Even though the researcher tries in the best possible manner to make the questionnaire a simple, precise and convenient one, the aim and objective of the questionnaire can be much better explained personally than through any other means. Without the proper personal contact it is very difficult to motivate the respondent to fill up the questionnaire.
In case of mailed questionnaire method, the proportion of return is usually low. The factors which are likely to affect the returns are: the layout of the questionnaire, its size, the organisation conducting the research work, the nature of appeal, the kind of respondents chosen for research, inducement for response etc.
The information collected through questionnaire cannot be said to be very much reliable or valid. If the subject misinterprets a question or gives an incomplete or indefinite response very little can be done to connect such response.
As against this, in an interview there is always the possibility of rephrasing questions for further clarification. The questions can be repeated with adequate elaboration if it is so required. But in questionnaire method there is no opportunity for repeating questions, explaining them or clarifying the doubts for a particular response.
The investigator here is not in a position to observe the gestures and expressions of the respondents. He cannot cross check the inconsistencies or misrepresentation of the replies. So in questionnaire method, reliability of responses is very low. Illegible handwriting of the respondent sometimes creates much difficulty for the researcher to understand the responses. Sometimes the respondents erase and over write too much.
These create many difficulties in reading the answers. Often most of the respondents fill up the questionnaire form very poorly. They sometimes leave out many questions altogether or fill in such a way that, it becomes very difficult on the part of the investigator to follow those responses.
Other than this, there may be the problem of language, use of abbreviations and ambiguous terms etc. All these make a questionnaire an incomplete one.
He can judge a respondent, his attitude, understanding of the research topic and, if necessary, can ask some cross questions to correct various errors. So usually the respondent cannot manipulate his answer. But in questionnaire it is very difficult to detect the errors of the respondents. Here the investigator does not have any facility to check the validity and reliability of the information. In the absence of the researcher, the respondents may supply manipulated information.
In questionnaire method, it is not possible on the part of the researcher to conduct an intensive or in-depth study of the feelings, reactions and sentiments of the respondents. All these require a healthy interaction of the researcher with the respondents. But in questionnaire method, the investigator is not present in the field, so nothing can be done to establish rapport with the respondent.
So through questionnaire method one cannot conduct an in-depth study. The respondents who return the questionnaires may not constitute a representative section of the entire group. Only mere responsible, research minded or those in favour of the issue may prefer to respond.
Some of the important sections of the group may totally remain silent. This vitiates the final conclusions and findings. There are many people who would not like to share any important information unless and until they are impressed about the rationale of the study and personality of the investigator. The questionnaire does not provide for any opportunity to the investigator to establish rapport with the subject and this cannot attract the respondent for a better response.
Some of the research areas are so delicate, sensitive, intricate and confidential in nature that it becomes difficult to frame questions on them. It is impossible to put down certain delicate issues in writing. Points to be Considered While Organizing a Questionnaire. The questionnaire is planned and designed to gather precise information. It also initiates a formal inquiry, supplements data, checks previously accumulated data, and helps validate any prior hypothesis. Unstructured Questionnaires: Unstructured questionnaires collect qualitative data.
They use a basic structure and some branching questions but nothing that limits the responses of a respondent. The questions are more open-ended to collect specific data from participants.
Types of questions in a questionnaire You can use multiple question types in a questionnaire. Some of the widely used types of questions are: Open-Ended Questions: Open-ended questions help collect qualitative data in a questionnaire where the respondent can answer in a free form with little to no restrictions.
This question is usually used in case of the need for necessary validation. It is the most natural form of a questionnaire. Multiple-Choice Questions: Multiple-choice questions are a close-ended question type in which a respondent has to select one single-select multiple-choice question or many multi-select multiple choice question responses from a given list of options.
The multiple-choice question consists of an incomplete stem question , right answer or answers, incorrect answers, close alternatives, and distractors. Of course, not all multiple-choice questions have all of the answer types.
Scaling Questions: These questions are based on the principles of the four measurement scales — nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. Pictorial Questions: This question type is easy to use and encourages respondents to answer.
It works similarly to a multiple-choice question. Respondents are asked a question, and the answer choices are images. This helps respondents choose an answer quickly without over-thinking their answers, giving you more accurate data. Types of Questionnaires based on Distribution Questionnaires can be administered or distributed in the following forms: Online Questionnaire: In this type, respondents are sent the questionnaire via email or other online mediums.
This method is generally cost-effective and time-efficient. Respondents can also answer at leisure. Without the pressure to respond immediately, responses may be more accurate. The disadvantage, however, is that respondents can easily ignore these questionnaires.
Read more about online surveys. Telephone Questionnaire: A researcher makes a phone call to a respondent to collect responses directly. Responses are quick once you have a respondent on the phone. However, a lot of times, the respondents hesitate to give out much information over the phone. It is also an expensive way of conducting research. The advantage of this method is that the respondent is in a comfortable and natural environment, and in-depth data can be collected.
The disadvantage, though, is that it is expensive and slow to conduct. Mail Questionnaire: These are starting to be obsolete but are still being used in some market research studies.
This method involves a researcher sending a physical data collection questionnaire request to a respondent that can be filled in and sent back. The advantage of this method is that respondents can complete this on their own time to answer truthfully and entirely. The disadvantage is that this method is expensive and time-consuming. There is also a high risk of not collecting enough responses to make actionable insights from the data.
A good questionnaire design Questionnaire design is a multistep process that requires attention to detail at every step. Steps Involved in Questionnaire Design 1.
Identify the scope of your research: Think about what your questionnaire is going to include before you start designing the look of it. Keep it simple: The words or phrases you use while writing the questionnaire must be easy to understand. Ask only one question at a time: At times, a researcher may be tempted to add two similar questions. The open-ended or closed-ended question is a tough choice: The survey creator might end up in a situation where they need to make distinct choices between open or close-ended questions.
It is essential to know your audience: A researcher should know their target audience. Differences between a Questionnaire and a Survey Questionnaire Survey Meaning A questionnaire can is a research instrument that consists of a set of questions to collect information from a respondent. A survey is a research method used for collecting data from a pre-defined group of respondents to gain information and insights on various topics of interest.
What is it? The instrument of data collection Process of collecting and analyzing that data Characteristic Subset of survey Consists of questionnaire and survey design, logic and data collection Time and Cost Fast and cost-effective Much slower and expensive Use Conducted on the target audience Distributed or conducted on respondents Questions Close-ended and very rarely open-ended Close-ended and open-ended Answers Objective Subjective or objective Read more: Difference between a survey and a questionnaire.
Related Posts. Five key trends in Asia-Pacific market research. Create online polls, distribute them using email and multiple other options and start analyzing poll results. Research Edition LivePolls.
Features Comparison Qualtrics Explore the list of features that QuestionPro has compared to Qualtrics and learn how you can get more, for less. A questionnaire is a series of questions asked to individuals to obtain statistically useful information about a given topic. When properly constructed and responsibly administered, questionnaires become a vital instrument by which statements can be made about specific groups or people or entire populations.
There are roughly two types of questionnaires, structured and unstructured. A mixture of these both is the quasi-structured questionnaire that is used mostly in social science research. Structured questionnaires include pre-coded questions with well-defined skipping patterns to follow the sequence of questions. When developing the questionnaire format, keep in mind that questionnaires typically have three parts: general instructions, personal information, and the body.
Questionnaires consist of a series of questions, layouts such as page or section breaks, and conditional logic. There are a number of response types available, and each type has a specific application. These are two types of questions you can use that are very different in character and usage…. Open questions. This technique involves starting with general questions, and then drilling down to a more specific point in each. Usually, this will involve asking for more and more detail at each level.
To teach these when questions, start with a few picture choices for your child.
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