Module 6 Questionnaire Design and Survey Data

Questionnaire Purpose and Benefits

• Primary purpose is to gather structured data for analysis, enabling researchers to understand specific phenomena.
• Main benefit includes cost-effectiveness and efficiency in data collection compared to interviews or focus groups.

Skip Pattern/Branching

• Functions to direct respondents to relevant questions based on their previous answers, enhancing relevance and efficiency.
• Helps prevent frustration by skipping irrelevant questions, improving response quality.

Piping in Questionnaire Design

• Refers to the integration of responses from prior questions into later ones, personalizing the questionnaire experience.
• Ensures continuity in responses, making questions more contextually relevant for respondents.

Importance of Editing

• Involves reviewing the questionnaire to ensure clarity, relevance, and completion of skip patterns.
• Ensures that all necessary questions are included and unnecessary ones are eliminated, optimizing data quality.

Dichotomous Multiple-Choice Questions

• Key feature is presenting two exclusive options (e.g., yes/no), simplifying responses to binary choices.
• Critical for precise data collection, minimizing ambiguity in responses.

Wording in Dichotomous Questions

• Wording is crucial to avoid bias and ensure clear comprehension; any ambiguity can lead to invalid data.
• Clarity in language helps respondents understand what is being asked, fostering accurate responses.

Grouping and Coding Responses

• Involves assigning numeric codes to qualitative responses, enabling easier data analysis and interpretation.
• Ensures that responses can be quantitatively analyzed and compared effectively.

Probing in Questionnaire Design

• Aims to elicit deeper, more detailed responses, often used to clarify vague answers or gather specific information.
• Encourages respondents to expand on their responses, providing richer data for analysis.

Survey Definition

• A survey is a research method for collecting information from a sample of individuals to generalize findings back to a larger population.

Importance of Question Wording

• Critical aspect because it influences the respondent's interpretation and the reliability of the responses gathered.
• Poor wording can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate data.

Key Mechanism in Design

• The mechanism for grouping and coding responses improves efficiency in data processing, facilitating analysis.
• Coding transforms qualitative responses into a statistical format.

Measurement Error Reduction

• Dichotomous multiple-choice questions aim to reduce measurement error by providing clear and defined options for response.
• Clarity in options helps respondents provide more accurate answers.

Review Aspect in Design

• Involves a systematic check of the questionnaire to ensure flow, adherence to skip patterns, and completion of questions.
• Essential to maintain the integrity of the survey process and ensure all data collection protocols are followed.

Purpose of Probing

• Throughout survey design, probing ensures that valuable data is not lost and provides guidance for respondents.
• Effective probing allows researchers to capture nuances in responses, improving data richness.