Designing the Questionnaire Chapter 8
Questionnaire Design Process
Steps 1-3 Specify What Information Will Be Sought Specify What Information Will Be Sought Determine Method of Administration Determine Method of Administration Determine Content of Individual Questions Determine Content of Individual Questions Questions must mean something Questions must mean something Filter questions Filter questions
Step 4: Determine Form of Response to Each Question Open-ended Questions Open-ended Questions When to use When to use
Step 4: Determine Form of Response to Each Question Close-ended Close-ended Pros: Pros: Cons: Cons: Exhaustive? Exhaustive? Mutually exclusive? Mutually exclusive? “Don’t Know”? “Don’t Know”? Response-order bias Response-order bias Split-ballot technique Split-ballot technique
Step 5: Determine Wording for Each Question Examples (See handout) Examples (See handout) Simple wording Simple wording Ambiguous questions Ambiguous questions Leading question Leading question Unstated alternatives Unstated alternatives Avoid assumed consequences Avoid assumed consequences Avoid generalizations Avoid generalizations Avoid double-barreled questions Avoid double-barreled questions
Step 6: Determine Question Sequence Opening questions should be __________ Opening questions should be __________ Funnel Approach Funnel Approach Question order bias Question order bias Branching questions Branching questions AKA Pivot questions AKA Pivot questions
Step 6: Determine Question Sequence Classification Information Should Come _______ Classification Information Should Come _______ Basic information Basic information Classification information Classification information Where to put sensitive questions? Where to put sensitive questions?
Step 7: Determine Physical Characteristics of Questionnaire Do not make it cluttered Do not make it cluttered Single page Single page If longer: If longer: Clear instructions Clear instructions Use graphics Use graphics Renumbering Renumbering
Steps 8-10 Develop Recruiting Message of Script Develop Recruiting Message of Script Reexamine Steps 1-8 and Revise Reexamine Steps 1-8 and Revise Pretest Questionnaire Pretest Questionnaire What is a pretest? What is a pretest? Number of people: Number of people: