5 Tips on Making an Effective Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a cheap and simple type of survey to gather information you need. Oftentimes, it is easier to administer and the data can also be compiled without much effort.
So how do you make an effective questionnaire?
Consider the questionnaire length. If your questionnaire is too long, more often than not the respondents will not finish it or they will skip answering some of the questions. Also consider the length of your questions. Ask one question at a time only to get your message across clearly. Respondents may not understand your questions well if they are too long or ask many things at a time.
Phrase your questions properly. The questions should be easily understood by different respondents. Your respondents may have different cultural backgrounds and have differences in educational attainment. Therefore, use simple and straightforward questions written in a conversational manner. Also avoid using negative questions or double negatives. These could make the question confusing.
Be careful in ordering the questions. The questions should have a logical flow, with related questions or questions about a single topic following each other before moving on to another.
The order of the questions can either encourage or discourage a respondent to finish a questionnaire. Respondents spend their own time to answer the questionnaires. If you want them to complete the questionnaire, place the easy questions first so they will feel comfortable to continue answering the rest.
If possible, have an ‘open’ answer category among the choices of answers. Answers in quesionnaires are standardized. Even if we are careful to include all the possible answers, some respondents have answers not included in our list.
Before finalizing your questionnaire, have it read by co-workers or other reliable people. You can also test it on some individuals representing different kinds of respondents. Make the necessary changes in your questionnaire and then you are all set to do your survey.
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