Term
| The Major Decisions in Questionnaire Design |
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Definition
1.What should be asked?
2.How should each question be
phrased?
3.In what sequence should the
questions be arranged?
4.What questionnaire layout will
best serve the research
objectives?
5.How should the questionnaire
be pretested? Does the
questionnaire need to be
revised? |
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Term
| What Should Questions be Asked? |
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Definition
Questions should be…
-Based on research objectives
-Must keep in mind subsequent
statistical analysis
Questions must be relevant
•No unnecessary information
collected
•There needs to be rationale for each
item
•Need to think through omissions
Questions must be accurate
•Information be reliable and valid
•Use simple, understandable,
unbiased, unambiguous and
nonirritating words.
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Term
| How Should Questions Be Phrased? |
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Definition
Open ended questions
§Pose some topic and ask respondents to answer in their own words.
Fixed alternative questions
§Questions in which respondents are given specific, limited-alternative responses and asked to choose the one closest to their own viewpoint.
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Term
| Types of fixed alternative questions |
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Definition
•Single-Dichotomy
•Example: Yes/No
•Multiple choice alternative
•Determinant-choice Question
•Choose ONE response from among multiple alternatives (e.g., A, B, or C).
- Mutually exclusive choices - alternatives must not be same
- Check list option
•Frequency-determination Question
•Asks for an answer about general frequency of occurrence (e.g., often, occasionally, or never).
•Likert Scales and Semantic Differential
•Checklist Question
•Provide MULTIPLE ANSWERS to a single question by checking off items.
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Term
| Determinant Choice Questions |
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Definition
Which of the following do you prefer to drink?
Choice A ________
Choice B ________
Other _______
If other, please specify __________ |
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Term
| Mutually Exclusive Alternatives Type of Question |
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Definition
…should not have overlap among categories!!!
What is your current household income?
___ under $15,000
___ $15,000-$30,000
___ $30,000-$55,000
___ $55,000-$70,000
___ Over $70,000 |
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Term
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Definition
Which type of music do you like to listen?
(check all that apply)
Choice A ___
Choice B ___
Choice C ___
Choice D ___ |
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Term
| Avoiding Mistakes In Phrasing Questions |
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Definition
Guidelines:
•Avoid complexity: Simpler language is better.
•Avoid leading and loaded questions.
•Avoid ambiguity: Be as specific as possible.
•Avoid double-barreled items.
•Avoid making assumptions.
•Avoid burdensome questions that may tax the respondent’s memory.
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Term
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Definition
Do you think the distribution of soft drinks is adequate?
Do you think soft drinks are readily available when you want to buy them?
Of the total number of miles you
drove during the past month,
approximately what
percentage was traveled while
driving to and from work?
____percent
Questionnaire should be readily understandable to all respondents with all levels of education…corporate language such as positionning, marginal analysis etc may not have the same meaning for everyone. |
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Term
| Avoid Leading and Loaded Questions |
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Definition
Do you think that patriotic Americans should buy imported automobiles knowing that would put American labor out of work?
___ yes
___ no
___ don’t know
Leading questions suggest or imply certain answers.
Loaded questions suggest a socially desirable answer or are emotionally charged.
Leading and loaded questions are a major source of bias in question wording…This threatens the validity of study.
Loaded questions may not be able to portray the true feelings or ideas of the people…sometimes counterbiasing statement may help….which is an introductory statement to a potentially embarrassing question that reduces a respondent’s reluctance to answer (ex: some people have the time to brush 3 times daily but others do not….
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Term
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Definition
In a typical month, how often do you shop at the mall?
__never __occasionally __ sometimes
__ often __ regularly
__ less than once __ 1 or 2 times __ 3 or 4 times __ more than 4 times
Items on questionnaires are often ambiguous because they are too general. Indefinite words such as frequently, often, ready, etc., have many different meanings.
Ambiguity is sometimes related to general questions. Sometimes respondents can not interpret the context of the question…researchers sometimes can clarify the terms…permanent means lasting more than 6 months etc.
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Term
| Avoid Double-Barreled Items |
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Definition
Do you plan to leave your job and look for another one in the coming year?
Better ----->
Do you plan to leave your job in the coming year?
Do you plan to look for another job in the coming year?
A question covering several issues at once is called double barreled question.
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Term
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Definition
1. Should Macy’s continue its
excellent gift-wrapping program?
___Yes ___No
Built-in assumption: gift-wrapping program is excellent
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Term
| Avoid Burdensome Questions |
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Definition
Which brands do you recall seeing in magazine X?
Unaided Recall: Ask respondents to remember sth without providing any clue
Which brands of printers do you recall seeing in magazine X?Aided- Recall: Ask respondents to remember sth and giving them a clue to help
From the list of the following brands, can you pick out the ones that were advertised in magazine X?
Recognition: Ask respondent to remember sth from a list of alternatives
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Term
| In choosing words, consult a dictionary |
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Definition
1.Does it mean what we intend?
2.Does it have any other meanings?
3.If so, does the context make the intended message clear?
4.Does the word have more than one pronunciation?
5.Is there a word or similar pronunciation that might be confused with this word? |
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Term
| What is the Best Question Sequence? |
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Definition
Demographic and Sensitive
questions:
Demographic questions should be placed
at the end UNLESS used to filter
respondents.
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Sensitive information at the end – so as to
not irritate or bias respondents and
still receive a complete survey.
Funnel technique
Asking general questions before
specific questions in order to obtain
unbiased responses. (i.e. general TV
viewing habits before specific shows are
referred to)
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Filter question
A question that screens out
respondents who are not qualified to
answer a second question. (i.e. may
want only people of certain age group)
Pivot question
A filter question used to determine
which version of a second question will
be asked. (i.e. income level may determine
questions about shopping behavior)
Order Bias: bias caused by the influence of earlier questions in a questionnaire
It is advisable to ask the general questions before the specific questions to obtain the freest of open-ended responses.
This technique is known as the funnel technique, and it allows researchers to understand the respondent’s frame of reference before asking more specific questions about the level of the respondent’s information and intensity of opinion.
With attitude scales, there also may be an anchoring effect. The first concept measured tends to become a comparison point from which subsequent evaluations are made. Randomization of these items on a questionnaire helps to minimize this order bias.
A related problem is bias caused by the order of alternatives on closed questions. The order of these choices should be rotated if producing alternative forms of the questionnaire is possible. However, marketing researchers rarely print alternative questionnaires to eliminate problems arising from order bias. A more common practice is to pencil X’s or check marks on the printed questionnaires to indicate where the interviewer should start a series of repetitive questions at a certain point. One advantage of Internet surveys is the ability to reduce order bias by having the computer randomly order questions and/or response alternatives
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Term
What questionnaire layout will best serve the research objectives? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Radio button: a circular icon, that activates one response choice and deactivates others
Check box: small graphic box…more than one choice
Push button: a small outline area that respondent clicks to select an option or perform a function such as submit |
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Term
Drop down
Open Ended
Progress bar/ status bar |
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Definition
Drop down: a space saving device that reveals responses when they are needed but otherwise hides them from view
Open Ended: where respondents can type in their own answers to open-ended questions
Progress bar/ status bar: a visual indicator that tells the respondent what portion of the survey s/he has completed |
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Term
| Pretesting and Revising Questionnaires |
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Definition
•Pretesting Process
•Seeks to determine whether respondents have any difficulty understanding the questionnaire and whether there are any ambiguous or biased questions. |
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