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
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:
- Deals with a
significant topic and it will also so appear to the respondents.
- Seeks
information, which is not available in other sources.
- As short as
possible and yet comprehensive enough to get essential information.
- Contains clear
and complete directions.
- Items are
arranged in appropriate categories to ensure easy and accurate responses.
- 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 3rd
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.
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