Chapter 6: Collecting Primary Data Using Questionnaires LEVENT ALTINAY ALEX PARASKEVAS HLTM BUSINESS SCHOOL

Questionnaires One of the most popular methods of collecting data. A pre-determined, structured set of questions. Large sample, low cost. Produce summaries and quantitative descriptions. Useful when you know exactly what to ask, reach to large sample of respondents, ask standard questions that everyone will be able to understand and respond to.

Types of Questionnaire Self Administrated Questionnaires – Are usually completed by respondents. i) Internet (on-line questionnaires) ii) Postal or mail questionnaires iii) Delivery and collection questionnaire Interviewer Administrated Questionnaires – Are recorded by the interviewer on the basis of each respondent’s answers. i) Telephone questionnaire ii) Structured Interview

When to use Questionnaires Descriptive Research – attitude and opinion questionnaires and questionnaires of organizational practices. Explanatory Research – will enable you to examine and explain relationships between variables, in particular cause-and-effect relationships.

Different types of data through questionnaires Opinion (record how respondents feel about something or what they think and believe is true or false). Behaviour (record what respondents do and are). Attribute (contain data about the respondents characteristics such as age, gender, education, occupation and income).

Different types of data through questionnaires How would you rate the service quality in the pool bar? To what extent do you agree with the statement that British Airways is the best flag carrier in the world? How often do you fly to long-haul destinations? How many trips do you intend to do by air within the next six months? How old are you? What is your nationality?

Deciding what data need to be collected Review literature carefully Discuss your ideas with colleagues, your project tutor and other interested parties. Types of variable that can be collected through questionnaires:

Ensuring that essential data are collected Review literature carefully. Decide whether the main outcome of your research is descriptive or explanatory. Subdivide each research question or objective into more specific investigative questions about which you need to gather data. Repeat the second stage if you feel that the investigative questions are not sufficiently precise. Identify the variables about which you will need to collect data to answer each investigative question (what kind of data you will need to collect). Establish how to measure the data for each variable E.g., Alex was asked to discover staff attitudes to the possible introduction of a no smoking policy at his workplace.

Research question/objective: To establish employees’ attitudes to the possible introduction of a no-smoking policy at their workplace. Investigative Questions Variable (s) required Detail in which data measured Do employees feel that they should be able to smoke in their office if they want to as a right? (opinion) Opinion of employee to smoking in their office as a right Feel … should be allowed, should not be allowed, no strong feelings Do employees feel that the employer should provide a smoking room for smokers if smoking in offices is banned? (opinion) Opinion of employee to the provision of a smoking room for smokers Feel.. very strongly that it should, quite strongly that it should, no strong opinions, quite strongly that it should not, very strongly that it should not Would employees accept a smoking ban at work if the majority of people agreed to it? (behaviour) Likely behaviour of employee regarding the acceptance of a ban Would… accept with no preconditions, accept if a smoking room was provided, not accept without additional conditions, would not accept whatever the conditions. Age (attribute), whether or not a smoker (behaviour) Age of employee Smoker (youngest 16, oldest 65) Non-smoker, smokes but not in office, smokes

Types of Questions Open, useful when you require a detailed answer List, where the respondent is offered a list of items, any of which may be selected Category, where only one response can be selected from a given set of categories, Ranking, where the respondent is asked to place something in order Scale or rating, in which a rating device is used to record responses Quantity, to which the response is a number giving the amount

Open Questions Useful if you are unsure of the response When you require a detailed answer When you want to find out what is uppermost in the respondent’s mind E.g. Please list up to three things you like about your job. 1……….. 2……… 3………

List Questions Offer the respondent a list of responses, any of which they can choose. Must be defined clearly and meaningfully to the respondent. E.g. Please tick “ ⁄ “ the box in the ‘provided’ column for services you provided as a home care assistant for this client in the past month Service provided Cleaning rooms □ Shopping □ Bed making □ Other □ (please describe):……………………..

□first visit 2 or more times a week □ Category Questions Designed so that each respondent’s answer can fit only one category. Useful if you need to collect data about behaviour or attributes. E.g., How often do you visit this shopping centre? Interviewer: listen to the respondent’s answer and tick “ ⁄” as appropriate □first visit 2 or more times a week □ □once a week less than once a week to fortnightly □ □less than fortnightly to once a month less often □

Ranking Questions Ask the respondent to place things in rank order. You can discover the relative importance of variables to the respondent. E.g. Please number each of the factors listed below in order of importance to you in your choice of a new car. Number the most important 1, the next 2 and so on. If a factor has no importance at all, please leave blank. Factor importance Acceleration ( ) Boot size ( ) Safety features ( ) Price ( ) Other ………………………………. (please describe)

Rating and Scale Questions They are often used to collect opinion data. You ask the respondents how strongly they agree or disagree with a statement or with a series of statements E.g. For the following statement please tick “⁄” the box that matches you view most closely. I feel that employees’ views have influenced the decisions taken by management. Agree Tend to agree Tend to Disagree Disagree □ □ □ □

Quantity Questions What is your year of birth? □□□□ The responses to a quantity question is a number, which gives the amount of a characteristic. What is your year of birth? □□□□

Questionnaires Information required – translate the general topic of interest into specific research aims and then questions, break broad questions down into a detailed list of sub-areas. Target informants (research sample) Question content – An iterative process of dividing broad research questions, identify variables about which you will need to collect data, establish how you wish to measure. Question wording and format – Choose the right words and keep technical terminology and jargon to the minimum Length of the questionnaire – length affects the response rate – not more than thirty to forty questions Piloting the questionnaire

Finalising the format Start with instructions on the top (bold or italicised typeface) Group and sequence the questions into an appropriate order Consider ‘positioning bias’ - random listing Number the questions Demographic questions better at the end