BUSINESS RESEARCH

METHODS
Prof.Radhika Kiran Kumar
Indira Institute of Business Management
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Questionnaire Design
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Questionnaire
» Questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of series of questions
written or verbal that a respondent answer.
» A questionnaire is a formalized set of questions
for obtaining the information right.
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Questionnaire Objectives
» It must translate the information needed into a set of
specific questions that the respondents can and will
answer.
» A questionnaire must uplift, motivate and encourage
the respondent to become involved in their interview
to cooperate and to complete the interview.
» It should be minimizing the response error.
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Types of Questionnaire
» Questionnaires can be classified as both, quantitative and
qualitative method depending on the nature of questions. ...
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Computer Questionnaire
Respondents are asked to answer the questionnaire which is
sent by mail
Advantages : Inexpensive price, time-
efficiency, and respondents do not feel pressured, therefore
can answer when they have time, giving more accurate
answers
Shortcoming : Sometimes respondents do
not bother answering them and they can just ignore the
questionnaire
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Telephone questionnaire
Researcher may choose to call potential respondents with the
aim of getting them to answer the questionnaire
Advantage : It can be completed during the
short amount of time
Disadvantage : It is expensive most of the
time
Most people do not feel comfortable to
answer many questions asked through the
phone
It is difficult to get sample group to answer
questionnaire over the phone
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In-house survey
This type of questionnaire involves the
researcher visiting respondents in their houses or
workplaces
Advantages : The advantage of in-house survey is that more
focus towards the questions can be
gained from respondents
Disadvantage : Time consuming, more expensive and
respondents may not wish to have the researcher in their houses
or workplaces for various reasons
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Mail Questionnaire
This sort of questionnaires involve the researcher to send the
questionnaire list to respondents through post, often
attaching pre-paid envelope
Advantages : Providing more accurate answer, because
respondents can answer the questionnaire in their spare time
Disadvantages : Associated with mail questionnaires include
them being expensive, time consuming and sometimes they end
up in the bin put by respondents
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Questionnaire design process

Specify the information needed

Specify the type of interviewing method

Determine the content of Individual question

Design the questions to overcome the respondent’s

inability and unwillingness to answer
Decide the question structure

Determine the question wording

Arrange the questions in proper order

Identify the form and layout

Reproduce the questionnaire

Pre-testing
Step 1:Specify the information needed

» Ensure that the information obtained fully addresses

all the components of the problem.
» Review components of the problem and the approach,
particularly the research questions the hypotheses and
specification of information needed.
Step 2:Specify the type of interviewing method

» The type of interviewing method influences the

design and form of questionnaire being constructed.
Effect of interviewing
method on design
» Mail or Electronic

Eg: Rank order

Effect of interviewing
method on design
Electronic questionnaire
Effect of interviewing
method on design
Telephonic questionnaire
Effect of interviewing
method on design
Personal questionnaire
Step 3:Determine the content of individual question
» Once the interview method is clearly established, the next step is
determining the contents of individual questions.
» Following questions to be taken care of:

1. Are multiple questions needed instead of one to obtain the

required information in an unambiguous manner?

2. Is the question necessary?

3. Do not use double-barreled questions.
 Step 3:Determine the content of individual question
» Sometimes, Multiple questions are needed to obtain the information in
an unambiguous manner
For Example:
Do you think Sprite is a tasty and refreshing soft drink? (Incorrect)
Such a question is called double-barreled question, because two or more
questions are combined into one. To obtain the required information, two
different questions to be asked.
Do you think Sprite is a tasty soft drink? (Correct)
Do you think Sprite is a refreshing drink? (Correct)
Step 4:Overcoming Inability and unwillingness to answer

» Researcher should not assume respondents can provide

reasonable and accurate answers to all questions.
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Overcoming inability to Answer

Is the Respondent informed?

» In situations where not all respondents are likely to

be informed about the topic of interest, filter questions that
measure familiarity and past experience should be asked
before opening of the topic.
» A don’t know option appears to reduce uninformed responses
without reducing the response rate.
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Overcoming inability to Answer

Can the Respondent Remember?
» How many gallons of soft drinks do you consume, did you
consume during the last four weeks? (Incorrect)

» How often do you consume soft drinks in a week? (Correct)

- Less than once a week
- 1 to 3 times per week
- 4 to 6 times per week
- 7 or more times per week
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Overcoming inability to Answer

Can the Respondent Articulate?
» Respondents may be unable to articulate certain types of
responses for e.g. describe the atmosphere of a departmental
store.

» Respondents should be given aids such as pictures, maps and

descriptions to help them articulate their responses.
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Overcoming Unwillingness to
Answer
Effort of the respondents required
» Respondents unwilling to respond because too much effort is
required

» Sensitive information
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Overcoming Unwillingness to
Answer
» Please list all the departments from which you
purchased merchandise on your most recent shopping trip to a
mall.(Incorrect)
» In the list that follows, please check all the departments from
which you have purchased from the recent shopping trip to a
mall.
1.Dresses
2.Cosmetics
3.Jewellery……Others (Correct)
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Overcoming Unwillingness to
Answer
To increase the willingness of respondents
» Sensitive topics at the end of the questionnaire
» Ask the question using third person technique
» Hide the question in a group of other questions which
respondents are willing to answer. The entire list of questions
can then be answered quickly.
Step 5:Choose question structure

» Unstructured questions are open ended questions that

respondents answer in their own words.
For Eg:
What is your favourite movie?
Step 5:Choose question structure

» Structured questions specify the set of response

alternatives and the response format. A structured
question may be multiple-choice, dichotomous or a
scale.
 Step 6:Choose question wording

» Define the issue in terms of who, what, when,where,why

and way(6 W’s)
» Use ordinary words
» Avoid ambiguous words
» Avoid leading questions
» Avoid Implicit assumptions
» Use positive and negative statements
 Step 6:Choose question wording

» Define the issue

» Example: Which brand of shampoo do you use?
» Which brand or brands of shampoo have you personally used
at home during the last month?
 Step 6:Choose question wording

» Use Ordinary words

» Do you think distribution of soft drinks is adequate?
(Incorrect)
» Do you think soft drinks are readily available when you want
to buy them? (Correct)
 Step 6:Choose question wording

» Use unambiguous words

» In a typical month how many, how often do you shop?

-Never - 1 or 2 times
-Occasionally - more than 3 times
-Sometimes
-Regularly
 Step 6:Choose question wording

» Avoid Leading questions

» A leading question is one that clues the respondent to what
the answer should be.
» Do you think lockdown to be lifted as economy is badly
affected?(Incorrect)
» Do you think Lockdown to be lifted? (Correct)
 Step 6:Choose question wording

» Avoid Implicit questions

» Questions should not be worded so that the answer is
dependent upon implicit assumptions about what will happen
as a consequence.
» Are you in favour of balanced budget?(Incorrect)
» Are you in favour of balanced budget if it would result in an
increase in the personal Income tax?(Correct)
 Step 7:Determine the order of questions

» The Opening question to be interesting and simple

» Logical Order
» Complicated questions at the end
» Branching the questions
 Step 8: Form and Layout

» Divide a questionnaire into several parts.

» The questions in each part should be numbered,
particularly when branching questions are used
» The questionnaires should be preferably precoded.
 Step 9: Reproduction of questionnaire

» Professional appearance.
» Long questionnaires to be in booklet form.
 Step 10: Pretesting

» Testing before the final study

» Small Sample size
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THANKS!
Any questions?