questionnaires

Question 1

what are the types of questionnaires

Answer 1

• closed questions
• open questions

Question 2

what are close questionnaires

Answer 2

• Quantitative data. (numerical data - graphs e.g.)
  Easiest for people to answer
• Likert scales - Respondents indicate their agreement with a statement using a 5 point scale.
• Rating scales - respondents choose how strongly they feel about a topic.
• Fixed choice options - This includes a list of possible options and respondents indicate those that apply to them.

Question 3

what are the strengths of closed questionnaires

Answer 3

• closed questions produce numerical data allowing statistical analysis and comparison between groups of people

Question 4

what are the weaknesses of closed questionnaires

Answer 4

• Produce response bias where respondents always tick ‘yes’ or respond in the same way

Question 5

what are open questionnaires

Answer 5

• Qualitative date (hard to analyse - cannot be put into a graph or analysed statistically)
  E.g. explain how you feel when you are stressed

Question 6

what are the weaknesses of open questionnaires

Answer 6

• Analysis of data is not straightforward; the researcher may have to sit through much irrelevant information

Question 7

what are the strengths of questionnaires

Answer 7

• Can be easily repeated in exactly the same way
• ppts more likely to be honest due to anonymity
• very quick to do and gain very large samples

Question 8

what are the weaknesses of questionnaires

Answer 8

• Response rate may be low if optional - high attrition rate - lots drop out

Question 9

how do we design questionnaires

Answer 9

Types of closed questions:
- Likert scales - Respondents indicate their agreement with a statement using a 5 point scale.
- Rating scales - respondents choose how strongly they feel about a topic.
- Fixed choice options - This includes a list of possible options and respondents indicate those that apply to them.

Filler questions:
- It can help to include some irrelevant questions to distract respondents of the main purpose and so reduce demand characteristics.
Sequence of questions:
- best to start with easy ones, leaving emotive questions (that may make respondents feel anxious or defensive) towards the end, so that they are more relaxed.
Pilot study:
- questions can be tested on a small group of people, so that questions can be refined if any problems are found.