Questionnaire Method

3) Define Likert scale and Thurstone scale.

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3.7 THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS TO BE INCLUDED

IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE
A high response rate to a questionnaire is most likely to be achieved, if people find
themselves wondering what other people are saying in reply to the questions because
they want to know what other people are doing (especially if they know that the
results will be made public), or if they find the questions or tasks set of interest in
themselves.
How can we make questionnaires more interesting? This can be done if we keep the
following in our view:
 Instead of staying within the confines of the traditional question and answer
mode, put across a few challenging questions? To cite an example, what are
the reasons for parents not allowing their youngsters to go for night parties?
 If you have a choice to get an item that is most important and that too when
ever you need it for your writing, what would it be?
 Another way is to use examples or vignettes and asking questions based on the
same.
 Or you can ask people to change the chosen scenario to make it a closer fit
to their own working behaviour by adding words, crossing out bits or changing
numbers.
 To give an example, faced with someone who spends two hours every day
reading and responding to e-mails, someone else might change the description
to make the pattern less regular or to reduce the time. It was not too difficult
to devise a set of rules for interpreting the changes made to reflect emerging
differences.
 Another method is to present people with photographs, drawings or plans of a
real or imagined information service area and asking for comments of the
respondents. This would provide an excellent response from the participants.

3.8 QUESTIONNAIRES: WHY THEY DON’T WORK?

Despite all our best efforts, sometimes the questionnaires are not effective and they
do not work.
The reasons for the same include the following:
1) Highly complicated.
2) Require more than one answer.
3) Not relevant to the culture.
4) Use of jargons. 41
Tools of Data Collection 5) They are highly biased and touches upon sensitive area.
6) Embarrasses the respondent.
7) Confuses the Respondent.
Designing a questionnaire is a complicated process. There are mainly three main
types of questionnaires: 1) Mail or self administered questionnaire; 2) Face to face
interviews; 3) Telephone Interviews.
Always send a covering letter to the questionnaire, If you’re sending a cover letter,
be sure to use letterhead stationary and have the principal investigator or someone
of renown from the funding agency sign it to add prestige.
Your cover and advance letters should include the following:
a) a brief explanation of the study
b) an explanation of how you obtained the respondent’s name
c) why it is important that each “sampled” respondent cooperate, and
d) a short assurance of confidentiality.
Your mailing envelope should include the words “Address Correction Requested.”
Don’t forget to include a stamped self-addressed envelope for the respondent to
return the completed form.
It is a good idea to include your name and address on the questionnaire itself, in case
the respondent loses the enclosed return envelope.
A few things to remember when planning a mail survey:
 Avoid mailing during holiday periods.
 Do not have forms arrive on the first of the month.
 If mailing to businesses, do not have forms arrive on the first day of the business
week.
 If you plan only two questionnaire mailings, you might want a reminder postcard
between mailings or a telephone follow-up. Do not send a postcard if you have
planned three questionnaire mailings.
 Be sure to allow at least two weeks between mailings.
 Change your cover letter for both the second and third mailings.
 If possible, change the questionnaire for follow-up mailings and include a new
question.
 When writing questionnaires that respondents will see, it is very important that
you present a professional-looking document so that the respondents will know
this is a serious research effort.
 Never send Xerox copies of loose pages held together with a staple in the
upper corner.
 Always have the forms printed in a booklet, either saddle-stapled or glued, and
use a heavier paper for the cover.
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