Questionnarie construction for social science research

1. Questionnaire construction
Presented by: Prakash Aryal
P299,Spring Asia Program-2013/14
School of Urban and Regional Planning
University of Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
October 31, 2013

2. Questionnaire construction
Presentation outline
•What is the nature or methods/analysis
•When it is used?
•How it is used?
With Examples.

3. Questionnaire
What is it?
•A list of questions that can be completed by
-Asking the respondents to complete the
questionnaire with the researcher not present
(mail, post )
-Respondents are asked the questions verbally in
the presence of researcher (also called structured
interview)

4. When it is used?
•Questionnaire are suitable for primary research.
•In order to collect relevant data we need to prepare
comprehensive questionnaire
•Measure many variables and test multiple hypothesis
and infer temporal order from questions about past
behavior, experiences and characteristics
Why?
•Cheap, require less time and effort compared to verbal
or telephone interviews.

5. Sequence!
•Design and Planning Phase
- Decide the type of survey (mail, interview), type of
respondent and population
-
Develop questionnaire
- Write questions-organize question sequence- design
questionnaire layout
-
Plan a system for recording answer-pilot test
•Data collection phase, analysis

6. How it is used?
•Researcher
conceptualizes
and
operationalizes
variables as questions
•Thinks ahead how s/he will record and organize the
data for analysis
•Researchers sample many respondents who answer the
same question.

7. Key concerns
•Will the questions be equally clear, relevant and
meaningful to all respondents?
•Questions writing takes skills, practice, patience and
creativity
Before writing
•Decide on what kind of information we wish to ask the
interviewees.
•A good questions should be able to achieve research
objective.
•Think about the population, age, sex and location.

8. Good question writing should
• Avoid confusion
• Keep respondent’s perspective in mind.
Principles
• Avoid Jargon, slang and abbreviations
- Target the vocabulary and grammar to the respondents
sampled

9. Principle of good question writing
•Avoid ambiguity, confusion and vagueness
- Eg what is your income?
- Do you jog regularly?
(Do you do any sports or hobbies, physical activities or
exercise, including walking on a regular basis)
•Avoid emotional language and prestige bias
•Avoid double barreled questions?
- Do you rate the teacher higher if the teacher tells many
jokes?

10. Principle of good question writing
•Avoid leading questions?
- You don’t smoke, do you?
•Avoid asking about future intentions and beyond
respondents’ capabilities
•Avoid double negatives
Remember
•People are likely to over report being a good citizen, present
positive self image, underreport serious illness. Guarantee of
confidentiality might help.

11. Question types
Open vs. closed questions
•Open ended question ask a question without fixed
responses
•Closed ended question ask a question and gives the
respondent fixed response from which to choose
•It is not that which is best but which is appropriate
under what conditions and
•It depends on purpose and practical limitations of the
research project.
•Sensitive topics can be more accurately measured with
closed questions.

12. Open and closed questions
•Advantages and dis advantages of closed and open
ended questions?
Closed -advantage
Open-advantage
Easy for respondents, easier to
compare and code, choices can
clarify meaning, less literate can
also answer, fewer confused
answers
Unlimited answers, can answer
in detail, unanticipated findings,
creativity and self expression
Closed- dis advantage
Open- disadvantage
Respondent without knowledge can
answer, Resp- might not find desired
answer, confusing if many choices,
Mis intepretation can be unnoticed,
Different degree of answers, may
be irrelevant, difficult to
compare, high literate have
advantage ,greater amount of
time and intimidating

13. Question types
• Mixing closed and open ended questions?
• Partially open questions.
- E.g. what is the major problem facing the nation?
• To be decided during closed question
- how many choices in what order and what types?
• Are you satisfied with your dentist? Can have only two
answers.
• How satisfied are you with your dentist? Can be many
answers.
• Choice of non-attitude or middle question? Yes!

14. Wording issues? examples
•How we phrase the question affects the answer
•Welfare or to help poor
•What is your age, how old are you, in what year are
you born etc.
•Length
•There is no absolute proper length but too long might
be boring
•Dependents on type of survey and respondents

15. Order of Questionnaire?
•A questionnaire usually have opening, middle and
ending questions.
•Make smooth flow and logical
•Opening questions –simple and easy to answer
•Orient respondents by placing questions on the same
topic together and introduce the section if there are
many.
- E.g.. now I would like to ask you about housing issues

16. Format and layout?
•Clear, neat and easy to follow.
•Include time and date of interview.
•Include instruction to respondents.
•List the response down instead of across.
1.A
1. A
2. B
3. C
2. B
3. C

17. Examples of some response categories
•Excellent, good, fair, poor
•Approve/Disapprove
•Favor/oppose
•Strongly agree, Agree, somewhat agree, dis agree,
strongly disagree
•Too much, too little, About right
•Better, Worse, About the same
•Regularly, seldom, often, never
•Very interested, Interested, not

18. Remember
•Before formally starting your interviewees check your
questionnaire and make pre test with friends and
possibly you will get feed back to correct your
questions.
•Rephrase if necessary

19. Thank you!
References:
1. http://www.slideshare.net/BestEssay/how-to-write-a-dissertation-questionnaire
2. Social science research book