How to develop a questionnaire

a structured series of written questions that generally ask respondents to select from a limited set of possible answers. Questionnaires are a popular tool to gather data from a large number of people. A questionnaire is…

Types of questionnaires Self-administered – Mail out – Web-based – Post Activity Face-to-face Telephone Each require special consideration to the type of questions and answers, and layout or design.

Before launching into questions… Think about the purpose of the questionnaire Relate it back to what you NEED to find out Use your monitoring and evaluation plan to guide your questions

Wording of questions Use clear, simple questions that the target group will understand Avoid ambiguity, double meanings, and jargon Avoid leading questions that can lead to bias

Wording of questions Avoid double-barrelled questions Be specific about the subject of the question

Answering questions Close-ended questions provide respondents with a range of answers to choose from. This makes data analysis easier. Please state the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements? SASD A.The online toolbox presents information clearly.  A.The online toolbox is easy to navigate. 

Answering questions Open-ended questions require respondents to think about answers and write these down. This makes data analysis harder. How could this toolbox be improved?

Rating scales Rating scale allows respondents to select the most appropriate point on a scale. Scales can range from 3 points to 10 points. 5 point scales are the most commonly used.

Rating scales An odd-numbered scale provides a mid-point (eg. uncertain or neutral). You need to consider the likelihood that respondents will select this, as this may affect your data analysis, and your evaluation. Agree Unsure Disagree It is important to have an opinion on every question that is asked. 

Two-option Two option response (eg. YES/NO) asks respondents to make a defined choice, but it may put people off answering if they are unsure, or do something part of the time only. Do you take 4 minute showers? YES NO Well sometimes I do…. So how to I answer?

One-best answer One best answer asks respondents to select the best choice from a number of independent or unique answers. This requires you to know the range of relevant choices. Because I want to save water Why do you take 4 minute showers? Because I want to save energy Because I have been told to Because I run out of hot water I wish there was another option?

Before you go further Do you have an evaluation and monitoring question that will guide the question selection? – For example: Evaluation Question Monitoring question IndicatorData Source What is the value of this project to the participants? Did the participants find the workshops useful and enjoyable? Participant feedback Questionnaire

Lastly, remember that… You should not ask a question unless you plan to analyse the answer.