QUESTIONNAIRE.

Introduction

This method of data collection is quite popular, particularly in case of big enquiries. It is being adopted by private individuals, research workers, private and public organizations and even by governments.

The general category of inquiry forms includes data-gathering instruments through which respondents answer questions or respond to statements in writing.

A questionnaire is used when factual information is desired. When opinions rather than facts are desired, an opinionnaire or attitude scale is used.

Of course these two purposes can be combined into one form that is usually referred to as a questionnaire.

Although the foregoing discussion may seem to discredit the questionnaire as a respectable research technique, we have tried to consider the abuse or misuse of the device. Actually the questionnaire has unique advantages, and properly constructed and administered, it may serve as a most appropriate and useful data-gathering device in a research project.

 Definitions    

                                                                                                                                                                                   

According to C.A. Moser: “without doubt the mailed questionnaire is generally quicker and cheaper then other methods.

 According to Goode and Hatt “questionnaire refers to a device for securing answers to questions by using a form which the respondent fills in himself”.

           

According to Barr, Davis and Johnson define questionnaire as “a systematic compilation of questions that are submitted to a sampling of populations from which information is desired”.

            The apparent ease of planning and using a questionnaire tend to make it appealing to put in unwarranted excessive use in research. Often referred to as “the lazy man’s way of gaining information”, both qualitative and quantitative information. Careful preparation of good questionnaire takes a great deal of time, ingenuity and hard work.

Measures of Questionnaire:

The most frequent misuses as stated by Abelson are:

i)                    Request for information, which is available in other sources.

ii)                  Sheer lengths of response, often discourage the busy respondents.

iii)                Frequent inclusion of questions of apparent importance.

iv)                Inclusion of leading questions or suggestive questions.

v)                  Common occurrence of equivocal questions, i.e., questions having the same sense but expressed in different words.

Types of questionnaire

The two important forms of questionnaire are:

i)                    The closed form or Restricted Questionnaire

ii)                  The open form or Unrestricted Questionnaire.

i)                    Closed Form:

It calls for short check responses. It provides for making a ‘Yes’ or’ ‘No’, a short response, or just a check from a list of suggested responses.

Merits:

a)      Easy to respond.

b)     Takes little time

c)      Keeps respondent on the track of the subject

d)     Obtained responses can be easily tabulated and analyzed.

Limitations:

a)      List of responses provided may not be complete/ exhaustive.

b)     No opportunity is given to include supplementary or explanatory information.

ii) Open-End form:

 It is otherwise known as free response or instructed form, which calls for a free response in the respondent’s own words. It provides for greater depth of response. The items here are objective as the respondents reveal their own frames of reference rather than the researchers.

Limitations:

i)                    The responses obtained are sometimes difficult to interpret, tabulate and summaries in a research report.

ii)                  There is chance for the respondents to go out of track in their responses.

Many questionnaires include both the open and the closed type of items in combination. Each type has its merits and limitations and questionnaire framer must decide which type is likely to supply the information required.

When we are using Questionnaire:

i)                    When large amount of factual information is to be obtained from persons distributed at different regions, economical status, occupations etc.

ii)                  When other sources or tools of research cannot be effectively used within a reasonable space of time.

iii)                When respondents are in a large number and that too widely scattered.

Characteristics of a Good Questionnaire:

1. Deals with a significant topic and it will also so appear to the respondents.
2. Seeks information, which is not available in other sources.
3. As short as possible and yet comprehensive enough to get essential information.
4. Contains clear and complete directions.
5. Items are arranged in appropriate categories to ensure easy and accurate responses.
6. Items should be objective in nature and avoid.

                                                    

a) Double negatives.

E.g. Central Government should not grant aid to those states in which    educational opportunities are equal.

b) Double-barreled questions. (Dividing them into two)

    E.g. did you stop beating your wife?

            c) Unwarranted assumption

  e.g. To the question “Are you satisfied with the salary that you received last      year?” “No” answer might mean that the respondent did not get any raise, or that he is not satisfied with the raise that he got.

    7. Terms that could be easily misinterpreted are well defined

e.g.” What are you doing now?” may fetch the answer “filling out your silly          questionnaire”.

8. Descriptive adjectives and adverbs with no definite agreed upon meaning are used    carefully.

  E.g., ‘Frequently’, ‘Occasionally’, ‘Sometimes’ etc. may mean different things to different persons.

9. Alternative provided for respondents are adequate.

 e.g.

    Marital status: Yes/No does not provide for alternatives for respondents who are widowed or separated.

10. When asking for ratings, suitable grading categories are to be provided.

11. Response categories are fixed by the researcher rather than allowing the respondents to have their own categories.

E.g. To get the information of the occupation of the pupil’s father the following categories may be inadequate.

a) Unskilled labour

b) Skilled labour

c) Clerical labour

d) Managerial work

e) Profession

f) Proprietorship

Instead, questions to be asked:

i)                    At what place does your father work?

ii)                  What work does he do?

12. Items are arranged in good order, proceeding from general to more specific responses, from simple to complex.

13. It avoids annoying or embarrassing questions.

14. Responses should yield themselves for easy tabulation, interpretation and analysis.

The Importance of Questionnaire Method

Owing to the above-mentioned limitations of the questionnaire method, it is unsuitable in many social problems and if used, the conclusion will be highly unreliable. As a matter of fact, this method has application in a very narrow field. It can be used only if the respondents are educated and willing to cooperate; this makes its application very narrow. However, if the problem concerns mainly the educated middle class, 100% success is possible through the use of this method. In brief, in spite of limitations, the mailed questionnaire is an important research tool. Following are its merits:

1.      Economical: The questionnaire requires paper, printing and postage only. There is no need in it to visit the respondents personally or continue the study over a long period. Accordingly, in comparison with other methods, the mailed questionnaire is by far the cheapest and quickest research method.

2.      Time Saving: Besides saving money, the mailed questionnaire also saves time. Simultaneously, hundreds of persons are approached through it whereas if they are to be interviewed it may take very long time.

3.      Most Reliable in Special Cases: As noted above in certain problems a mailed questionnaire is not only suitable but a preferred technique of research. For example, if we study the problems of 3^rd class railway passengers or the housing needs of teachers, the respondents will cooperate willingly and give true information because, upon it, depends the relief measures badly needed by them.

4.      Research in wide Area: When we have to make research about people living at great distances, the mailed questionnaire can be the only means of research if a researcher can undertake to travel the whole world; but by mailed questionnaire, people living in all countries can be approached.

5.      Suitable in Special Type of Response: The information about certain problems can be best obtained through questionnaire method. For example, the research about sexual habits, marital relations, dreams etc. can be easily obtained by keeping the names of respondents anonymous.

From the above it is clear that though not in many, yet in some cases the method in question is highly suitable.

Suggestions for construction of a Good Questionnaire

1.      Respondents: To consider the psychology of the respondents. The respondents willingness, honesty and ability to answer questions are of utmost importance. He is usually a stranger, who is neither interested in the investigator nor in his project. He may be a very busy person, and his administrative responsibility may make heavy demands on his time. The investigator must put himself in the respondents position to see how his attention, sympathy and cooperation can be secured. He should try to minimize the demands on his time.

2.      Simplicity: One can make the responses simple by providing a variety of possible answers and requiring the respondents to put a check mark against the correct ones.

3.      Importance: One should not undertake a questionnaire study, unless the problem is really important from the point of view of others. It should appear to be worth investigation to the respondents. It should be accompanied by a brief introductory letter explaining the purpose of investigation and show how the respondents cooperation will benefit him or a noble cause. It should contain suitable instructions for filling in it.

4.      Eliminating irrelevant items: Efforts should be made to eliminate irrelevant items, which may not be helpful in interpretation of results. Weeding out of unnecessary and trivial questions for making the questionnaire as brief as possible is very important.

5.      Average Respondents Situation: In framing the questionnaire, the situation in which the average respondent works should be taken into consideration. It is frequently noticed that questionnaires are prepared with reference to institutions of smaller size or with reference to institutions, which are financially or otherwise more happily placed, and these are applied where those conditions do not prevail. Thus the responses are irrelevant and useless.

6.      Importance of each question: The importance of each question must be clear to the researcher as well as the recipient. All the items must be free from technical and ambiguous terms so that the recipients can give their responses without consulting others. If any technical terms have to be used, they must be explained in the body of the questionnaire.

7.      May be summarized: As far as possible, the response should be of such a nature as can be easily summarized in some form. However, they need not necessarily be quantitative or of yes or no character, or check mark type.

8.      Avoid opinions: Questions eliciting opinion should be avoided unless opinions are worth getting.

9.      Avoid Subjectivity: Questions permitting subjective responses should be minimized.

10.  Codification: Where the responses are too large to be counted, it is always advisable to resort to coding symbols, which can be punched and weighed for summarizing purposes.