Questionnaires You will learn: How to structure questionnaires and what information can be simply taken from themHow to structure questionnaires and what information can be simply taken from them

What is a questionnaire? 1.Pre-arranged questions to obtain information from people about themselves and their views 2.Ideal ways of collecting data about: -Sociological characteristics (age/gender/occupation) -Spatial patterns (origin of visitors/travel pathways/working day) -Behaviour patterns (shopping/preferences) 3.Also great to find information about how local/regional/national issues affect people

Limitations Questionnaire Fatigue –Fed with or not interested in answering questions Validity –Research suggests people are “economical with the truth” –They often respond with an answer that “sounds good” Time –Can be time consuming to ask / gain returns –Data collation is a time consuming process

How do I get the data I want / need? Different types of questions –Closed Respondent chooses from a list of possible answers Tick box or opinion ranked e.g.(1-10 or Very Poor – Very Good) –Open Interview Style Longer answers No forced choices through pre-determined categories

How many? –The more = the better –Minimum of 50 maximum of 100 is about right –Commercial Studies use a 10% sample of the population using systematic / stratified or random sampling to select

Types of Questionnaire 2 Types –Drop & collect / Delivery & collection Deliver or post questionnaire with a covering letter Collected or posted back by a certain date Limitations: low return rate max 25% usually more like 5-10% –Face to Face Interview style questionnaires usually carried out in street / local neighbourhood or on doorstep

How to do it? Design –Make sure questionnaire is the best method of data collection –Decide what you need to know –Decide on Question type –Sort questions into a logical and sensible order –Determine how you will record responses –Consider layout and design – 1 side A4

How to do it? Delivery –Where are you going to conduct questionnaire? –Face to face or drop and collect? –Sampling strategy? –Sample size?

Past paper Practice MJ 08 p4 Q2 Students investigated the impact of tourists on the settlement of Pescasseroli in the Abruzzi National Park in central Italy. The hypothesis for the investigation was ‘the tourists who visit the National Park have a positive impact on the settlement of Pescasseroli’.

Pescasseroli is a settlement of inhabitants. It is located on a wide plain surrounded by mountains, in the heart of the Abruzzi National Park. Activities in winter include downhill skiing and cross country skiing. In the summer there are ample opportunities for a variety of trekking and outdoor activities. There are six hotels in the settlement and 11 restaurants for visitors and residents to use.

Task a)Draw a pie chart to show the different methods of transport used by tourists to reach the national park b)Describe the pattern shown by your pie chart AND give one reason why this pattern is present NB 100% = 360° 1% = 3.6°

Task c)Complete the pictograph to represent tourists opinions about parking T 1 ii d)Draw a bar graph using the results of Question T4 to show the main reasons why visitors come to the Abruzzi National Park

Task e)Study the results of the questionnaire for tourists, together with the results of the questionnaire for residents. Write a conclusion to this investigation, ensuring that you state whether you agree with the original hypothesis, that ‘the tourists who visit the National Park have a positive impact on the settlement of Pescasseroli’. You must refer to data results from both questionnaires to support your comments. [6 marks]