Questionnaires (instrument)

1
Questionnaires(instrument)
Purpose 1. To translate the purpose of the
survey to specific questions which can be used
for descriptions and testing of
hypotheses 2. To motivate the respondent to
participate and deliver valid responses
2
Questionnaires
Essential conditions during design 1. Content
(factual/subjective) 2. Types of questions
(open/closed/conditioned) 3. Format (nominal,
ranking, etc.) 4. Order 5. Wording 6. Layout 7. Pr
etesting
3
Design of questionnaires
Relevance Only information strictly
needed should be collected Accuracy The
design should provide information which is
reliable and valid
4
Theory of questions
Third party Actual Social dimension dimension
desirability (B) (A) (C)
The response
A what we really want to measure B conditions
not relevant for our purpose C social opportunism
5
Design of questions

• concentrate on actual dimension
• adjust to respondents universe
• as short as possible
• as specific and exact as possible
• as direct as possible (to reduce third party
  effects)
• evaluate influence from third party and social
• desirability dimension

6
Design of questions(wording)

• does the word mean what we intend to express
• can the word have other interpretations
• if so is the meaning clear and unambiguous
• can the word be pronounced in more than one way
• are there similar words with a similar
  pronunciation
• or spelling which can confuse the meaning
• is it possible to find a simpler word or a
  simpler
• expression

7
Design of questions(wording)

• shorter words and expressions are preferable
  than longer ones
• avoid professional and academic expressions
  (adjust to
• respondents level of abstraction)
• avoid words and expression which are not
  strictly needed
• avoid double negations ( not . not )
• construct sentences so ambiguous responses will
  be excluded
• use specific and exact terms instead of weak
  ones
• avoid hypothetical questions
• questions should be as short as possible (max 20
  words)

8
Questions and responses
Problems 1. time-error-effect one of the first
options is ticked never mind the
content 2. response-set a certain category is
always preferred 3. central tendency bias some
respondents always concentrate on the middle
option (afraid of conflict or no opinion)
9
Order of questions

• warm-up questions at the beginning
• social-economic questions at start or end
• (depending on type of respondents)
• controversial questions at the end
• take into account
• tiredness
• logical flow
• shift between sections

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Subject matter questions

• from general to specific (funnel)
• direct or indirect
• knowledge and consciousness of the topic
• opinion
• general ?
• reasons ?
• specific aspects ?
• the strength of the opinion