““Hints for Designing Effective Hints for Designing Effective Questionnaires”Questionnaires”

by Robert B. Fraryby Robert B. Frary

Presentation by Brandon BenitezPresentation by Brandon Benitez

IntroductionIntroduction

Be Brief and ConciseBe Brief and Concise

Ask for FeedbackAsk for Feedback

Put Personal Questions at the endPut Personal Questions at the end

Use categories properlyUse categories properly

Use Positive and Negative Stimuli in questionsUse Positive and Negative Stimuli in questions

Do not use ambiguous inquiriesDo not use ambiguous inquiries

Avoid category or scale point proliferationAvoid category or scale point proliferation

Avoid inquiries requiring ranked responsesAvoid inquiries requiring ranked responses

Be Brief and ConciseBe Brief and Concise

Use only questions that are necessary to Use only questions that are necessary to collect the desired data.collect the desired data.

Having too many questions could annoy Having too many questions could annoy potential responders and lead to answers potential responders and lead to answers that are not completely thought out.that are not completely thought out.

Ask for FeedbackAsk for Feedback

Ask for feedback from a representative Ask for feedback from a representative sample of the responders.sample of the responders.

Consider using a preliminary questionnaire Consider using a preliminary questionnaire in order to test the effectiveness of it.in order to test the effectiveness of it.

Place any personal questions at the Place any personal questions at the endend

Locating personal and confidential Locating personal and confidential questions in the middle or beginning could questions in the middle or beginning could make potential responders uncomfortable.make potential responders uncomfortable.

Locating such questions in the wrong Locating such questions in the wrong places could also cause responders to places could also cause responders to give incomplete answers or no answers at give incomplete answers or no answers at all if they are unwilling to respond to them.all if they are unwilling to respond to them.

Use Categories ProperlyUse Categories Properly

Be sure to place lowest order categories on the Be sure to place lowest order categories on the left and highest on the right if the categories are left and highest on the right if the categories are scalable. An example of this would be using scalable. An example of this would be using “1)Never or Seldom 2)Sometimes 3)Always”.“1)Never or Seldom 2)Sometimes 3)Always”.Consider condensing a large number of Consider condensing a large number of categories into fewer, more general ones if categories into fewer, more general ones if possible for the responder’s convenience.possible for the responder’s convenience.Use relevant categories and appropriate Use relevant categories and appropriate language to describe them. For example, use language to describe them. For example, use the phrase “Tend to Agree” in a scaling point the phrase “Tend to Agree” in a scaling point inquiry so responders are allowed a degree of inquiry so responders are allowed a degree of uncertainty in their answers.uncertainty in their answers.

Use Positive and Negative Stimuli Use Positive and Negative Stimuli in Questionsin Questions

Using only positive or negative inquiries Using only positive or negative inquiries alone can responders to give more alone can responders to give more unilateral answers before considering all unilateral answers before considering all questions.questions.

Having a healthy balance of both stimuli Having a healthy balance of both stimuli encourages the responder to be more encourages the responder to be more thorough in choosing an answer.thorough in choosing an answer.

Do not Use Ambiguous InquiriesDo not Use Ambiguous Inquiries

Avoid the use of inquiries with open ended answers Avoid the use of inquiries with open ended answers because not every responder is willing or able to provide because not every responder is willing or able to provide them.them.Be careful not to provide the response option “other” Be careful not to provide the response option “other” unless it is essential since responders may choose that unless it is essential since responders may choose that option carelessly.option carelessly.Avoid the inappropriate use of neutral response positions Avoid the inappropriate use of neutral response positions such as “undecided”, because it is very difficult to know such as “undecided”, because it is very difficult to know the reasons why a responder chose that position.the reasons why a responder chose that position.Design flexible options which responders are not Design flexible options which responders are not required to make a strong stand, such as “tend to agree”, required to make a strong stand, such as “tend to agree”, to help alleviate the problem.to help alleviate the problem.

Avoid Category and Scale Avoid Category and Scale ProliferationProliferation

Design inquiries with as few categories as possible for Design inquiries with as few categories as possible for answers unless there is a specific reason to have more.answers unless there is a specific reason to have more.Providing too many categories on an inquiry is Providing too many categories on an inquiry is unnecessary and the results are oftentimes not useful.unnecessary and the results are oftentimes not useful.Avoid inquiries with a lot of scaled responses to choose Avoid inquiries with a lot of scaled responses to choose from. An example would be rating something on a scale from. An example would be rating something on a scale of one to ten.of one to ten.Using too many scaling points can often lead to Using too many scaling points can often lead to annoyance, and the article mentions that responders can annoyance, and the article mentions that responders can only be expected to decide between four or five choices only be expected to decide between four or five choices at a time.at a time.

Avoid inquiries requiring ranked Avoid inquiries requiring ranked responses.responses.

Writing inquiries that require a user to rank Writing inquiries that require a user to rank various items, such as choice of paint colors, various items, such as choice of paint colors, can easily lead to misinterpretations if the can easily lead to misinterpretations if the directions are not clear.directions are not clear.

Using such inquiries can also lead to annoyance Using such inquiries can also lead to annoyance as well. Responders can only be expected to as well. Responders can only be expected to rank up to six items at a time according to the rank up to six items at a time according to the research conducted in this article.research conducted in this article.

ConclusionConclusion

The article provides these pointers in order to The article provides these pointers in order to point out common pitfalls in designing point out common pitfalls in designing questionnaires.questionnaires.It also gives some suggestions for alleviating It also gives some suggestions for alleviating these problems and to receive more reliable these problems and to receive more reliable answers from responders.answers from responders.It does note that sometimes the use of certain It does note that sometimes the use of certain types of inquiries is required regardless of these types of inquiries is required regardless of these suggestions. It all depends on the purpose of suggestions. It all depends on the purpose of the questionnaire itself.the questionnaire itself.

Questions?Questions?