QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN: QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN: AN INTRODUCTIONAN INTRODUCTION

By Lizzette Rojas, PhDand Flordeliz Serpa, PhDNon-Profit Evaluation & Resource Center, Inc. (NPERCI)

Lizzette Rojas, Lizzette Rojas, PhDPhD

Dr. Rojas has over seventeen years of experience in the area of evaluation research of health, education, and social services programs. She is the Chief Operating Officer of Non-Profit Evaluation & Resource Center, Inc.

Flordeliz Serpa, Flordeliz Serpa, PhDPhD

Dr. Serpa is an accomplished researcher and program evaluator. She has applied her skills to organizations in both the public and private sectors. Dr. Serpa is the Chief Executive Officer of Non-Profit Evaluation & Resource Center, Inc.

Learning Learning ObjectivesObjectives

To understand a questionnaire’s cultural, psychological, economic, and political context

Learn how to ask valid questions and how to ask them correctly

What Is A What Is A Questionnaire?Questionnaire?

A tool for collecting information to describe, compare, or explain an event or situation, as well as, knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and/or sociodemographic characteristics on a particular target group.

Questionnaire General Questionnaire General FormatFormat

Self-administered (by mail or personal contact)

In person (face-to-face)Telephone interviews

The Questions or The Questions or ItemsItems

Are the focus on any survey or questionnaire

It is crucial to know how to ask the questions in written and spoken form

The way you ask the questions determines the answers

Questions Questions ContextContext

Identify the questionnaire’s specific purpose(s)

Clarify the terms used to state the questionnaire’s purpose(s)

Be sure to have the specific objectives of the questionnaire

Know the respondents

Questions Questions ContextContextStandardize the interviewer

Standardize the response format

Ask questions in a social, cultural, and economic context

Keep confidentiality and voluntary participation

Include a letter of introduction or presentation

Questions Questions FormatFormat

Open questions - more information but difficult to codify, enter, and analyze

Closed questions - less information but easy to codify, enter, and analyze

Choices And Choices And Measurement Of Measurement Of

ResponsesResponsesNominal or categorical choices

OrdinalNumerical

How To ObtainHow To ObtainValid InformationValid Information

Ask purposeful questionsAsk concrete questionsUse time periods based on importance of the questions

Use conventional language

How To ObtainHow To ObtainValid InformationValid Information

Use complete sentencesAvoid abbreviationsReview questions with experts and potential respondents

Use shorter questions

How To ObtainHow To ObtainValid InformationValid Information

Avoid two-edged questionsAvoid negative questionsAdopt/adapt questions used successfully in other questionnaires

Suggested Suggested ReadingsReadings

How to Conduct Surveys by Fink and Kosecoff, Sage Publications, 1998

Survey Research by Roger Sapsford, Sage Publications, 1999