CHAPTER 11
QUESTIONNAIRE AND FORM DESIGN
OPENING QUESTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What is the purpose of a questionnaire, and what are its objectives?
What is the process of designing a questionnaire, what steps are involved, and what are
the guidelines for each step?
How are observational forms designed to most effectively observe behavior?
What considerations are involved in designing questionnaires for international marketing
research?
How does technology interface with questionnaire design?
What ethical issues are involved in questionnaire design?
AUTHOR'S NOTES: CHAPTER FOCUS
This chapter provides a detailed discussion of questionnaire and form design. The
importance, objectives, and principles or guidelines for questionnaire design are described. The
issues involved in pretesting are covered. Attention is also devoted to the design of observation
forms.
The discussion of questionnaire design is much more extensive as compared to competing
texts. Several examples have been provided to illustrate the various issues involved in
questionnaire design. In addition, a focus on TQM, international marketing research, and
technology, ethics, and the Internet is placed at the end of this chapter.
This chapter could be taught by focusing on the opening questions sequentially. Greater
emphasis could be placed on the importance and objectives of a questionnaire (Opening Question
1), steps involved in questionnaire design (Opening Question 2), and the comparison between
questionnaires and observational forms (Opening Question 3). The Internet and relevant
software, such as the programs described in the book or any similar programs, could be
demonstrated in the class.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
1.
Overview
2.
Importance of Questionnaire
i. Questionnaire Definition
3.
Questionnaire Design Process
4.
Specify the Information Needed
5.
Specify Type of Interviewing Method
6.
Determine the Content of Individual Questions
i. Is the Question Necessary?
ii. Are Several Questions Needed Instead of One?
7.
Design the Question to Overcome the Respondent’s Inability to Answer
i. Can the Respondent Remember?
ii. Can the Respondent Articulate?
8.
Design the Questionnaire to Overcome the Respondent’s Unwillingness to Answer
i. Effort Required of the Respondents
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9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
25.
ii. Legitimate Purpose
iii. Sensitive Information
Decide on the Question Structure
i. Unstructured Questions
ii. Structured Questions
Determine the Question Wording
i. Define the Issue
ii. Use Simple Words
iii. Use Unambiguous Words
iv. Avoid Producing Leading or Biasing Questions
v. Balance Dual Statements
Arrange the Questions in Proper Order
i. Opening Questions
ii. Type of Information
iii. Difficult Questions
iv. Effect on Subsequent Questions
v. Logical Order
Choose the Form and Layout
Reproduction of the Questionnaire
Pretest the Questionnaire
Observational Forms
Summary Illustration Using the Opening Vignette
International Marketing Research
Technology and Marketing Research
Ethics in Marketing Research
Summary
Key Terms and Concepts
Acronyms
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
Opening Question 1
* Explain the importance of a well-constructed data collection instrument.
Mention that data collection flows from specifying the information needed, to identifying
the method of obtaining it, to determining scaling procedures. Once this is done, a data
collection instrument can be created. This usually is a questionnaire. It is vital that the
questionnaire be constructed so as to 1) capture the information needed and 2) be standardized so
that data are comparable across test sites and results can thus be generalized, and 3) maximize
the efficiency of tabulating and analyzing data.
* Describe the three major objectives of a questionnaire.
Note that these objectives should guide researchers as they construct a questionnaire and act
as guidelines for making judgment calls on specific aspects of questionnaire design. First, the
questionnaire must translate the information needed into a set of specific questions that the
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respondents can and will answer. Next, a questionnaire must uplift, motivate, and encourage the
respondent to become involved in the interviewing process, to cooperate, and to complete the
interview. Finally, a questionnaire should be designed to minimize response error.
Opening Question 2
* Review the steps involved in the questionnaire design process by explaining how each step
affects the design. It would be instructive to use an example to help explain these items.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Specify the information needed: translate the information needed into a set of specific
questions. Dummy tables are particularly helpful in guiding the design of individual
questions in the questionnaire. It is important to have a clear idea of the target
population.
Type of interviewing method: in personal interviews, lengthy, complex, but diverse types
of questions can be asked. In telephone interviews, the questions asked are short and
simple because the respondents do not get to see the questionnaire. In mail interviews,
the questions have to be simple and detailed instructions have to be provided because
there is no interaction with the interviewer.
Individual question content: for each item of information that is needed, the researcher
should ask whether that information is being adequately obtained by questions already
formulated. Also, the data generated by each question should be used to address the
information needed. Once it is determined that the question is needed, it is important to
make sure the question is sufficient to obtain the desired information. Sometimes several
questions are needed instead of one.
Overcoming inability to answer: there are several factors that limit the respondent’s
ability to provide the desired information:
a.
Is the respondent informed?: in situations where it might be suspected that not
all respondents are likely to be informed about the topics of interest, filter
questions measuring familiarity, product use and past experience should be
asked before asking questions on the topics.
b.
Can the respondents remember?: the ability to remember an event is
influenced by the event itself, the time elapsed since the event, and the
presence or absence of events that would assist in remembering.
c.
Can the respondent articulate?: respondents should be provided with aids to
help them articulate their responses. For example, providing a list of
descriptions or possible answers can assist the respondent in articulating.
Overcoming unwillingness to answer: the reasons for unwillingness to respond include:
too much effort being required; the situation or context may not be seen as appropriate for
disclosure; no legitimate purpose or need is seen for the information requested; and the
information is seen as sensitive.
Choosing question structure: questions can be either structured or unstructured.
Unstructured questions are open-ended questions in which the respondents have the
freedom to reply in their own words rather than being limited to the selection of one of
the response alternatives. These are best used as opening questions. Structured questions
prespecify the set of response alternatives and the response format. They improve
respondent cooperation and make administering and coding the survey easier.
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7.
Choosing question wording: the translation of the desired question content and structure
into words that can be clearly and easily understood by the respondents. The following
guidelines are used for framing questions:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Define the issue
Use ordinary words
Ambiguous words should be avoided
Avoid leading questions
Avoid implicit alternatives
Avoid implicit assumptions
Avoid generalizations and estimates
Use positive and negative statements
Using these guidelines, practice constructing questions with students. Some possible
topics include:
- brand attributes of Coke
- attributes of a local bank
- attitude toward imported automobiles
Order of the questions: the order in which the questions are presented is a crucial element
in questionnaire design because improper ordering of the questions can seriously bias the
responses. The opening questions should be interesting, simple, and nonthreatening so
that it will tap the interest of the respondents and get them involved in the interviewing
process. Questions that are difficult, sensitive, embarrassing, complex, or dull should be
placed later in the sequence only after rapport has been established.
Form and layout: it is good practice to divide a questionnaire into several parts, each part
dealing with a specific set of questions. Research has shown that questions at the top of
the page receive more attention than those placed at the bottom.
Reproduction of the questionnaire: the following guidelines are used:
a.
The questionnaire should have a professional appearance.
b.
If the questionnaire runs to several pages, it should be made into the form of a
booklet rather than a number of sheets of paper clipped or stapled together.
c.
The entire question should be reproduced on a single page.
d.
Vertical response category formats should be used for individual questions.
e.
The questions should not be overcrowded.
f.
Directions or instructions meant for the interviewer or the respondent for
individual questions should be placed as close to the question as possible.
g.
Color does not influence response rates to questionnaires. However, it can be
employed advantageously in branching questions.
h.
The questionnaire should be reproduced in such a way that it is easy to read
and answer.
i.
Several opportunities exist for improving the reproduction of an average
questionnaire in such a way as to obtain better quality data and simultaneously
reduce costs (e.g., by reducing printing costs).
Pretesting: pretesting refers to the testing of the questionnaire on a small sample of
respondents for the purpose of improving the questionnaire by identifying and eliminating
potential problems. In general, a questionnaire should not be used in the field survey
unless it has been adequately pretested.
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If possible, bring examples of different questionnaires to class to illustrate differences in
construction.
Figure 11.2 & Figure 11.3 offer means of structuring the discussion on questionnaire
design.
Opening Question 3
* Compare and contrast observational forms and questionnaires.
Similarities - Pre-planning necessary to obtain the information needed. Specification of
who, what, when where, why, and how of behavior is necessary.
Form, layout, and reproduction of forms should make it easy for recording data and later
tabulating and analyzing data. Adequate pretesting required.
Differences - Observational forms are easier to construct because the psychological impact
of the form of questions and the way they are asked is eliminated.
Opening Question 4
* Identify cultural influences on questionnaire design.
The questionnaire or research instrument should be adapted to the specific cultural
environment and should not be biased in terms of any one culture.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
It is important to take into account any differences in underlying consumer behavior,
decision-making processes, psychographics, lifestyles, and demographic variables.
In the context of demographic characteristics, information on marital status,
education, household size, occupation, income, and dwelling unit may have to be
specified differently for different countries, as these variables may not be directly
comparable across countries.
The questionnaire may have to be suitable for administration by more than one
method.
For ease of comprehension and translation, it is desirable to have two or more simple
questions rather than a single complex question.
In overcoming the inability to answer, the variability in the extent to which
respondents in different cultures are informed about the subject matter of the survey
should be taken into account.
The researcher must ensure that the questionnaires in different languages are
equivalent.
Pretesting of the questionnaire is complicated in international research, because the
linguistic equivalence must be pretested.
* Discuss the pros and cons of structured and unstructured questionnaires.
The use of unstructured or open-ended questions may be desirable if the researcher lacks
knowledge about the determinants of response in other countries. Unstructured questions also
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reduce cultural bias because they do not impose any response alternatives, however, unstructured
questions are more affected by differences in educational levels than structured questions. They
should be used with caution in countries with high illiteracy rates. When appropriately used,
unstructured questions can provide rich insights.
Opening Question 5
*
Discuss electronic questionnaire design.
Commercial software packages enable researchers to design and administer questionnaires
using microcomputers and mainframes. This eliminates the nightmare of index cards,
complicated skip routines, and tedious repetitive tasks involved in developing questionnaires by
hand. Electronic questionnaire design allows researchers to use any type of question format and
eliminates the data entry and verification tasks. Furthermore, the output is automatically
recorded and can be directly imported to most statistical packages for analysis.
Many questionnaire design packages are available, especially for microcomputers. One
of the well-known packages is Ci3. Another recent release, Surveyor, by Computers for
Marketing Corporation, can also create, test, and prepare questionnaires and pass the completed
questionnaires to compatible interviewing systems for field work. Surveyor can also create hard
copies for interviewing.
Opening Question 6
* Identify the ethical responsibilities researchers have to the respondents.
In consideration of the respondents, exceedingly long questionnaires should be avoided.
As a general guideline, the following are generally considered ‘overly long’: a personal in-home
interview over 60 minutes; a telephone interview over 30 minutes; a mall-intercept interview
over 30 minutes. Similarly, questions that are confusing, exceed the respondents’ ability,
difficult, or otherwise improperly worded, should be avoided. When asking sensitive questions,
researchers should attempt to minimize the discomfort of the respondents. It should be made
clear at the beginning of the questionnaire that respondents are not obligated to answer any
question that makes them uncomfortable.
* Discuss the ethical responsibilities researchers have to clients.
One researcher-client issue worth mentioning is piggybacking, which occurs when a
questionnaire contains questions pertaining to more than one client. One client’s questions take
up a part of the questionnaire, while a second client’s study takes up the rest. In these cases all
clients must be aware of and consent to the arrangement. Unfortunately, piggybacking is
sometimes used without disclosure to the clients for the sole purpose of increasing the
researcher’s profit. This is unethical.
Finally, the researcher has the ethical responsibility of designing the questionnaire so as to
obtain the required information in an unbiased manner. Also, the questionnaire should be
thoroughly pretested before field-work begins or an ethical breach has occurred.
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Internet Emphasis
* Discuss the use of the Internet and software packages in questionnaire design and
administration.
The questionnaire design process outlined in this chapter also applies to internet
questionnaires. Several firms, such as Decisive Technology (http://www.decisive.com/), supply
software and services for designing internet questionnaires. Internet questionnaires share many
of the features of CAPI questionnaires. The questionnaire can be designed using a wide variety
of stimuli such as graphics, pictures, advertisements, animations, sound clips, and full motion
video. As in the case of CATI and CAPI, complicated skip patterns can be programmed into the
questionnaire. The questions can be personalized and answers to previous questions can be
inserted into subsequent questions.
Many questionnaire design packages are available, especially for microcomputers. Some
of the well known packages are the Ci2 and Ci3 systems. Another recent release, Surveyor, by
Computers for Marketing Corporation, can also create, test, and prepare questionnaires and pass
the completed questionnaires to compatible interviewing systems for the field work. SurveyPro
by Apian Software of Menlo Park, Calif. brings ease-of-use and desktop publishing capabilities
to printed questionnaire design.
BE AN MR! AND BE A DM!
It should be noted that a variety of answers are appropriate. The ones given here are merely illustrative.
Be a DM!: Old Navy
 Conduct survey at stores to understand consumer perceptions about quality of brand.
 Make sure that survey sample is representative of consumer population.
 Understand the negative perceptions about the brand.
 Correct the negative perceptions through PR exercises or ads.
 Undertake measures to address the real quality concerns of the clients.
 Make significant improvements in actual products.
Be an MR!: Old Navy
Double barreled: Is Old Navy clothing is trendy as well as durable?
Reformed: Split into 2 unambiguous questions
Is Old Navy clothing trendy?
Is Old Navy clothing durable?
Be an MR!: Nordstrom
Factors that influence the atmosphere of a department store include: location, ambience, lighting,
scent, music, store layout, personnel, product quality and assortment, prices, advertising and
promotion, return policies, etc.
Department Store atmosphere:
1) Spacious store, designated person to greet you at the door, excellent customer service,
lots of customer service reps to help you around, warm atmosphere, isles clearly labeled
2) Spacious store, labeled isles, wide variety of options, no customer service reps anywhere
in the vicinity, impersonal service at counter
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3) Cramped store, small selection and variety, many items stock-out, non-responsive
employees, you are repenting your decision to visit the store
4) Cramped store, small selection and variety, isles not labeled or orderly, but warm
customer service, staff willing to help in any possible manner
Ideal store would be description 1.
Be a DM!: Nordstrom
 Friendly, inviting and comfortable atmosphere that would justify the premium prices
 Well trained and informed customer service reps in sufficient number
 Items well organized into sections
 Separate sections for men, women, kids, etc.
 Ensure “shopping experience”
Be a DM!: Estee Lauder

Promotions and free trials at stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom that sell the brand

Sponsoring and supporting public causes such as awareness about cancer

Sponsoring public events and associating with non-profits

Advertisements in fashion magazines

Celebrity endorsements
Be an MR!: Estee Lauder
1) Unstructured: How often do you generally use perfumes?
2) Multichotomous: How many times in a week do you use perfumes?
_____Once _____Twice _____Thrice _____Four Times
3) Dichotomous: Do you use perfume?
____Yes
____No
4) Scaling: How often do you generally use perfumes?
Very Infrequently 1 2
3
4
5 Very Frequently
Be a DM!: Fed Ex
 Special offers for small business owners
 Special customer service division to focus on their need
 On site collection facilities
 Attending trade shows attended by SBO’s
 Sponsoring SBO conferences
Be an MR!: Fed Ex
FedEx First Overnight provides early-morning delivery that allows customers to connect with
their customers before the start of the business day.
If FedEx were to introduce a new overnight delivery service for small businesses, how likely are
you to adopt it?
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Who:
What:
When:
Where:
Fed Ex
A new overnight delivery service for small businesses. Details of this service are not
provided.
Not specified when the new service will be introduced
Not specified.
Be an MR!: Sony
A logical order should be followed. The order in which information is obtained should
mirror the order of the underlying consumer behavior. Thus, information should be obtained in
the following order: perceptions, followed by preferences, and then purchase intentions.
 What is the market penetration?
 Which demographic group is a good target?
 What do people like in Sony?
 What are the areas of improvement?
 What properties are valued in the purchase decision?
 Which are the best channels for sale?
Be a DM!: Sony
The market strategies will largely depend on the information revealed by marketing research,
however, following are some of the obvious choices:
 Sony should bank on its brand image.
 Compete on quality and not price (in consistent with brand identity).
 Expand the pie by educating and converting more users from conventional to flat
panel TV.
Be a DM!: Neiman Marcus
 Focus on women given the nature of their products.
 Strategy should be to attract gift shoppers
 Decorate the shops to create Christmas atmosphere.
 Special Christmas catalogues
 Surprise gifts to shoppers
 Special promotions
 Targeted advertisements to affluent women (who are their prime target segment)
Be an MR!: Neiman Marcus
Information can be obtained from various sources such as
http://retailindustry.about.com/library/holiday/blholidayspending02.htm
Hidden cameras in the shops as well as in parking lots can be used to observe consumer
behavior.
The design of the observation form will depend on the specific objectives of the study, however,
it is important that students record observations and not ask questions.
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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Sprite
1. In order to target the college students we need information on the demographic,
psychographic, product consumption and media consumption profiles of this segment.
2. The students should be encouraged to search the Internet to obtain information identified
in (1).
3. Information obtained by the two interviewers without constructing a questionnaire is very
difficult to compare. However, information obtained by the two interviewers by
constructing a questionnaire is very comparable. Thus, a questionnaire is very important
if the researcher is to collect standardized data.
Meteor Motorcycle Company
[Note: Answers may vary. However, principles of logical flow, orderliness and plenty of space
to promote easy-reading of the survey page should be included by all.]
1 (a). How would you change this draft of the survey? Hints: Think about what was promised
in the proposal. Think also about question wording.
First, I added a greeting introduction briefly reiterating my objectives for the survey and
incentives to the reader. I would add questions inquiring about customer’s preference regarding
price and the longevity of their current motorcycle. There some were instances that I chose to
reword some of the sentence structure or to seek more elaboration from the respondents.
One of the alterations made to the brand survey was question four’s inquiry into the
customer’s preference regarding the brand names of a particular motorcycle or motorcycles. I
also added a skip pattern to the question for motorcycle users who use their vehicle exclusively
for all their traveling purposes. I also had to adjust the skip patterns after adding questions to the
survey.
The most glaring formatting change made to the document was the decision to move Part
II’s branding ranking question after question 18. My reasoning was that this question needed to
come after the generalized questions regarding customer’s motorcycle preferences and particular
usage characteristics. It is imperative to ask brand preference questions before inquiring about
Meteor motorcycles to eliminate any potential biases from the respondent’s point of view (which
could contaminate our data analysis later). I learned this tip after attending a conference with
Jerry Thomas.
I also thought it was important to inquire about zip code and respondent ID verification
within the first two questions for data coding purposes and to examine geographic distribution
from the sample of respondents. More importantly, it ensures that we receive this information
just in case respondents do not finish the survey in its entirety. In this revised A2 edition of the
General Customer Survey, I removed the CEO’s name from the question. Most companies want
to refrain from providing names of executives in most surveys. There was also an opportunity
for the heading “Part 5” to add “Last Section!” to give them reassurance that their diligence is
very much appreciated and that they are almost done with the survey. Finally, I decided to add a
question enabling users to provide comments about the survey they completed.
1 (b). Create an electronic copy of Meteor Survey A.doc entitled “Meteor Survey A2.doc. Make
your proposed revisions in this new document now.
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Please see survey on page 2.
2 (a) How would you make this draft of the survey appear more appealing to the respondent?
Hint: Think about spacing and “beautification” of the survey.
There were instances within the survey where I decided to add enter commands and
adjust the spacing of each question to ensure utmost readability to web users or those respondents
who decide to take the paper version.
2 (b) Make your proposed revisions in this new document Meteor Survey A2.doc now.
See survey below.
General Customer Survey A2
You have qualified for the “Good Stuff!” General Customer Survey! Your participation in this
study is very much appreciated. The Good Stuff” research team is conducting this web survey to
determine the brand perceptions of motorcycle customers in major business markets. You will
not receive any sales calls for products or services as a result of your participation in this survey.
The first part of this survey asks questions regarding frequency of purchase, perceived quality for
the price level and various brand perceptions. As token of our appreciation, your time and
dedication in filling out this survey we have included a two-dollar bill. In addition, all survey
participants will be entered in a raffle for leather Meteor Motor Cycle Jacket! Thanks again for
your support!
Part I
1. What is your response ID code? __________
2. What is the zip code of where you live? __________
3. How many motorcycles do you currently own? _____________
4. Please list the name brand(s) of the motorcycle(s) you currently own.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
5. How often do you replace or purchase a brand new motorcycle?
_____________________________________________
6. Besides your motorcycle, what other transportation vehicles do you own?
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o
o
o
o
o
Make
Make
Make
Make
Make
Model
Model
Model
Model
Model
Year
Year
Year
Year
Year
(If None Skip to Question 7)
7. In which season of the year do you ride your motorcycle most often?
o Spring
o Summer
o Fall
o Winter
o The entire year
o Other:
8. How often do you ride your motorcycle (in the season you ride the most)?
o Daily
o Once per week
o A few times per week
o A few times per month
o A few times per season
o A few times per year
9. How many miles have you put on your motorcycle? (Odometer Reading)
o ____________ (if you have more than one motorcycle, please enter the mileage of
the one you ride most often)
10. Where do you ride your motorcycle? Select all that apply
o Out cruising around
o To work
o Road trip
o To a bar or club
o To biking events / rallies
o To a friend’s place
o Out to eat
o To my local motorcycle dealer
o To run errands
o Other (specify):_______________________
11. At what age did you begin to ride motorcycles?
o Under 15 years old
o 16 – 20 years old
o 21 – 25 years old
o 26 – 30 years old
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o
o
o
o
31 – 35 years old
36 – 45 years old
46 – 55 years old
56 + years old
12. What is the typical price range you are looking for in a motorcycle purchase?
o 40,000-75,000
o 75,000-90,000
o Over 90,000
Part II
13. We would like you to go to each individual row and give ranks to the four brands based
on the degree the brands are characterized by the term listed at the far left of each row.
Fill in your rankings for each row on the grid below. For example, the top-ranked brand
should receive a “1”, while the next brand should receive a “2”, and so on. For each row,
all brands will be ranked on the characteristic listed at the far left. Each row should have
one complete set of numbers between 1 and 4.
Harley
Big
Comet
Davidson
Dog
Chopper
Imaginative
Cutting edge
Reliable
Intelligent
Successful
Honest
Daring
Spirited
Stable
Tough
Exclusive
Bold
Part III
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Meteor
14. Do you currently own a Meteor bike?
o YES (Please go to question 19)
o NO (Please go to question 15)
15. Have you owned a Meteor bike in the past?
o YES (Please go to question 16)
o NO (Please go to question 23)
16. Did you sell or trade it?
o YES, I sold it (Please go to question 17)
o YES, I traded it (Please go to question 19)
o NO (Please go to question 18)
17. What was the resale value of the bike?
o _________________ (Please go to question 19)
18. What happened to your Meteor bike then?
o
19. What is the model and year of your Meteor bike?
o Model:
o Year:
20. How did you first become aware of Meteor?
o In a magazine article
o Saw them at a motorcycle event
o On the local TV news
o Saw them on the road
o Saw them in a showroom at a dealer
o A friend or relative told me about them
o A friend or relative showed me the one he or she owns
o Other: ______________________________
21. Before purchasing your bike what other brands did you consider?
o Big Dog
o Harley Davidson
o BMW
o Orange County Chopper
o Other:_______________
22. How long do you intend to own your COMET CHOPPER bike?
o
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Part IV
These open-ended questions are particularly useful for us. Please elaborate in your answers.
23. If there was ONE word that could describe your COMET CHOPPER experience, what
would it be?
o ____________________________________________________________
24. What characteristics distinguish a COMET CHOPPER from other choppers? Please be
specific and elaborate if you are able.
o
25. Please rank your reasons for purchasing a COMET CHOPPER. One being the most
influential reason and six being the least influential reason.
o _____ STYLING
o _____ RIDING CHARACTERISTICS
o _____ PRICE FOR VALUE RECEIVED
o _____ IMAGE OF HIGH QUALITY
o _____ HORSEPOWER
o _____ WARRANTY OFFERED
26. Is there another reason that was not included in question 21 that was influential in your
decision to purchase your COMET CHOPPER?
o ____________________________________________________________
27. Have you personally done any customization on your motorcycle(s)?
o YES (Please go to question 28)
o NO (Please go to question 29)
28. Describe what kind of customization you have done on your motorcycle(s)?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
29. Have you encountered any mechanical difficulties with your COMET CHOPPER?
o YES (Please specify)

o NO
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30. Please consider the following hypothetical situation. The COMET CHOPPER brand is
going to be given an award. What award should it be? (Use your imagination. Possible
categories for the award might include “Best Purchase Experience,” “Best Riding
Experience,” “Best Attraction of the Opposite Sex,” “Best Warranty,” etc.). Please
EXPLAIN your category selection.
o
31. If you could tell Meteor ONE thing about your COMET CHOPPER experience, what
would it be and why?
o
32. How would you describe the COMET CHOPPER experience to a heavy – weight cruiser
motorcycle owner who is just beginning to take interest in a COMET CHOPPER?
o
Part V
33. Please list up to four motorcycle events you have attended in the last 12 months and
beside each one rate the event on your favorability.
Event
Dislike
1
2
3
Neutral
4
5
6
Like
7
1
2
3
4
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
It should be noted that a variety of answers are appropriate. The ones given here are merely illustrative.
The Marketing Research Decision
1.
A, B, C & E
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2.
Any double barreled and leading questions result in biased responses and should be
eliminated. The order of the questions should match the formation of underlying consumer
perceptions and preferences. The questionnaire can play an important role in understanding
consumer preferences. Delta can incorporate these preferences in their service to increase its
market share, however, delta might not be able to keep the attention of the customer on the
survey unless they reduce the length of the survey.
The Marketing Management Decision
1.
E
2.
The improvements should be based on survey results. However, all the services seem
relevant and could be improved.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
The importance of questionnaires and observation forms is that a standardized
questionnaire or form will ensure comparability of the data, will increase speed and
accuracy in recording and processing the data, and the analysis will be easier and faster.
The mode of administration can affect the questionnaire design by the type of questions
asked. In personal interviews, lengthy, complex, and diverse types of questions can be
asked. In telephone interviews, the questions asked are short and simple because the
respondents do not get to see the questionnaire. In mail and electronic interviews, the
questions have to be simple and detailed instructions have to be provided because there is
no interaction with the interviewer.
To determine whether a specific question should be included in a questionnaire the
researcher should ask whether that information is being adequately obtained by questions
already formulated. Also, it is important to determine whether or not the question is
relevant to the information needed. The question must be sufficient to get the desired
information.
A double-barreled question is a question where two or more questions are asked as one
question.
The reasons why respondents may be unable to answer the questions asked are that the
respondents are often asked information on issues about which they are not informed,
they may not remember the answer, or the respondent may be unable to articulate certain
kinds of responses. Sometimes the respondents are unwilling to respond. The reasons for
unwillingness to respond include: too much effort is required, the situation or context
may not be seen as appropriate for disclosure, no legitimate purpose or need is seen for
the information requested, and the information is seen as sensitive.
Unaided recall is where questions do not provide the respondent with any cues as to the
event, while the aided recall approach attempts to stimulate the respondent's memory by
providing cues related to the event of interest.
The reasons why respondents might be unwilling to answer specific questions include
that too much effort is required, the situation or context may not be seen as appropriate
for disclosure, no legitimate purpose or need is seen for the information requested, or the
information is seen as sensitive.
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8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
A researcher can give an explanation as to why particular data are needed in order to
make the request for the information seem legitimate, increasing the respondents’
willingness to answer.
Advantages of Unstructured Questions:
a. Good as first questions to a topic
b. They enable the respondents to express overall attitudes and general opinions, which
can be useful in interpreting the responses to structured questions.
c. Much less biasing influence on response
d. Useful in exploratory research
Disadvantages of Unstructured Questions:
a. Potential for interviewer bias is high
b. Coding of responses is costly and time consuming.
In designing multiple-choice questions, the number of response alternatives should be
collectively exhaustive in that they exhaust or include the set of all possible alternatives.
The general guideline is to list all alternatives that may be of any importance at all and
include an alternative labeled “Other (please specify)__________”. In the rare cases in
which none of the listed alternatives represent the appropriate response, respondents can
use the ”Other“ option and record their responses in the space provided. Also, the
response alternatives should be mutually exclusive. Overlap among alternatives should be
avoided. To control for order bias, several forms of the questionnaire should be prepared.
The order in which the alternatives are listed should be varied from form to form. It is
desirable that each alternative appears once in the extreme positions, once in the middle,
and once somewhere in between.
Some of the advantages of multiple-choice questions include a reduction in interviewer
bias. Such questions are faster to administer. Also, coding and processing of data is much
less costly and time consuming. In self-administered questionnaires, respondent
cooperation is improved if the majority of the questions are structured.
Some of the disadvantages of multiple-choice questions include the potential need for
exploratory research using open-ended questions to determine the appropriate response
alternatives. It is difficult to obtain information on alternatives not listed. Even if an
”Other (please specify)” category is included, there is a strong tendency for the
respondents to choose from among the listed alternatives. In addition, showing
respondents the list of possible answers has the potential of producing biased responses.
As already discussed, there is also the potential of order bias in multiple-choice questions.
The following guidelines are useful in deciding on question wording: (a) define the issue,
(b) use ordinary words, (c) ambiguous words should be avoided, (d) avoid leading
questions, (e) avoid implicit alternatives, (f) avoid implicit assumptions, (g) avoid
generalizations and estimates, and (h) use positive and negative statements.
A leading question is one that gives the respondent a clue as to what the answer should
be. These perceptions bias the results of the survey. An example of a leading question
would be the following: "Do you believe abortion should be illegal since it results in the
destruction of a human life?"
As a general guideline, basic information should be obtained first, followed by
classification, and finally identification information. The reason is that respondent
interest tends to decline from basic to classification to identification information. The
basic information is of greatest importance to the research project. Asking identification
information unduly sensitizes respondents to the fact their identity has been recorded.
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14.
15.
16.
This conscious awareness can influence their responses. Hence, it is best to obtain
identification information last.
Some guidelines for form and layout decisions include:
a. Questions at the top of the page receive more attention than when placed at the
bottom.
b. It is a good practice to divide a questionnaire into several parts, each part dealing
with a specific set of questions.
c. Questions in each part should be numbered-particularly when
branching questions are used.
d. Questionnaires should preferably be precoded.
e. Questionnaires should be numbered serially.
The issues involved in pretesting include:
a. Extensive examination of all aspects of the questionnaire.
b. Similarity in pretest and survey respondent populations.
c. Initial pretest done by a personal interview, followed by a pretest using the
interviewing mode to be actually used if that is different.
d. Selection of actual interviewers.
e. Sample size.
f. Protocol analysis and debriefing.
g. Editing and analysis.
The major decisions in designing observational forms include developing a form which
identifies the required information clearly, makes it easy for the field worker to record the
information accurately, and simplifies the coding, entry, and analysis of data.
APPLIED PROBLEMS
1.
A variety of questions may be formed. To be double-barreled, each question must
actually be asking two questions. To correct them, two separate questions should be
constructed for each double-barreled question. For example,
Incorrect:
Correct:
Do you think flying American Airlines is convenient and economical?
Do you think flying American Airlines is convenient?
Do you think flying American Airlines is economical?
Incorrect:
Correct:
Do you fly American more often than Delta or United?
Do you fly American more often than Delta?
Do you fly American more often than United?
Incorrect:
Correct:
2.
3.
Do you like airports and flying?
Do you like airports?
Do you like flying?
Some ambiguous words include:
usually, normally, frequently, often, regularly, occasionally, sometimes, seldom, a lot and
many. Other ambiguous words exist which may be listed.
a.
This question fails to clearly define the who, what, where, and when aspects of the
issue.
Who - you or your household?
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What - what if more than one brand is the favorite?
Where - at home?
When - currently, last month, last year?
b. This question fails to clearly define the who, what, and when aspects of the issue.
Who - you or your family?
What - what is considered a vacation?
When - in a year, 5 years, half a year?
c. This question fails to clearly define the who, where, and when aspects of the issue.
Who - you or your family?
Where - at home, at work, at a friend’s house?
When - every day, every week, every month?
Open ended question:
What hobbies or activities do you engage in at home?
Multiple Choice:
Which of the following activities do you consider to be your hobbies?
A. Gardening
_________
B. Home repairs
_________
C. Athletics
_________
D. Painting
_________
E. Reading
_________
F. Other (Specify)
__________________________________
Dichotomous:
Do you engage in gardening at home?
4.
Yes _________
The most appropriate structure in this case is the dichotomous question because the goal
of the question is to simply calculate a percentage of the sample.
Many questions containing generalizations or estimates can be created. Each of them
would have as its basic flaw a requirement on the respondent to make calculations or
estimates in his/her own mind rather than specifying the information precisely or offering
categories in which to place a response. Some examples of poorly phrased questions are
given below:
How many gallons of gas does your family purchase each month?
5.
6.
No __________
-
Over the past five years, what has been the average number of hours your television
has been in use each day?
-
How much vitamin C do you consume per week?
-
In the next two years, how much Coca-Cola do you plan to drink?
-
How much milk do you use for cooking purposes each year?
The respondent may not have an impression of AT&T's calling card. A filter
question should appear first.
To overcome unwillingness to answer, a brief introduction to the survey explaining
the purpose should be offered.
a.
b.
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c.
7.
8.
9.
Question 6 uses vague anchors. These words can be interpreted differently by
different people. A better question format is a multiple choice question with ranges
serving the options.
d. Question 6, as worded, assumes the respondent uses a calling card.
e. The order of the questions is poor. The demographic questions should appear at the
end of the survey since they may be sensitive to the respondent.
f. Question 9 should appear before Questions 7 and 8 because it is more general. Also,
question 8 should appear before 7.
g. The form of the questionnaire is too compressed. More room is needed to allow for
writing in answers, especially on question 7.
h. Vertical response categories should be used on Question 5.
The following guidelines are suggested.
a. Part A should measure respondents’ familiarity and usage of personal computers, as
well as familiarity with the four computer firms. Familiarity and usage of the
Internet should also be measured.
b. Part B should obtain a rating of four computer firms on the image attributes, using
semantic differential scales. The image attributes can be identified by visiting the
web sites of these firms. Some of the attributes are: reliability, performance, ease of
use, ease of networking, price, and computer support services. This part should also
obtain preference rankings for the PCs of the four firms.
c. Part C should obtain standard demographic information.
The questionnaire should be both created and administered with the microcomputer. Ask
students for their impressions on working with computers. How did their respondents
like using a computer to complete a questionnaire?
The questionnaires should be evaluated using the guidelines given in Table 11.1
GROUP DISCUSSIONS
1.
While it is true that questionnaire design is more of an art than a science, abandoning the
process to the creativity of the researcher is unwise. Consumer researchers and
psychologists have uncovered principles by which we can improve the information gained
from surveying. Knowledge of these principles and theories helps us to construct
questionnaires to gain the maximal amount of information, but they do not spell out every
issue.
2.
Questionnaire design will affect the error levels of research. Considering the different
types of response errors, the questionnaire design could affect misrecording of answers,
hesitancy to answer questions because they are in the wrong order, inappropriate
quantitative data because of the application of unsuitable scales, and misinterpretation of
the question being asked because of poorly phrased questions. Thus, these errors include
the measurement error, questioning error, recording error, inability error, and
unwillingness error (see Chapter 3, Figure 3.2).
3.
Form and layout are important because the questionnaire is more than a collection of
isolated questions. Rather, previous items will affect answers to later items by cueing
certain information. In addition, some sensitive questions may not be answered and can
cause respondents to terminate the interview, thus these should be at the end of the
questionnaire. A neat form will also lead to better encoding and decoding of information,
thus minimizing response error.
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