1. Question and Questionnaire Design Alex Stannard

2. Good practice Cover letter Clear purpose Coherent, sensibly ordered and easy to follow Clear font Well spaced Not too long

3. Covering letter Personalise if possible Explain purpose of questionnaire Include named contact What will happen to responses –Confidentiality –Publication –Decision making What is in it for respondent Length

4. Questionnaire Clear instructions Sensibly ordered Font size Length

5. Questions Easy to understand –Are you able to communicate effectively in the local language of the Hellenic Republic? –Can you speak Greek? Completely unambiguous –If there is any chance a question can be misinterpreted, then it will be misinterpreted

6. Questions Leading questions What is the biggest issue affecting your local area? Crime for example. What is the biggest issue affecting your local area? How satisfied are you with the service? Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the service? Most people are very concerned about the economy. How concerned are you about the economy? How concerned are you about the economy?

7. Questions Surveys –Try and keep questions as closed as possible How do you think the economy of Scotland as a whole will change over the next twelve months? It will get better It will get worse Don’t care I hope it gets better Might improve, might get worse, it depends I’ve just got a promotion so for me it will get better

8. Questions How do you think the economy of Scotland as a whole will change over the next twelve months? Get better Get worse Stay the same Don’t know No opinion Refused

9. Questions Focus groups – open questions better Do you like your neighbourhood –Yes, no, don’t mind What do you like about your neighbourhood and why? What do you dislike about your neighbourhood and why?

10. Testing Always test questionnaire and questions Review and redesign Test again

11. Harmonised Questions Scottish Government working on a set of harmonised questions –Consultation –Cognitive testing –Pilot testing http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/About/SurveyHarm

12. Harmonised Questions Benefits Time and financial savings Allows comparisons to other surveys Minimises risk of offence Minimises risk of misunderstanding and poor data