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‘Hints for Designing Effective Questionnaires ’. Author: Robert B. Frary Presntor: DeCarlo Bridges. Objectives. To understand: Why we use questionnaires Objectives of a questionnaire Advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires Design of questionnaires Different types of questions used - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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‘Hints for Designing Effective Questionnaires ’
Author: Robert B. FraryPresntor: DeCarlo
Bridges
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Objectives
To understand:• Why we use questionnaires• Objectives of a questionnaire• Advantages and disadvantages of
questionnaires• Design of questionnaires • Different types of questions used• How to avoid common problems and pitfalls
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What is a questionnaire?
• An instrument to – collect answers to questions– collect factual data – gathers or measures
information
• A series of written questions / items in a fixed, rational order
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Effective Questionnaire
A well designed questionnaire:
• Gives appropriate data which answers
your research question
• Minimises potential sources of bias
• Will more likely be completed
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Objectives of a questionnaire
• To maximise response rate
• To ensure that obtained information is accurate and relevant to our study
= as simple and as focused as possible
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Advantages of questionnaires
• Can reach a large number of people
relatively easily and economically
(especially postal/E-mail questionnaires)
• Provide quantifiable answers
• Relatively easy to analyse
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Disadvantages of questionnaires
• Provides only limited insight into problem– Limited response allowed by questions– Maybe not the right questions are asked
• Varying response – Misunderstanding/misinterpretation
• Need to get it right first time– Hard to chase after missing data
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Types of Questionnaire
• Self-administrated– By post – E-mail/Internet
• Interviewer-administrated– Face to face – Telephone
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Self-administered questionnaire
• Advantages: – Cheap and easy to administer– Preserves confidentiality– Completed at respondent's convenience– Administered in a standard manner– No influence by interviewer
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Self-administered questionnaire
• Disadvantages:– Low response rate– Questions can be misunderstood– No control by interviewer– Time loss
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Interview-administered questionnaire
• Advantages: – Participation by illiterate people– Clarification of ambiguity– Quick answers
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Interview-administered questionnaire
• Disadvantages: – Interviewer bias– Needs more resources– Only short questionnaires possible– Difficult for sensible issues
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What makes a well designed questionnaire?
• Highly structured
• Collects the same types of information
• Standardized
• Allows quantitative and systematic analysis
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Stages in designing a questionnaire (1)
Planning the study:
• Decide on goals of study • Know the subject
– literature, experts
• Formulate a hypothesis
• Define information needed to test the hypothesis
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Stages in designing a questionnaire (2)
Determine study population:
• Know the respondents– Occupation – Special sensitivities– Education– Ethnic– Language
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Stages in designing a questionnaire (3)
Design questions:
– Content of the questions
– Format of the questions
– Presentation and layout
– Coding schedule (if appropriate)
• Pilot and refine questionnaire
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Stages in designing a questionnaire (4)
Complete study protocol:
• Determine – Cost – Time – Sample size– Response rate
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Basic Rules (1)
• KISS keep it short and simple
– Length of questionnaire: shorter response rates
• Appearance affects– Response rate– Data summarization and analysis easy on the eye
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Basic Rules (2)
• Number all items and pages• Put an identifying mark on all pages• Put return address on questionnaire• Put study title in bold on first page• Print directions in bold• Self-addressed envelope!!
• Remember the Unique Identifier
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Basic Rules (3)
• Question order – Easy difficult– General particular– Factual abstract– Starting questions
• Simple• With closed format • Relevant to main subject• Non-threatening• Neither demographic nor personal questions
– Be aware of ordering effects!
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Basic rules (4)
• Group questions by
– Topic/ response options
• Don’t put most important item last
• Questionnaire likely to be completed if
– relevant
– logical
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Introduction of questionnaire
• Covering letter/introduction for interview – Who you are– Who you work for– Why you are investigating/researching– Where you obtained the respondent’s name– How and where you can be contacted– Absolute guarantee of confidentiality– Length of interview (be honest)
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Ensuring a High Response Rate
• Ensure respondents see its potential and usefulness
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Content of Questions
• Clear focus on research question
– Avoid sidetracking
– Avoid unnecessary information
• Demographic information
• Contact information (if non-anonymous)
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Format of Questions
• Adjust to responding audience– Professionals vs. public– Middle class vs. prisoners
• Keep sentences simple and short
• Define key words
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Format of questions
Two main question formats• Closed format give a ‘fixed’ response
– Yes, No, Don’t know– Always, sometimes, never
• Open format allow people to express their views in their own words:– What is your most distressing symptom? Please
describe: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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Open or Closed?
Closed – forced choice• Advantages:
– Simple and quick – Reduces discrimination against less literate – Easy to code, record, analyze – Easy to compare – Easy to report results
• Disadvantages:– Restricted number of possible answers– Loss of information
• Possible compromise:– Insert field
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Open or Closed?
Open format – free text • Advantages:
– Not directive– Allows exploration of issues - generate hypothesis– Used even if no comprehensive range of alternative choices– Good for asking about knowledge and attitudes– Detailed and unexpected answers possible
• Disadvantages:– Answer depends on interviewer– Time-consuming– Coding problems– Difficult to analyze!– Difficult to compare groups
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Problems and Pitfalls
• Avoid leading questions
• Avoid making questionnaire too long
• Typographical / spelling errors
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Presentation and layout
• Using color or printing questionnaire on colored paper may help
• Use filter questions, if necessary
• Give clear instructions about how to answer the questions
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Summary
A well designed questionnaire:
• Will give appropriate data which allow to answer your research question
• Will minimise potential sources of bias, thus increasing the validity of the questionnaire
• Will much more likely be completed
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FINALLY, keep your questionnaire short and the questions simple, focused and appropriate
Question 764 …“ CLASS …. . ..HAVE……ANY ……………Questions?…….. ……….. …… ……… … ………. ……….. …….. ………… ….. …. …….