1. Designing and Analyzing Questionnaires
Dr. Gene
Education Institute

2. Purpose of Questionnaires
Questionnaires are the most common data collection methods used in research. They can be used to assess:
Attitudes
Opinions
Interests
Values

3. Advantages and Disadvantages
Can assess a large group quickly
Easy to analyze if constructed correctly
Disadvantages
Requires “good” language skills
Some people give answers they think you want
Not very good for getting in-depth information

4. Types of Questionnaires
Structured
Respondents select a response from those given
Unstructured
Respondents create a response
Combination
Contains structured and unstructured items

5. Sample Structured Questionnaire
Why did you choose teaching as a career? Tick each reason that applies to you.
___ I like working with children.
___ The pay is better than most jobs.
___ I can help my country and society.
___ It is a safe profession for women.

6. Sample Unstructured Questionnaire
Why did you choose teaching as a career? In the space below give the reasons why you chose to become a teacher.

7. Types of Questions Closed questions Open questions
Choices are provided to the respondents
Open questions
Respondents must create responses
Demographic questions
Questions about the characteristics of the respondents

8. Types of Closed Questions
Dichotomous Questions (2 choices)
Yes/No
Agree/Disagree
Do you think a paper recycling program should be started in your school?
Yes No

9. Types of Closed Questions
Multiple-choice Questions
Give respondents options
May ask for single or multiple answers
Example:
How did you hear about our Website?
___ Newspaper
___ Magazine
___ Radio
___ Internet
___ Other: Please specify __________

10. Types of Closed Questions
Rank Order Questions
Respondents place things in order
Example:
Which activities do you like to do in your spare time? Place a “1” next to the activity that you like to do most, a “2” by the next favorite, and so on to the least favorite.
___ Watch TV
___ Read
___ Visit friends
___ Surf the Internet
___ Shop

11. Types of Closed Questions
Rating Scale (Semantic Differential)
Also called a “Likert Scale”
Give a statement; choose your response along a scale
Example:
My students are motivated to learn.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Not Sure
Agree
Strongly

12. Open Questions Used to explore topics in-depth
Gives people a chance to respond in detail
They are time-consuming to summarize and analyze

13. Types of Open Questions
Open-ended Questions
Example:
What changes would you like to see in our science class?
Stem Plus Questions
Some things I would like to see change in our science class are _________________

14. Demographic Questions
Demographic questions may ask about personal characteristics such as --
age
grade
ethnicity
gender
home characteristics

15. Types of Scales 2-level (yes/no; agree/disagree)
3-level (yes/no/not sure)
5-level (Likert scale – Strongly Agree, Agree, Undecided, Disagree, Strongly Disagree)
Larger scales are difficult to analyze

16. Neither Agree or Disagree
Effects of Scales
The police need to do a better job of enforcing traffic laws.
Disagree
Agree
10%
90%
Disagree
Agree
10%
90%
2-level
2-level
Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree
Agree 2%
28%
70%
3-level

17. Effects of Scales
The police need to do a better job of enforcing traffic laws.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree 1%
28%
63% 7%
5-level

18. Problems to Avoid in Writing Questions
Leading Questions (Loaded Questions or Biased Questions)
Examples:
Don’t you agree that discipline is a major problem in this school?
Do you believe it is all right to spank young children despite the SEC recommendations not to do so?

19. Problems to Avoid in Writing Questions
Double-Barreled Questions (asking two things in one question)
Examples:
Did this class increase your interest in science and motivate you to study hard?
Do you agree that pay is low for teachers and that the government should be working hard to increase it?

20. Problems to Avoid in Writing Questions
Unclear or ambiguous questions
Examples:
What do you think about school?
What role should the principal play in educating students?

21. Problems to Avoid in Writing Questions
Halo Effect (questions that link a position to a particular person or group)
Examples:
Do you agree with the Emir that research should be one of the top priorities of Qatar?
Qatar Petroleum wants the Independent Schools to do a better job of teaching science so that students are prepared for the workplace. Would you agree?

22. Problems to Avoid in Writing Questions
Invasive questions about personal information
Examples:
Do you ever argue with your parents?
What are the major problems in your home?

23. Tips for Creating Good Questionnaires
Know your audience
Make sure that the length, content, and wording matches the intended audience
Keep questions clear and concise
Avoid technical wording

24. Tips for Creating Good Questionnaires
Be certain of your goals
Before you start writing questions, be clear in your own mind what you want to find out

25. Tips for Creating Good Questionnaires
Make the directions and format clear and easy to follow
Put your directions and demographic questions at the beginning of the questionnaire.
If possible, read and explain the directions orally

26. Tips for Creating Good Questionnaires
Try the questionnaire out before you use it
Find a similar group that is not in your study.
Ask them to read the questionnaire and tell you if something is not clear.
Revise your questions based on the information you get from your tryouts.

27. Tips for Creating Good Questionnaires
Don’t ask too many questions
Keep your questionnaire short and to the point
People get tired and lose interest on long questionnaires so the responses you get toward the end may not be valid.

28. Ways to Deliver Questionnaires
Paper-pencil/face-to-face
Mail or take home
Telephone
Online delivery and analysis

29. Ways to Analyze The Results of a Structure Questionnaire
Summarize the percentages for each question
Students should be required to wear uniforms to school.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
10%
20%
40%

30. Ways to Analyze The Results of a Structure Questionnaire
Calculate the mean (average) for each item.
Students should be required to wear uniforms to school.
Strongly Disagree
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Undecided
(3)
Agree
(4)
Strongly Agree
(5) 10 20 40

31. Ways to Analyze The Results of a Structured Questionnaire
Calculate the mean (average) for each item.
20 x 5 = / 100 = 3.4
40 x 4 = 160
10 x 3 = 30
20 x 2 = 20
10 x 1 = 10
340
Strongly Strongly
Diagree Disagree
3.4

32. Ways to Analyze The Results of an Unstructured Questionnaire
Summarize the comments
Look for patterns or themes that run through the comments
Give percentages for major themes