Copyright © 2008 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Chapter 13 Part 3 Measurement...

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

Chapter

13

Part 3

Measurement Concepts

QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN

LEARNING OBJECTIVESLEARNING OBJECTIVESLEARNING OBJECTIVESLEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. To value the importance of proper wording of questions in questionnaire design

2. How decisions about the data collection methods (mail, Internet, telephone, or personal interviews) will influence question format and questionnaire layout

3. To understand the difference in the design and use of open-ended response questions and fixed-alternative questions

4. To follow the guidelines that help prevent the most common mistakes in questionnaire design

What you will learn in this chapter

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 13–1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES (cont’d)LEARNING OBJECTIVES (cont’d)LEARNING OBJECTIVES (cont’d)LEARNING OBJECTIVES (cont’d)

5. To discuss how the proper sequence of questions may improve a questionnaire

6. How to plan and design a questionnaire layout

7. How to pre-test and revise a questionnaire

8. The additional efforts required in designing questionnaires for global markets

What you will learn in this chapter


• The importance of question wording is easily The importance of question wording is easily overlookedoverlooked

• Questionnaire design is one of the most critical Questionnaire design is one of the most critical stages in the survey research processstages in the survey research process

A Survey Is Only As Good As the Questions It A Survey Is Only As Good As the Questions It AsksAsksA Survey Is Only As Good As the Questions It A Survey Is Only As Good As the Questions It AsksAsks


• A researcher planning a questionnaire’s design A researcher planning a questionnaire’s design will need to make several decisions:will need to make several decisions:What should be asked?How should questions be phrased?In what sequence should the questions be

arranged?What questionnaire layout will best serve the

research objectives?How should the questionnaire be pre-tested? Does the questionnaire need to be revised?

Questionnaire Design: An Overview of the Questionnaire Design: An Overview of the Major DecisionsMajor DecisionsQuestionnaire Design: An Overview of the Questionnaire Design: An Overview of the Major DecisionsMajor Decisions


• Questionnaire RelevancyQuestionnaire RelevancyA questionnaire is relevant if no unnecessary

information is collected and only the information needed to solve the marketing problem is obtained

• Questionnaire AccuracyQuestionnaire AccuracyAccuracy means that the information is reliable and

valid

What Should Be Asked?What Should Be Asked?What Should Be Asked?What Should Be Asked?


• Open-Ended Response versus Fixed-Open-Ended Response versus Fixed-Alternative QuestionsAlternative QuestionsOpen-ended response question

A question that poses some problem and asks the respondent to answer in his or her own words

Fixed-alternative question A question in which the respondent is given specific, limited-

alternative responses and asked to choose the one closest to his or her own viewpoint

How Should Questions Be Phrased?How Should Questions Be Phrased?How Should Questions Be Phrased?How Should Questions Be Phrased?


• Types of Fixed-Alternative QuestionsTypes of Fixed-Alternative QuestionsSimple-dichotomy (dichotomous-alternative)

question A fixed-alternative question that requires the respondent to

choose one of two alternatives

Determinant-choice question A fixed-alternative question that requires the respondent to

choose one response from among multiple alternatives

Frequency-determination question A fixed-alternative question that asks for an answer about

general frequency of occurrence

How Should Questions Be Phrased? (cont’d)How Should Questions Be Phrased? (cont’d)How Should Questions Be Phrased? (cont’d)How Should Questions Be Phrased? (cont’d)


• Types of Fixed-Alternative Questions (cont’d)Types of Fixed-Alternative Questions (cont’d)Checklist question

A fixed-alternative question that allows the respondent to provide multiple answers to a single question by checking off items



• Phrasing Questions for Self-Administered, Phrasing Questions for Self-Administered, Telephone, and Personal Interview SurveysTelephone, and Personal Interview SurveysQuestions for mail, Internet, and telephone surveys

must be less complex than those used in personal interviews

Questionnaires for telephone and personal interviews should be written in a conversational style



• Avoid Complexity: Use Simple, Conversational Avoid Complexity: Use Simple, Conversational LanguageLanguageWords used in questionnaires should be readily

understandable to all respondents

The Art of Asking QuestionsThe Art of Asking QuestionsThe Art of Asking QuestionsThe Art of Asking Questions


• Avoid Leading and Loaded QuestionsAvoid Leading and Loaded QuestionsLeading question

A question that suggests or implies certain answers

Loaded question A question that suggests a socially desirable answer or is

emotionally charged

Counterbiasing statement An introductory statement or preamble to a potentially

embarrassing question that reduces a respondent’s reluctance to answer by suggesting that certain behaviour is not unusual

The Art of Asking Questions (cont’d)The Art of Asking Questions (cont’d)The Art of Asking Questions (cont’d)The Art of Asking Questions (cont’d)


• Avoid Leading and Loaded Questions (cont’d)Avoid Leading and Loaded Questions (cont’d)Split-ballot technique

Using two alternative phrasings of the same questions for respective halves of a sample to elicit a more accurate total response than would a single phrasing

The Art of Asking Questions (cont’d)The Art of Asking Questions (cont’d)The Art of Asking Questions (cont’d)The Art of Asking Questions (cont’d)


• Avoid Double-Barrelled ItemsAvoid Double-Barrelled ItemsDouble-barrelled question

A question that may induce bias because it covers two issues at once

• Avoid Making AssumptionsAvoid Making AssumptionsAvoid questions with built-in assumptions

• Avoid Avoid Burdensome Questions That May Tax the Burdensome Questions That May Tax the Respondent’s MemoryRespondent’s MemoryResearchers writing questions about past behaviour

or events should recognize that certain questions may make serious demands on the respondent’s memory

Avoid Ambiguity: Be As Specific As PossibleAvoid Ambiguity: Be As Specific As PossibleAvoid Ambiguity: Be As Specific As PossibleAvoid Ambiguity: Be As Specific As Possible


Order bias Bias caused by the influence of earlier questions in a

questionnaire or by an answer’s position in a set of answers

Funnel technique Asking general questions before specific questions in order

to obtain unbiased responses

Filter question A question that screens out respondents who are not

qualified to answer a second question

Pivot question A filter question used to determine which version of a

second question will be asked

What Is the Best Question Sequence?What Is the Best Question Sequence?What Is the Best Question Sequence?What Is the Best Question Sequence?


• Traditional QuestionnairesTraditional QuestionnairesMultiple-grid question

Several similar questions arranged in a grid format

What Is the Best Layout?What Is the Best Layout?What Is the Best Layout?What Is the Best Layout?


• Internet QuestionnairesInternet QuestionnairesLayout Issues

Push button Status bar Radio button Drop-down box Check-box Open-ended box Pop-up boxes

Software That Makes Questionnaire Interactive Variable piping software Error trapping Forced answering software

What Is the Best Layout? (cont’d)What Is the Best Layout? (cont’d)What Is the Best Layout? (cont’d)What Is the Best Layout? (cont’d)


• Pre-tests typically are conducted to answer Pre-tests typically are conducted to answer questions about the questionnaire such as the questions about the questionnaire such as the following:following:Can the questionnaire format be followed by the

interviewer?Does the questionnaire flow naturally and

conversationally?Are the questions clear and easy to understand?Can respondents answer the questions easily?Which alternative forms of questions work best?

How Much Pre-Testing And Revising Are How Much Pre-Testing And Revising Are Necessary?Necessary?How Much Pre-Testing And Revising Are How Much Pre-Testing And Revising Are Necessary?Necessary?


• Researchers must take cultural factors into Researchers must take cultural factors into account when designing questionnairesaccount when designing questionnairesBack Translation

Taking a questionnaire that has previously been translated into another language and having a second, independent translator translate it back to the original language

Designing Questionnaires For Global MarketsDesigning Questionnaires For Global MarketsDesigning Questionnaires For Global MarketsDesigning Questionnaires For Global Markets


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