Questionnaire Design Basics

Questions that subtly influence a respondent's answer by suggesting a particular viewpoint.

Questions that limit responses to specific options, making data analysis easier.

Questions that allow for detailed and elaborate responses, providing rich data.

Questions designed to encourage truthful responses by not implying negative consequences for certain answers.

Questions should be precise and unambiguous, avoiding vague or subjective terms.

Questions that ask two or more questions at once, potentially confusing respondents.

Closed-ended questions must include all possible answers to ensure every respondent has a relevant choice.

Closed-ended question options should not overlap; a respondent should only choose one.

Questions with two possible answers (e.g., yes/no, true/false, agree/disagree).

Questions allowing respondents to select multiple answers.

Questions with the same answer choices used repeatedly.

Questions asked only to certain respondents depending on previous answers.

Survey question order starting with broad questions, then becoming more specific.

Survey question order starting with specific questions, then becoming more broad.

Questions related to the same topic are grouped together in a survey.

The organizational pattern and arrangement of questions in a survey. This encompasses using patterns like funnel and inverted patterns, as well as grouping questions logically.

A research method that involves observing and recording people's behavior in a natural setting.

Observing an activity as it happens in real-time.

Real-time information about behavior.

It misses behaviors outside the observed scope.

Observing the results of an activity, not the activity itself.

Non-invasive, doesn't affect behavior.

Limited data based on what is being observed.

Errors in research due to personal beliefs or mental shortcuts.

A tendency for respondents to answer all questions in a similar way, regardless of the content, leading to inaccurate data.

Trying out your questionnaire on a small group of your target audience to identify potential problems and improve its effectiveness.

Asking respondents to share their thoughts and reasoning while filling out the questionnaire to uncover insights.

Indicators of potential problems with the questionnaire's clarity and understanding, needing improvement.

A questionnaire layout that is easy to read and navigate, avoiding confusion and fatigue.

Essential parts that provide context and guide respondents through the questionnaire.

Factors like paper type, font, spacing, and page layout that affect readability and respondent experience.

To collect and analyze data that reflects the experiences and perspectives of a specific population.

Organizing data into tables, showing frequency distributions (how often each value appears) and percentage distributions (what proportion each value represents).

Calculating measures like mean, median, mode, minimum, and maximum to summarize the central tendency and spread of data.

Breaking down data into smaller groups based on multiple categories to understand differences across subgroups.

Changing the format or structure of data. Converting it from one representation to another.

Checking data for errors, inconsistencies, or missing values to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Analyzing text-based data to identify themes, patterns, and insights. It involves interpreting meaning from spoken or written words.

Familiarizing oneself with data by reading through notes, transcripts, listening to recordings and taking notes.

Organized methods that help researchers interpret meaning from qualitative data. They offer structured ways to analyze text.

A research method where the observer is hidden and participants are unaware they are being observed.

A research method where the observer is open and participants know they are being observed.

Covert observation raises ethical concerns because participants are not informed and cannot provide consent.

Covert observation allows researchers to access hard-to-reach groups and study natural behavior.

Overt observation is ethically sound because participants are informed and consent to being observed.

Participants may alter their behavior knowing they are being observed, potentially affecting the validity of the data.

Observation is a research method used to collect data on people's behavior in natural settings.

There are various types of observation, each with its strengths and weaknesses.