7 tips to make a good questionnaire
Hi folks! Worrying about the project fever is going around
the college right now? Running up and down the centres and offices, meeting
respondents, collecting and analysing data is really a lot of work to do. But
this also provides us with an opportunity to shed light on some of those unenlightened
areas which we had, maybe never investigated before. And the most powerful
companion which will give you an unadulterated help and data in completing your
task will be your questionnaire.
Now many of us while preparing a questionnaire are in a sure
wonder as to “How to craft questions which will give me a correct and unbiased
data to analyse?”
Firstly, there is no perfect question for a questionnaire.
Every person is a bit different and that make the response of every respondent
unlike the other. But there are certain tips which can help you build a questionnaire
that will encourage more appropriate quality of information as per your
requirements.
So, here are such seven tips to help
The question you craft must be interpreted by different individuals in a
consistent manner. Sounds very easy but equally challenging to achieve. For
example, if you ask “Have you ever been subjected harassment from customer care
executives?” Some may take harassment to be the misbehaviour of the customer
executive officers, while others may consider improper etiquettes to be harassments.
So you see the same may mean different to different respondents at different
point of time. Make your queries as clear and specific as possible.
Now, sometimes the survey requires personal information of the
respondents which they may not be willing to answer. For example, if the query
is asking if the respondent is suffering from contagious disease or what drug
they may be prescribed with.” It is found that the respondent, in most of the
cases is not wilfully ready to answer the question. Now, that may be a problem,
because the data received may not be 100% to the point. In such a case, you
must assure the respondent that the data will not be shared or rather kept,
‘anonymous’.
On many occasions it is seen
that respondent answers wilfully but that is not the truth. As an example you
may ask, if the respondent has a Debit or a Credit card? In such cases it is
seen that the respondent may answer positively even if he/she doesn’t have a
Debit/Credit card. Now, why is that? This is something called “Social
Desirability.” Having a mode of electronic banking is socially desirable
now-a-days. So the respondent may lie, for the fear they may be judged
negatively. In such a situation, you can carve the question in the way he may
answer the truth. It might be better to put it in this way, “Some people use
cash to pay their transaction, while others use Debit/Credit Card, which way do
you prefer?”
This happens to be one of the most important tip, “Never ask a question
to a man which he may not have the answer to.” For example, “What is the amount
spend purchasing vegetables per month?” This question is something which you
will find different for different members of a household. The one who keeps the
finances of the house in check can only answer the question. While the others
can’t.
- Consistent Interpretability.
The question you craft must be interpreted by different individuals in a
consistent manner. Sounds very easy but equally challenging to achieve. For
example, if you ask “Have you ever been subjected harassment from customer care
executives?” Some may take harassment to be the misbehaviour of the customer
executive officers, while others may consider improper etiquettes to be harassments.
So you see the same may mean different to different respondents at different
point of time. Make your queries as clear and specific as possible.- Make questions that the respondent may answer wilfully.
Now, sometimes the survey requires personal information of the
respondents which they may not be willing to answer. For example, if the query
is asking if the respondent is suffering from contagious disease or what drug
they may be prescribed with.” It is found that the respondent, in most of the
cases is not wilfully ready to answer the question. Now, that may be a problem,
because the data received may not be 100% to the point. In such a case, you
must assure the respondent that the data will not be shared or rather kept,
‘anonymous’.- Craft the inquiry to make the respondent answer the truth.
On many occasions it is seen
that respondent answers wilfully but that is not the truth. As an example you
may ask, if the respondent has a Debit or a Credit card? In such cases it is
seen that the respondent may answer positively even if he/she doesn’t have a
Debit/Credit card. Now, why is that? This is something called “Social
Desirability.” Having a mode of electronic banking is socially desirable
now-a-days. So the respondent may lie, for the fear they may be judged
negatively. In such a situation, you can carve the question in the way he may
answer the truth. It might be better to put it in this way, “Some people use
cash to pay their transaction, while others use Debit/Credit Card, which way do
you prefer?” - Make sure respondent has the appropriate knowledge
This happens to be one of the most important tip, “Never ask a question
to a man which he may not have the answer to.” For example, “What is the amount
spend purchasing vegetables per month?” This question is something which you
will find different for different members of a household. The one who keeps the
finances of the house in check can only answer the question. While the others
can’t.- Avoid double barrelled questions.
Double-barrelled question questions
are two different queries in a single stroke of interrogation. For example, you
may ask, “Do you think the company should improve their work environment and
also reach out to their customers every week?” Now, in cases, respondents may
agree to a part of the question but may not agree to the other part. Now, if
you come across such question while preparing a questionnaire, divide it into
two specific questions.
- Avoid bias terminology.
Being the surveyor, you cannot be biased to a conclusion beforehand. The
questionnaire must represent that. As in case, you asked the respondent if he
likes the cool-new version of TVS Akula 310? The words “cool-new” adds up to
portray a bias. That should be avoided.
- Pre-test your questions.
The final and the most important tip, pre-test your queries before
starting the survey. That shall not only help you in re-collecting any gaps
that you left in your survey, and improve your chances of developing the
survey…
Thank You and Good luck....!!
