HOW TO DESIGN TEST AND REVISE A

SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

BY: RC
QUESTIONNAIRE

• A set of predetermined questions for all respondents that

serves as a primary research instrument in survey
research.
• Used to collect factual information.
• Consist of a form containing a series of questions.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Should be concerned with specific and relevant topic
2. Should be short.
3. Directions and wording should be simple and clear
4. Questions should be objective
5. Embarrassing questions, presuming questions and hypothetical questions should be
avoided
6. Should be presented in a good order
7. Should be attractive, neatly printed and clearly arranged
FUNCTIONS OF QUESTIONNAIRE

• The questionnaire provides description about age, sex, marital status,

occupation, income, political affiliation, religious affiliation, etc.
• Measurement of individual and/or group variables like attitude, opinion, traits
and habits of persons.
TYPES OF QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Based upon the type of respond required:

a. Structured or Fixed Response Questionnaire
b. Non-structured or Open Questionnaire
2. Based upon the method of administering:
a. Mail Questionnaire
b. Face-to-Face Questionnaire
A. STRUCTURED (FIXED RESPONSE)

• Structured questions are questions that offer the respondent a closed set of responses from
which to choose.
• Structured questions make data collection and analysis much simpler and they take less time
to answer.
• Structured questions are best suited in the following situations:
1. When you have a thorough understanding of the responses so that you can
appropriately develop the answer choices
2. When you are not trying to capture new ideas or thoughts from the respondent
EXAMPLE OF STRUCTURED QUESTION

Do you have a driver's Which subject do you enjoy How many hours a day do
license? the most at school? you spend doing homework?
( ) Yes ( ) Math ( ) 0 to 1 hour
( ) No ( ) Science ( ) 2 to 3 hours
( ) English ( ) 4 to 5 hours
( ) Foreign Language ( ) more than 5 hours
( ) History
( ) Government
( ) Art / Music
( ) Other
B. NON-STRUCTURED (OPEN-ENDED)

• Non-structured questions, or open-ended questions, are questions

where there is no list of answer choices from which to choose.
• Respondents are simply asked to write their response to a
question.
EXAMPLE OF A NON-STRUCTURED QUESTION

What do you like best about the Science Buddies Classroom

Scientists Program?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
______________________
A. MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE
• Mail questionnaires is a form of questionnaire which is mailed to targeted
individuals, which has a collection of questions on a particular topic asked to
them as a part of interview or survey which is used for conducting research on
that topic.
• Questions asked in questionnaire are generally dependent on knowledge of
targeted individuals and are related to topic under research.
B. FACE-TO-FACE QUESTIONNAIRE

• Face to face questionnaires are conducted by an interviewer asking questions

of a respondent in person.
• They are similar to a telephone questionnaire in terms of allowing the
interviewer to explain and probe out questions.
• However they have the advantage of the fact that participants may be more
willing to give longer periods of time in a face to face situation rather than
over the phone.
QUESTIONNAIRE AS INSTRUMENTS

• Most survey research relies on the use of questionnaire to measure variables

• Demographic variables
• The accuracy and precision of questionnaire requires expertise and care in
their construction
• Self report scales
DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES

• Demographic variables are used to describe the characteristics of the people

who are surveyed.
• Measures such as race, ethnicity, age and socio economic status.
• The accuracy and precision of questionnaire as survey research instrument
depends upon the expertise and care that go into their construction.
PREFERENCES AND ATTITUDES

• Individual preferences and attitudes.

• For example brand of coffee preferred, attitude regarding public
issues.
SELF REPORT SCALES

• Used to measure peoples judgements or attitude about items presented on the

scale.
For ex: coffee, political candidates and life events

• To determine differences among people on some dimensions presented on the

scale.
For ex: personality traits and amount of stress
RELIABILITY
• Reliability refers to the consistency of measurement.
• Reliable test should yield similar or consistent result each time it is taken.
Common method:
• Test-retest reliability

FACTORS AFFECTING RELIABILITY

• Numbers of items
• Variability
• Condition in which the questionnaire is administered
CONSTRUCTING A QUESTIONNAIRE

• Deciding type, writing a draft, pretesting, is concluding with specific

procedures:
1. Decide what information should be sought.
2. Decide what type of questionnaire should be used.
3. Write a first draft of questionnaire.
4. Reexamine and revise the questionnaire.
5. Pretest the questionnaire.
6. Edit the questionnaire and specify the procedures for it use.
WORDINGS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE

• Simplicity in language
• Avoid ambiguity
• Avoid vague words
• Avoid embarrassing questions
• Avoid double negatives
• Avoid leading questions
• Presuming questions
• Hypothetical questions
ORDER OF THE QUESTIONS

• Begin with simple and general questions

• No sensitive and embarrassing questions at beginning
• Move from general to specific in logical manner
• Sensitive questions must be on the end
• Demographic data should be obtained at the end of self administering questions
• Kahn & Cannel (1975)
- Start with broad questions and gradually narrow down to the specific questions related to the
topic.
REFERENCE
• Sigh, A.K. (1997).Tests, Measurements and Research Methods in Behavioral
Sciences. Patna: Bharati Bhawan
• 1. Shaughnessy J.J., Zechmeister, E.B. & Zechmeister, J.S. (2006). Research
Methods in Psychology. (7th edition). Singapore McGraw-Hill
• https://www.mbaskool.com/business-concepts/marketing-and-strategy-
terms/16568-mail-questionnaire.html
• https://www.betterevaluation.org/en/evaluation-
options/face_to_face_questionnaires