Research Tools: Questionnaires

What is a Questionnaire? –A tool to: Collect answers to questions Collect factual data A well designed questionnaire should –Meet research aim/objectives –Obtain most complete & accurate info as poss –Make it easy for respondents to provide info –Be brief and to the point –Minimise potential sources of bias

Advantages of Questionnaires Can reach a large number of people Relatively easy and economic Relate directly to the questions posed by the study Provide quantifiable answers Relatively easy to analyse Manageable within the timespan

Disadvantages of Questionnaires May provide only limited insight into an issue Varying responses Don’t allow for mistakes Response rates

Questionnaire Development Step 1 There are generally ten steps involved in questionnaire development: Decide the information required Research aims and objectives Secondary sources Stick to research brief

Questionnaire Development Step 2 Define the target respondents Sampling –RandomCluster –StratifiedOpportunity –QuotaSnowball Questionnaires need to be valid and reliable.

Questionnaire Development Step 3 Choose the method of reaching your target respondents: –Personal interviews –Group or focus interviews –Telephone interviews –Self- completion questionnaires

Questionnaire Development Step 4 Decide on question content –avoid unnecessary information – avoid sidetracking Stick to the research brief

Questionnaire Development Step 5 Develop the questions – Open-ended questions – Closed questions Single v’s multiple responses Ranking responses Rating responses

Questionnaire Development Step 5 Open-ended questions – Allows free response by respondent –Interested in people’s attitudes, thoughts and opinions on an issue –Usually start with what, why, when –Useful if unsure of what range of responses may be given –Information may be used to support arguments/points

Open ended questions What do you think are the causes of obesity in children?

Questionnaire Development Step 5 Closed Questions –More limited responses –Useful for factual information –Useful if range of possible responses can be pre-determined –Easy to complete –Easy to classify, quantify and analyse

Open and closed questions What do you think are the causes of obesity in children? Do you think obesity in children is caused by: (tick if appropriate) Poor diet( ) Lack of exercise( ) Computer games ( ) Availability of fast food( )

Questionnaire Development Step 5 Closed questions contd. ― Single v’s multiple responses ― Meaning ― Analysis Ranking responses ―Generates a lot of data ―Respondents find it difficult to discriminate meaningfully between options

Single or multiple responses Which of the following ways do you use to travel to school? Bus( ) Car( ) Bicycle( ) Train( ) Foot( ) What is your most usual way of travelling to school? (tick one box only) Bus( ) Car( ) Bicycle( ) Train( ) Foot( )

Questionnaire Development Step 5 Closed questions contd. ― Rating responses ― Likert scale ― Awareness of potential inbuilt bias

Rating repsonses Obesity rates in children have risen due to the increased availability of high fat fast food? strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree How would you rate your meal to-day? excellent, very good, good, poor

Questionnaire Development Step 6 Develop the wording- general rules –Be concise and unambiguous –Have you eaten chips recently? –Avoid double questions Do you think we should eat less and exercise more?

questions involving negatives Are you against a ban on smoking? Yes/No leading questions Do you agree with the majority of people that the health service is failing? questions needing to recall memories What age were you when you lost your first tooth?

Questionnaire Development Step 7 Put questions into a meaningful order and format –Opening questions –Question flow –Question variety –Closing questions

Questionnaire Development Step 8 Checklist for questionnaire –Explanation of purpose incl. ethics –Statement detailing confidentiality of info provided –Detail how long to complete –Instructions on how to complete –Date for return –How to return

Questionnaire Development Step 9 Pilot the questionnaire to determine if –Questions will achieve desired results –Placed in best order –Understood by all respondents –Doable within the time suggested –Additional or more specific questions needed –Questions should be eliminated

Questionnaire Development Step 10 Develop the final questionnaire –“No survey can be better than its questionnaire” Ambiguity Bias Vagueness