Guide to the Design of Questionnaires

About This Document

This document is designed for students and novice researchers intending to carry out a questionnaire survey. Because surveys of any kind are expensive and time-consuming to conduct, it is important that the data analysis is as extensive and well prepared for as possible. The strength of the analysis depends on good quality data that in turn stems from good design of the data collection instrument, i.e. the questionnaire, and of the collection procedures.

This document provides a compilation of do's and don'ts for good questionnaire design that will, if followed, make data analysis easier and faster than otherwise. The survey process is outlined to place questionnaire design in context. Also covered in this document are a number of ways in which the computer fits into various elements of the overall survey process.

Surveys

The basic process of survey research can be outlined as follows:

1. define your research aims

2. identify the population and sample

3. decide how to collect replies

4. design your questionnaire

5. run a pilot survey

6. carry out the main survey

7. analyse the data

A crucial part of good research design concerns making sure that the questionnaire design addresses the needs of the research. To put this another way; somehow we need to ensure that the questions asked are the right ones. To move from the research aims (1) to deciding what are the right questions to put on a questionnaire (4) is a key aspect that needs to be addressed by the researcher. This document makes some comments about this important area but does mainly concentrate on the mechanics of designing the questionnaire.

Unfortunately too many researchers complete the data collection (6) before they have given sufficient thought to the data analysis (7). This can lead to inadequate data and inadequate inferences from the data, and can disappoint and frustrate the researcher. Ideally the method of analysis should be known, and it should inform the preceding stages of the research. The statistical software to be used in the analysis is certainly an important consideration at the questionnaire design stage; however, many of the relevant packages have common needs that are addressed in this handout. Information Systems Services supports a range of statistical packages including SAS, Minitab and SPSS, and they can advise on the best program for your requirements.

Comments are made in the following sections on each of the seven steps listed above, but with the emphasis on point 4 in this sequence. An additional concern of this document is using the computer to support the process. The computer will normally save you time and should result in greater accuracy and lower probability of many kinds of errors. If you use the computer on a task for the first time then some extra time may be needed to complete it but you will then have gained an important new skill.

The computer can be used to help in a variety of ways. Some activities are:

• Designing and constructing the questionnaire (step 4)

• Identifying and keeping track of respondents (6)

• Delivering the questionnaire (6)

• Data entry and analysis (7)