a short period of time and in a relatively cost effective way
3. Can be carried out by the researcher or by any number of people with
limited affect to its validity and reliability
4. The results of the questionnaires can usually be quickly and easily
quantified by either a researcher or through the use of a software
package
5. Can be analysed more 'scientifically' and objectively than other forms of
research
6. When data has been quantified, it can be used to compare and contrast
other research and may be used to measure change
7. Positivists believe that quantitative data can be used to create new
theories and / or test existing hypotheses
Disadvantages of Using Questionnaires
1. Is argued to be inadequate to understand some forms of information - i.e.
changes of emotions, behaviour, feelings etc.
2. Phenomenologists state that quantitative research is simply an artificial
creation by the researcher, as it is asking only a limited amount of
information without explanation
3. Lacks validity
4. There is no way to tell how truthful a respondent is being

5. There is no way of telling how much thought a respondent has put in

6. The respondent may be forgetful or not thinking within the full context of
the situation
7. People may read differently into each question and therefore reply based
on their own interpretation of the question - i.e. what is 'good' to
someone may be 'poor' to someone else, therefore there is a level of
subjectivity that is not acknowledged
8. There is a level of researcher imposition, meaning that when developing
the questionnaire, the researcher is making their own decisions and
assumptions as to what is and is not important...therefore they may be
missing something that is of importance

Construction of a Questionnaire

Doing
Research
Library

Rewriting
the
questionnair
e

Pretesting
the
questionnair
e

Talking to
knowledgea
ble people

Editing the
questionnair
e

Writing the
questionnair
e in its final
form

Mastering
the
guidelines

Writing the
questionnair
e

1. Doing Library Research. Do some library research among studies

similar to yours. There may be some questionnaires similar to what you
want to use. They may serve as guides in constructing yours.
2. Talking to knowledgeable people. Talk to people who have some
knowledge about the construction of questionnaires. You may be able to
get some ideas from them.
3. Mastering the guidelines. There are guidelines in the construction of a
questionnaire. You learn these from books and similar studies in your
library search and from your interviews with knowledgeable people.
Master the guidelines.
4. Writing the questionnaire. Write the questionnaire following the
guidelines as closely as possible.
5. Editing the questionnaire. After the questionnaire has been finished,
show it for correction and suggestions for improvement to people who are
known to possess adequate knowledge in the construction of
questionnaires, especially to your adviser if you have one.
6. Rewriting the questionnaire. Rewrite the questionnaire according to
the corrections and suggestions.
7. Pretesting the questionnaire. This is called a dry run. This is the
process of measuring the effectiveness, validity, and reliability of the
questionnaire, and determining the clarity of the items, the difficulty of

answering the questions, the proper length of time in answering, ease in

tabulating response, and other problems.
After the administration of the pretest, respondents must be interviewed
to determine the following:
a. Are the directions, statements, questions and/or items clear
and equivocal?
b. Do the questions gather the intended data? Are the replies
given those called for?
c. What difficulties are encountered in answering the
questions?
d. Are the respondents given adequate number of options or
choices from which they choose their responses?
e. Is the questionnaire too long that it creates boredom or is it
too short that the information gathered is not adequate?
f. What items should be eliminated or improved? What other
items should be included?
Some of the questions that may be asked to the pretest
respondents are the following:
a. Were the directions very clear to you? Were you able to do
exactly what the directions told you to do?
b. Did you understand completely the questions or items?
c. What difficulties did you meet in answering the questions?
d. Are the number of options from which you selected your
response enough?
e. Is the questionnaire too long?
f. What suggestions can you give to improve the questionnaire?
8. Writing the questionnaire in its final form. After making the proper
corrections, adjustments, and revisions according to the results of the
dry run or pretesting, the questionnaire should be now in its final form.
Types of questions asked in survey questionnaire.
A. According to form:

1. The free-answer type. This type is also called the open form, openended, subjective, unrestricted, essay, and unguided response type.
The respondent answers the question in his own words and in his own
way.

2. The guided response type. This is also called the closed form or
restricted type. The respondent is guided in making his reply. There
are two kinds of this type: recall and recognition types;
a. Recall type. The replies are recalled.
b. Recognition types. The possible responses are given and
respondent selects his answer. There are three types: dichotomous,
multiple choice, and multiple response.
(1) Dichotomous. There are only two options and one is
selected
(2) Multiple choice. Only one answer is chosen from those
given as options.
(3) Multiple responses. Two or more options may be
chosen.

B. According to the kind of data asked for

a. Descriptive (verbal) data
b. Quantified (numerical) data
c. Intensity of feeling, emotion, or attitude
d. Degree of judgement
e. Understanding
f. Reasoning

References:
https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/community/yoursay/Questionnaires.pdf
K. Popper, The Logic of Scientific Discovery (1959), reprinted (2004) by
Routledge, Taylor & Francis
S. Ackroyd and J. A. Hughes, Data Collection in Context (1981) Longman