1. A note on questionnaire design and adminstration
Dr D.K. Nyahunzvi
Midlands State University
2012

2. Questionnaire design Need to be well-thought out
Influences response rate and quality of data collected
Test the questionnaire’s validity first
Make questionnaire acceptable to target population
Decide on mode of adminstration

3. People respond favourably to issues that are relevant to them
Refer back to your objectives
Questions must be directly related to the research question
Others add to the flow of the questioning

4. Wording of the questions has a direct bearing on responses given
Stick to the 3s: short, simple and specific questions
More difficult questions are problematic
Pay particular attention to the wording f the question
wil either produce an inaccurate response or more likely the respondent wil give up and fail to complete the questionnaire

5. Avoid assumptions in your questions Time memory bias
Can use software packages to calculate the readability of your questions
Avoid assumptions in your questions
Time memory bias
Instead break into do you visit the dent. For check ups. If yes. How often do you go for chekp.
If unavoidable use time-scales eg 6-12 months or put it in some context whe elections happeneed
e.g How often do you visit a dentist
people find it difficult to recall esp. more than 6months

6. Take note of order of questions
Studies have shown better response rates
If general precedes specific (sensitive) questions
Decide on either open/closed or a mixture

7. Design Layout Should facilitate data coding and analysis
Capture attention
Make people interested in completing the questionnaire
Avoid cramming too many questions on a page

8. Divide into sections for readability
Print on good quality paper to grab attention
Instructions should be at the beginning
and not throuthout to enable easy navigation

9. Pre-pilot testing
Increases confidence about the specificity of your questions
Test layout to ensure people can navigate easily
Testing is usually overlooked in the researcher’s eagerness to start collecting the data
that your questions are unambiguous, appropriate and acceptable

10. Test the validity Test replicability Test acceptability
does it measure what it purports to
replicability-the reproducibility and consistency of an instrument Face and factual validity and criterion validity; face validity-after the interview to find out if the rresp. Has given his real opininions
Test ? On 2 separate times-use Kappa for caytegorical data and Spearma Correlation Coefficient for continuous dtaa
Internal consistency of ?=ask the ? More than one way=see responses
Ask how did you fid the ?

11. Editing
To identify and eliminate errors made by respondents e.g. clerical
Check data for completeness-is there any answer for every question
Cross check missing answers from other sections of the survey/
Contact respondents again

12. Check accuracy of responses-could be respondents were careless
If these errors are not picked up in the editing process; reduces validity
Check for uniformity-respondents followed instructions and questions uniformly

13. Coding/data reduction
Is the process of converting data into meaningful categories to facilitate analysis
Preferable to build your coding scheme into your questions
Discuss the coding scheme with supervisor/statistics person
Use software packages
to facilitate entering data directly from your questionnaire

14. Data cleaning Once data is in database, it must be cleaned
Identifying inconsistencies and outliers
Is a laborious process, there is a strong temptation to leave this stage
Cleaning removes data entry errors
Simple cross tabulations can be used to indentify nonsensical responses

15. Data Analysis
Refer back to your objectives to keep your analysis focused
Many types of analysis:
Descriptive-describe the distribution and range of responses to each variable
Also involves examining data for skewness

16. Bivariate analysis
use simple cross-tabs. to identify tends and possible associations between 2 variables
Multivariate analysis/regression analysis techs.
to test the effect of one variable on an outcome whilst controlling the other

17. Hints on maximising returns
Postal questionnaires
Include stamped addressed envelope
Use multiple reminders to request returns
Stress importance of the benefits to the target group e.g. minority that is struggling to be heard
Provide interim data from returns to non-returns to keep them engaged in the research

18. Follow-up in a personalised way or phone call
Tailor follow-up requests to individuals
Indicates there are personally known and are important to the research
Avoid blanket generalised letters

19. Address features of the questions
ease of completion,
sensitivity of questions,
time to spend answering
length of questionnaire

20. Understand the nature of sample for effective targeting strategies
Adequate pilot testing
Sending subjects information in advance about the study
Ask subjects prior to sending if they wish to participate