1. Questionnaire Development
Khim Narith
Freelance Consultant
M&E Specialist

2. Outlines
Introduction to Questionnaire
Understanding Your Objectives
Sources of Information
Data Collection Techniques
Determining the Content of Individual Question
Designing the Question to Overcome the Respondent's Inability to Answer

3. Outlines
Designing the Question to Overcome the Respondent's Unwillingness to Answer
Selecting the Question Structures
Determining the Question Wording
Arranging the Questions in Proper Oder
Choosing the Form and Layout
Pretesting the Questionnaire

4. What Is Questionnaire?
A set of printed or written questions with a choice of answers, devised for the purposes of a survey or statistical study

5. What Is Questionnaire?

6. Understanding Your Objectives
What are the objectives of your questionnaire?
What does the organization really want to know from those objectives?
What do you want to know to help you better analyze and write the report?

7. Sources of Information
From whom do you want to gather the information?
Consider the followings
Age
Language
Technology
Location
Education
Attitudes and beliefs
The questionnaire should be designed based on type of informant.

8. Data Collection Techniques
Focus Group Discussion
In-Depth Interview

9. Data Collection Techniques
Experiment
Observation
At Field
At Lab

10. Designing Questionnaire Based on a Data Collection Technique
Phone Interview:
I will read to you the names of some telecom companies in Cambodia. Please rate them in terms of your preference. Use a five-point scale, where 1 denotes not so preferred and 5 denotes greatly preferred. (READ ONE AT A TIME)
COMPANY
Not So Preferred
Greatly Preferred 1 2 3 4 5
1. Metfone
2. Mfone
3. Hello
4.Mobitel
5.Smart
6. Beeline
7.StarCell

11. Designing Questionnaire Based on a Data Collection Technique
Face to Face Interview:
(HAND TELECOM BRAND CARDS TO THE RESPONDENT.) Here is a set of telecom company names in Cambodia, each written in a separate card. Please examine the card carefully (GIVE RESPONDENT TIME) Now please examine these cards again and pull out the card that has the name of the company you like the most. (RECORD THE CARD NAME AND KEEP THIS CARD WITH YOU). Now, please examine the remaining six cards. Of these remaining six names, what is your most preferred company? (REPEAT THIS PROCEDURE SEQUENTIALLY UNTIL THE RESPONDENT HAS ONLY ONE CARD LEFT)
CARD RANK
COMPANY NAME
1st . …………………………………………….
………………………………………
2nd . …………………………………………….
3rd . …………………………………………….
4th . …………………………………………….
5th . …………………………………………….
6th . …………………………………………….
7th . …………………………………………….

12. Determining the Content of Individual Question
Is the Question Necessary?
Some information is nice to know but not necessary
Are Several Questions Needed Instead of One?
In some cases, two questions are better than one.
But not asking two questions in one
EX.
Do you think Metfone offers better variety and rates than Mobitel? (INCORRECT)
Do you think Metfone offers better rates than Mobitel?
Do you think Metfone offers better variety than Mobitel?
(CORRECT)

13. Is the Respondent Informed?
Designing the Question to Overcome the Respondent's Inability to Answer
Is the Respondent Informed?
Husband may not be informed about monthly expenses
Children might not be informed about family income
Can the Respondent Remember?
What telecom advertisings did see last night on CTN? (NOT RECOMMENDED)
Which of these telecom companies were advertised last night on CTN (RECOMMENDED)
Can the Respondent Answer Clearly?
Respondents may be unable to answer certain types of questions precisely. Ex. How did you feel when you heard that your name was selected as $10000 winner from Mobitel?
Visual aids (picture, diagrams, maps) and verbal descriptions should be provided

14. Designing the Question to Overcome the Respondent's Unwillingness to Answer
Effort Required of the Respondent – design it to make participant pay less effort to answer
Ex..
Please list all the merchandises which you purchased on your most recent shopping trip to a department store. (Incorrect)
In the list that follows, which of merchandises did you purchase on your most recent shopping trip to a department store (Correct)
1. Women’s Dresses
No Yes
2. Men’s Apparel
3. Children’s Apparel
4. Cosmetics
5. Jewelry
6. Other (please specify)

15. Designing the Question to Overcome the Respondent's Unwillingness to Answer
Sensitive Information – included money, family life, political and religious beliefs, and involvement in accidents or crimes.
Ex. What is your household’s exact annual income? (incorrect)
(Correction) Which one of the following categories best describes your household’s annual income?
1. Under $ $ $5000
3. $ $ Over $7500

16. Choosing Question Structure
Specify the set of responses as well as their format. It refers to multiple choice, two options, or a scale.
1- Multiple-Choice Questions: Provides a choice of answers, respondent is asked to select one or more of the given alternatives.
Ex. Which of the following organizations are working in Education Sector?
1. BBC Media Action Save the Children
3. MSIC VSO
5. VVOB CCC

17. Choosing Question Structure
2- Two-Option Questions: Provides with only two response alternatives such as yes and no, male and female.
Ex. Do you intend to use our new product?
1. Yes No
3- Scale Questions: Provides a scale of alternatives to the respondent to select.
Ex. How much do you like our new product? Scaling from 0 to 10. where 0 denotes not so like and 10 denotes greatly like.

18. Determining the Question Wording
1. Define the Issue – Questions should always define clearly.
Ex. Which brand of toothpaste do you use? (Not clear)
WHO – The Respondent (It is not clear whether this question related to the individual respondent or the respondent’s total household)
WHAT– The Brand of Toothpaste (It is not clear how the respondent is to answer this question if more than one brand is used)
WHEN – Unclear (The time frame is not specified in this question. The respondent could interpret it as meaning the toothpaste used this morning, this week, or over the past year)
WHERE – Not Specified (At home, at the gym, on the road)
(Correction) Which brand or brands of toothpaste have you personally used at home during the past month? In case of more than one brand, please list all the brands that apply.

19. Determining the Question Wording
2- Use Simple Words --- Avoid using technical word as possible
Ex. Is the distribution of Angkor Beer adequate? (Incorrect- some people might not know the word “Adequate”)
(Correction) – Is Angkor Beer readily available when you want to buy it?
3- Use Unambiguous Words --- Select any word that has only one meaning. Ambiguous words included “Usually, normally, often, regularly, occasionally, and sometimes.
Ex. In a typical month, how often do you make call to your family?
1. Never Occasionally 3. Sometimes Often 5. Regularly
1. Less than once or 2 times or 4 times 4. More than 4 times

20. Determining the Question Wording
4- Avoid Producing Leading or Biasing Questions – Giving a clue for respondent to answer
Ex. Do you think that America should provide financial aid to poor foreign countries when it is not our responsibility to do so?
1. Yes 0. No 99. Don’t Know
Is Hello your favorite telecom company?
1. Yes 0. No 99. Don’t Know
Do you think that America should provide financial aid to poor foreign countries?
1. Yes 0. No 99. Don’t Know
What is your favorite telecom company?
1. Mobitel 2. Hello 3. Metfone
4. Other…………….

21. Arranging the Questions in Proper Oder
Should start with general questions
Ex. Angkor Beer Company designed a questionnaire to determine its consumers’ motivations for buying the products. Here is the order of its questionnaire
1. Awareness of the company (Angkor Beer)
2. Perceptions of the company
3. Communication with company
4. Consumption experiences
5. Demographic information

22. Choosing the Form and Layout
The format, spacing, and positioning can have a significant effect on the result.
Thus, make sure the format is simple and easy to understand
Q1. Does your household currently own a TV?
0- No 1- Yes (IF YES, GO TO Q2, IF NO GO TO Qx)
Q2. Is it a black and white or color one?
1- Black and White 2- Color
Q3. How often do you watch it per week?
1. Less than once or 2 times or 4 times 4. More than 4 times

23. Pretesting the Questionnaire
Pretesting refers to testing the questionnaire on a small sample of respondents
Usually 15 to 30 participants are recommended
It should be conducted with a similar group
It should be done by personal interviews even the actual survey is to be conducted by telephone