Types of Questionnaire
Questionnaire
Studies Classified by Structure & Disguise
Three
bases of classifying questionnaire are
1.
The degree to which questions are formalized
2.
The disguise or lack of disguise of the objectives of questionnaire.
3.
The communication method used.
A structured questionnaire is a survey tool that uses a
standardized set of questions with predefined answers or answer options. These
questions are asked in a specific order, ensuring consistency and ease of
analysis. This type of questionnaire is often used for quantitative research
and aims to collect quantifiable data.
EXAMPLE:
multiple-choice questions, Likert scales, dichotomous questions (yes/no).
An unstructured questionnaire is a type of survey or interview
instrument that uses open-ended questions, allowing respondents to provide
detailed, free-form answers without being limited by predefined response
options. This approach is primarily used to gather qualitative data, exploring
opinions, experiences, and perspectives in depth.
EXAMPLE:
Describe your experience using our product."
A
disguised questionnaire is one where
the true purpose of the survey is concealed from the respondent, either through
the wording of questions or the overall structure of the questionnaire. This is
done to encourage more honest and unbiased responses, especially when dealing
with sensitive topics or when respondents might be reluctant to answer
directly.
A
"non-disguised questionnaire"
is one where the purpose of the questions and the study are openly and directly
stated, rather than being hidden or disguised.
• Using the first two bases of
classifications four types of studies can be distinguished.
Structured, Non disguised
Questioning
-The
information is reliable.
-Can
be handled by telephone, mail or personal interview
Limitations:
inability
to furnish information,
unwillingness
to furnish it,
may
stimulate incorrect or misleading answers.
Non structured, Non disguised
Questioning
•
Many individuals may not report motives that might be considered base or
socially unacceptable. (Mercedes may he bought to make neighbours envious but
may the slated lo be economical in the long run.)
•
Develop depth interview - interviewer attempts to get respondents to talk
freely.
-Probing
to seek more information.
-Interviewer
can adjust questions -
Limitations:
Take
longer time,
Too
much reliance on the judgement of interviewer,
Difficult
to compare results,
Difficult
to interpret.
-Non Structured, Disguised
Questioning
Many
people are either unwilling or unable to give accurate reports.
Disguised
methods are designed so that respondents do not know the objective of study.
Projective Techniques are methods using the theory of
projection. The technique is that all individuals, in describing a situation
gives a mixture of their own attitudes, beliefs, feelings & motivations.
Projective
techniques may be: word association, sentence completion, storytelling.
Advantage:
ability to uncover subconscious and socially unacceptable attitudes &
motives.
Disadvantage:
Cost, time and securing competent field workers.
Structured Disguised Questioning
Which
of the following eat hot cereals: farmers, movie actors, doctors?
Respondents
said doctors eat a lot of it and movie actors very little of it.
The
answer shows that for respondents hot cereal is healthy but not glamorous.
Questionnaire
Studies classified by Methods of Communication
Telephone:
Mail:
Personal
interview at Shopping Center
Personal
interview at home
Questionnaire
Construction Procedure
1 Determine which information in wanted
Questionnaire serves two purposes - translate research
objectives to questions and motivate respondents to answer them.
A specific statement of the information needed must be made.
For eg. for soap -(which age group, sex, income group.
Geographical area, city size)
2 Determine the Type of Questionnaire to use
Questionnaire can be used by personal interview, mail on
telephone. The choice depends on type of information, type of respondents.
Choice of questions, the way they are asked and the sequence
in which they are asked depend on the type of questions.
3 Determine the Content of Individual questions
* Is the question necessary?
Strong tendency to add extra interesting questions; extra
questions add to the cost, decrease cooperation of respondents. Turn to
objectives of study when in doubt.
* Does the respondent have the
information requested?
Do they understand the question? They may answer even if
they do not understand.
Wrong answers may come as a result of confusion rather than
dishonesty
Is the point within respondents' experience?
Can the respondent remember the information?
Is the point within respondents experience?
Memory is influenced by -
1. The importance of the event.
2.The individual being asked to remember
3.The length of time since the event.
4. The stimulus given to the individuals memory.
* Will the respondent have to do a
lot of work to get the information.
Even though they may know the answer, respondents may not
answer the questions.
They are unable to phrase the answer or they do not want to
answer.
4 Determine The Type of Questions
- Open questions - to introduce the subject.
- Multiple Choice Questions
- Dichotomous
5 Decide On the Wordings of Questions.
·
Define the issue- Each question must be clear on
– who, where, when, why, what and how.
·
Should question be subjective or objective?
Do you think Ford is better than Suzuki? (subjective)
Is Ford car better than Suzuki? (objective)
·
Positive or negative statement?
·
Use simple words
·
Avoid ambiguous questions
·
Avoid Leading questions-
·
Cushion questions that may seem unreasonable to
the rspodant.
6 Decide on Question Sequence
·
Opening questions should win Respondents interest.
·
Place difficult questions in the body of questionnaire
·
Consider influence of questions on succeeding
questions.
·
Arrange questions in logical order
·
Mail questionnaire should sell themselves.
7 Decide on Layout and Reproduction
·
Securing acceptance of the questionnaire – appearance,
printing, paper quality, spacing, positioning of questions
·
Ease of control- in editing, tabulating.
·
Ease of handling- postcard shape/ booklet
·
8 Pretest
Pretest are done by personal interview.
·
Why they answered don’t know?
·
Wording appropriate or not
·
Some questions may be eliminated or added.
·
The point where they get bored
·
Sequence
9 Revision & Final Draft
Prepare final questionnaire after pretesting.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Questionnaire Method
+
Advantages of Questionnaire Method
Versatilily:
Almost every problem of MR. can be approached from the
questionnaire standpoint.
* Many problems can be studied only by questioning -
Knowledge, opinions, motivations & intentions are not -open to
observation
* It is not feasible to observe personal activities.
Speed & Cost:
* It is cheaper & faster than observing
* Some events that take place over a period of time. g. no.
of trips to the super market in a week can't be observed while interviewer can
proceed from one interview to another.
+
Disadvantages of Questionnaire Method.
* Unwillingness of Respondents to
provide information.
interviewer is unknown
subject may be of no interest.
potential respondent may refuse to give time.
respondent may not answer specific questions.
when sent through mails, the percentage which is not
returned may exceed 90%
* Inability of Respondent to provide
information
·
Many
emotions and motivations are largely subconscious.
·
Many
products are bought without any conscious array of reasons for and against.
·
Respondents
unable to remember the fact desired.
Answers are sometimes honest mistakes and at other times are made to impress the interviewer.
* Influence of Questioning Process:
The situation in which a person is questioned, respondent may furnish reports quite different from the fact.
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