Chapter - 4
PREPARATION OF
QUESTIONNAIRES
Dr. BALAMURUGAN MUTHURAMAN
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QUESTIONNAIRES
List of a research or survey questions asked to
respondents, and designed to extract specific
information.
A tool for collecting information to
describe, compare, or explain an event or
situation, as well as, knowledge, attitudes,
behaviors,
and/or
socio
demographic
characteristics on a particular target group.
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PURPOSES OF
QUESTIONNAIRES
(1) Collect The Appropriate Data.
(2) Make Data Comparable and Amenable to
Analysis.
(3) Minimize Bias in Formulating and Asking
Question.
(4) To Make Questions Engaging and Varied.
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QUESTIONNAIRE GENERAL
FORMAT
Self-administered (by
personal contact)
In person (face-to-face)
Telephone interviews
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mail
or
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QUESTIONS CONTEXT
• Identify the questionnaire’s specific
purpose(s)
• Clarify the terms used to state the
questionnaire’s purpose(s)
• Be sure to have the specific objectives
of the questionnaire
• Know the respondents
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QUESTIONS CONTEXT
• Standardize the interviewer
• Standardize the response format
• Ask questions in a social, cultural,
and economic context
• Keep confidentiality and voluntary
participation
• Include a letter of introduction or
presentation
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Steps in preparation of questionnaires
• Define the topics with details of information
needed to answer research question
• Prepare a list of variables
• Think ahead about analyzing the information
and statistics to be used.
• Prepare first draft
• Revise. Change technical terms. Use short
sentences.
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• Pre-test to find out how respondents
understand the questions
• Further sorting out of words and phrases.
• If possible, do a large pre-test.
• Administer the questionnaire
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QUESTIONS FORMAT
• Open questions - Questions in
which the respondent answers in
his own words and more
information but difficult to codify,
enter, and analyze
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QUESTIONS FORMAT
• Closed questions (or Fixed Alternative) - less
information but easy to codify, enter, and analyze
Question in which respondent selects one or more
options from pre-determined set of responses
– Simple  Closed ended question with only two response
alternatives
– Multiple Choice  Closed ended question with more than
two response alternatives
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MEASURING ATTITUDE
There are two possible formats:
The Likert Type ( 7- points format): Strongly
agree; agree; undecided; disagree; strongly
disagree.
Forced Choice (4 - points format): Strongly
agree; agree; disagree; strongly disagree.
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DIFFICULTY TO AVOID
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Long complex questions
Double-barreled questions
Leading questions
Double negatives
Terminology or abbreviations
Words with double meanings
Emotionally unfair questions
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ADMINISTERING THE QUESTIONNAIRE
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Objective is to gather information without error or bias
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Have standardized interview procedure from one subject
to another
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Probing procedure should be uniform
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Interviewers should have prior training for a uniform
approach
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Gestures and body language should be given particular
attention
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QUESTIONNAIRE LAYOUT
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Keep questionnaire short if possible, but not too short that
you sacrifice needed information
Do not over crowd questionnaire
Provide decent margin space
Use multiple- grid layout for questions with similar responses
Use good quality print paper.
Use booklet form if possible
Carefully craft the questionnaire title:
1. Captures respondent’s interest.
2. Shows importance of the study.
3. Shows interesting nature of the study.
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