A questionnaire is a structured data collection tool used in research to gather information from individuals. It consists of a series of written questions designed to capture opinions, experiences, behaviors, or demographic details.
Questionnaires are widely used in social research, market research, and evaluations due to their flexibility and efficiency in collecting large amounts of data. They can be administered in person, by mail, over the phone, or online.
Questionnaires primarily have the following types of questions:
- Closed-ended questions: These provide respondents with predefined answer choices. These are easy to analyze and commonly used in quantitative research.
- Example: How satisfied are you with the service? (Very satisfied, Satisfied, Neutral, Dissatisfied)
- Open-ended questions: These questions allow respondents to provide detailed, free-text responses, offering deeper insights for qualitative research.
- Example: What improvements would you suggest for the service?
Some advantages of questionnaires include: #
- Cost-effective and scalable: Questionnaires can reach large audiences quickly at a low cost.
- Anonymity: Respondents may feel more comfortable sharing honest answers.
- Standardization: Questionnaires ensure consistency across responses.
Limitations of questionnaires #
Questionnaires, however, are not without challenges. Poorly designed questions can lead to biased responses, and low response rates may affect the validity of the data. Additionally, respondents may misinterpret questions without the opportunity for clarification.
Questionnaires are powerful tools for gathering data, provided they are well-designed and aligned with the research objectives. Crafting clear, unbiased questions is key to obtaining reliable and meaningful results.
List of recommended resources #
For a broad overview #
Questionnaire: Definition, How to Design, Types and Examples
This article by QualtricsXM delineates the various advantages and disadvantages of using a questionnaire in research as well as provides a detailed guide on how to create a good questionnaire along with examples.
Questionnaire Design | Methods, Question Types & Examples
This article by Pritha Bhandari on Scribbr gives a brief overview of questionnaire design, different questionnaire methods and types of questions, how questionnaires are different from surveys as well as a step-by-step guide to design questionnaires.
For in-depth understanding #
Constructing Effective Questionnaires
This book by Robert A. Peterson provides a comprehensive understanding of questionnaire design and construction. Peterson discusses the process of questionnaire construction, types of questions, rating scales as well as evaluation.
Advances in Questionnaire Design, Development, Evaluation and Testing
This book brings together leading papers from the Second International Conference on Questionnaire Design, Development, Evaluation, and Testing (QDET2) and assesses the current state of the art and science of QDET. It examines the importance of methodological attention to the questionnaire in the present world of information collection and postulates on how the QDET field can anticipate new trends and directions as information needs and data collection methods continue to evolve.
Case study #
This report published by World Bank provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector.The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. The report draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys.
Designing Household Survey Questionnaires for Developing Countries
This book by Paul Glewwe and Margaret Grosh provides detailed advice on how to design multi-topic household surveys based on the experience of past household surveys. The book helps in defining objectives, identifying data needed to analyze objectives, and in drafting questionnaires to collect such data.
