Chapter Eight: Elements in Designing a

Questionnaire
In social research, we frequently use a questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. For the
survey, the questionnaire is critical. Even for qualitative studies, it might be used in addition to
other methods. Questionnaire design occurs only after the conceptualization stage has been
satisfactorily completed. This means that the variables in the hypothesis have been
operationalized, and their attributes identified. For example, suppose the hypothesis is:
"Sustained school attendance in students from families below the poverty line is directly related
to the type of school feeding programme in that school." Taking one variable from this
hypothesis, the type of school feeding programme is operationally defined as a programme
instituted in school that provides balanced lunches and breakfasts to students at no cost. To
design the questionnaire, the researcher must clarify the attributes of the dependent and
independent variables, as well as any additional variables that will influence the types of
questions being asked. For example, this includes aspects such as the content of meals, time
served, size of the programme, availability, and attractiveness.

Elements in Designing a Questionnaire

There must be some limit to the number of questions included, directly dependent on how well
the variables have been operationalized and a specific hypothesis defined. You cannot measure
everything in one questionnaire; clarity and precision are essential in determining what you
intend to measure.

Designing a questionnaire requires both technical and artistic skills. The terms used to describe
the process and the questionnaire itself—such as "formulate," "construct," "design,"
"instrument," and "tool"—attest to this. There are five essential elements of questionnaire design,
easy to remember using the 'A B C D E' formation:

1. Answers: The aim in interviewing is to obtain answers to all questions applicable to the
respondent. This has implications for questionnaire design, including wording, sequence,
the use of categories, and recording issues.
2. Basics: Any questionnaire can be made more friendly, thereby encouraging ease in
interviewing, responding, and recording.
3. Content: This represents the focus of the questionnaire, which must be determined and
refined prior to commencing the design. It is easy to lose sight of the design perspective
if the content has not been refined.
4. Design: Often overlooked, this element relates to aesthetics such as layout, style, length,
and burden.
5. Exploration: This involves the more complex issues related to achieving the objectives
through instrument design, including measuring attitudes, pretesting
questions/questionnaires/the interviewing process, and cultural components.
Rules of Questionnaire Design
It is important to remember the following points throughout the questionnaire design process:

1. The researcher must remain objective throughout the design process.

2. The instrument will be used by different interviewers, so it must be clear and easy to
follow.
3. The questions will be answered by different respondents.
4. Respondents are chosen to be representative of some population; therefore,
standardization is essential to the overall process.
5. The standardization process is simplified with a simple instrument that both interviewers
and respondents can relate to and utilize with ease.
6. A significant amount of work is put into conducting a good survey, and the questionnaire
is a critical element; it is better to design a good questionnaire at the start than to regret
poor choices at the end.

Introduction to Social Research

These are the basic rules of good questionnaire design:

1. Every question must ask one and only one question. It is easy to confuse the respondent
by asking more than one question in a simple sentence. For example, "Which method of
transportation would you prefer in the evenings or mornings? Bus or train?" consists of
two related questions that deserve to be separated.
2. Questions must use simple and appropriate language. Since the purpose of scientific
research is to elicit valid and reliable information, using words, slang, or terms that the
respondent will not understand makes little sense. Jargon should be restricted to
situations where it is necessary and understood. The researcher should ensure that the
language of the questionnaire considers the type of respondents, making it clearly
understood.
3. Questions must be concise, focused, and unambiguous. The question should be
immediately clear in its meaning. For instance, "Does your daughter usually stay at home
with you?" lacks clarity about what "stay at home" means—whether it refers to living
there or staying inside.
4. Questions should not lead the respondent. For example, "The last time you smoked was
last week, wasn't it?" presumes the respondent smoked last week. It is essential first to
ascertain whether the person smoked and then, if relevant, inquire about frequency.
5. The questionnaire must not be too long or burdensome to either the interviewer or
interviewee. It should not tire, bore, or irritate. While there is no strict rule regarding the
number of questions, the questionnaire should flow logically, with a clear beginning,
middle, and end, and conclude with a 'Thank you.'
6. In designing a questionnaire, it is best to seek information at the most basic level,
avoiding overly complex coded responses for numerical data.

Formatting
A questionnaire needs to be attractive. Attention to format and layout ensures greater clarity in
comprehension, interviewing, and responding. This is especially important for mailed
questionnaires. For example, sending an instrument with small print, a cluttered layout, and/or
poor directions may decrease the response rate, as potential respondents might discard it.

Formatting applies to:

• Layout
• Typing (fonts should be uniform)
• Use of headings to separate sections
• Numbering of questions to ensure sequence
• Placement of instructions

Instructions such as skip questions and repeats should be kept to a minimum. For example:

Does your father raise livestock? (Tick one only)

Yes, full-time
Yes, part-time
No

If No, skip the following section. If Yes, continue.

This could also be phrased as:
If No, go to section C. If Yes, continue.

Such instructions can become tedious. Therefore, it is best to design a questionnaire with entire
sections relating to subgroups, keeping relevant questions together.

Mastering these guidelines for questionnaire design requires practice, highlighting the art of
questionnaire design. Reviewing existing questionnaires is always helpful.

Increasingly, we design questionnaires for large samples with the intent that responses will be
entered into data management software. This has implications for formatting, as all ticks, Xs, and
similar notations must eventually be transformed into numbers during the editing-coding stage.
Allowance should be made in the initial design phase for appropriate recording on the
questionnaire.

The length of and spacing between lines is also important. For instance, if a respondent is asked
to fill in a response to "What is your address?" there should be enough space to write a full
standard address comfortably.

Good questionnaires should, as a rule, be accompanied by:

a) An introduction;
b) A covering letter.

Basics and Layout of a Typical Questionnaire

The Introduction

The introduction serves to introduce the interviewer and the research. It establishes the
interviewer's name, the agency/institution they are associated with, and concisely explains the
research's purpose. It also informs the respondent about the sample selection method, what will
be done with the research findings, and assures confidentiality. However, it must avoid making
unfulfillable promises and should not misrepresent the research intent. The introduction is
typically concise, either as a long paragraph or a page, placed at the beginning of the
questionnaire.

The Covering Letter

A covering letter is often used for institutional surveys and is sent to the agency or institution
from which the sample is to be selected. It includes the proper title for the research, identifies
who is responsible for the study, explains the study's purpose, establishes the procedure for
sample selection, and requests permission for the study to take place within the
agency/organization/institution. It also identifies the actual interviewers.

Title

ID:
INT. #:

SECTION I. Introduction

Hello, my name is ________________________________________ and I'm from

______________________________________.
We are conducting a survey about ________________________, and you/your household
have/has been chosen according to ____________________.

SECTION II. Demographic Information on Respondent

This section can be placed either at the beginning or at the end. It includes questions about the
respondent's position in the household, age, gender, head of household, last born in the
household, and any other questions useful for contextualizing later responses.

SECTION III. Icebreaker Questions

This section includes general questions relevant to the study's focus but non-threatening to the
respondent. Questions may come from substantive or demographic areas, serving to put the
respondent at ease. Such questions should be relatively few in number to avoid raising doubts
about relevance.

SECTION IV. Substantive Questions

The more serious issues to be investigated are positioned here. While there is no strict limit to the
number of questions, the following are important:

1. Structure the questions in a logical sequence, moving from general to specific.

2. Focus on what is important rather than what is interesting.

SECTION V. Demographic Questions

Questions relating to demographic background are vital for contextualizing and analyzing the
survey questionnaire. However, the relevance of these questions may not always be evident to
the respondent. Thus, it is important to introduce this section by indicating that the upcoming
questions will help the researcher place previous answers into context for analysis.

A standard written closure should be provided so that all respondents are universally
acknowledged. For example:

"We have now come to the end of the interview, and want to thank you for your cooperation. Are
there any questions you would like to ask?"

The Questions and Their Responses

There are various ways to format question responses. There are two main types of questions used
in surveys: 'open' (or open-ended) and 'closed' (or close-ended). In an open-ended question, the
respondent answers a question with no boundaries on the type or format of their response. In a
closed question, however, the researcher creates a set of responses from which the respondent
must choose.

A list of response formats that can be included in questionnaires is provided below:

1. Dichotomous Response: This response requires a yes/no answer, as in "Do you smoke?"
(Yes or No).
2. Multiple Choice: The respondent is presented with a list of possible options to choose
from. For example: "What is your preferred transport?" with choices such as (a) bus, (b)
train, (c) taxi, (d) private car, etc.
3. Ranking Questions: Respondents are required to rank preferences in order from most
preferred to least preferred. For example, "Rank the following transportation methods
from 1 to 5, with 1 being your most preferred: a) bus, b) train, c) taxi, d) private car, e)
bicycle."
4. Rating Scale Questions: Respondents indicate their level of agreement or disagreement
with a statement, such as "I enjoy riding my bicycle" on a scale of 1 (Strongly disagree)
to 5 (Strongly agree).
5. Open-ended Questions: Respondents are invited to answer freely without restriction.
For example: "What do you think about the public transportation system in your area?"

When designing questions, avoid overlapping categories and minimize ambiguity. Categories
should not overlap; for instance, age ranges must be clearly defined without gaps.
Overall, attention to question design is vital to achieving valid and reliable data collection in the
social research process.