ASSIGNMENT ON

Questionnaire design

Course: Business research methodology

Submitted to:
Mohammad Harisur Rahman Howladar
Professor
Department of Management
University of Chittagong

Submitted by:
Tahmina Rahman
ID: 16302010
Session: 2015-16
Department of management
University Of Chittagong

Date of submission: 09 June 2020

1) Discuss the different types of questionnaire.

The types of questions used in a survey will play a role in producing unbiased
or relevant survey responses. As the survey designer, consider the types of
questions to use and when it is appropriate to use them. Question types range
from open-ended (comments to essays) to closed-ended (yes/no, ranking, rating
scale, etc.)
A. Open ended questions
Open-ended questions are those that allow respondents to answer in their own
words. Open ended questions are used to collect qualitative data, which is more
in-depth and meaningful. Open-ended questions seek a free response and aim to
determine what is at the tip of the respondent’s mind. These are good to use
when asking for attitude or feelings, likes and dislikes, memory recall, opinions,
or additional comments. However, because the responses are more long-form,
the data can be time consuming to analyze.
Open ended question examples
 What is it like to live in the United States?
 How was your meal?
 What was the most memorable aspect of the festival?
B. Close ended questions
Closed-ended questions or forced-choice questions provide a number of
alternative answers from which the respondent is instructed to choose. These
types of questions only require a one-word answer, like yes or no. They’re
useful for collecting quantitative sets of data, where you’re looking for some
statistical significance in the results. Closed questions are usually quicker and
easier to answer, as they require minimal writing. They can also be used to
learn about your respondents or to test their knowledge on a subject.
This broad category of questions includes:
1. List question
2. Category question
3. Ranking Question
4. Rating question
5. Quantity question
6. Matrix question
I’ll describe each in greater detail below :
1. List Question
List questions offer the respondent a list of responses from which she or he can
choose either one or more responses. Such questions are useful when you need
to be sure that the respondent has considered all possible responses.
However, the list of responses must be defined clearly and meaningfully to the
respondent. The response categories you can use vary widely and include
‘yes/no’, ‘agree/disagree’ and ‘applies/does not apply’ along with ‘don’t know’
or ‘not sure’. If you intend to use what you hope is a complete list, you may
wish to add a catch-all category of ‘other’.
List Questions Example
What is your religion?
Please tick ✓ the appropriate box.
Buddhist ❑ Hindu ❑
Christian ❑ Jewish ❑
Muslim ❑ Sikh ❑
None ❑ Other ❑

2. Category Question:
Category questions are designed so that each respondent’s answer can fit only
one category. Such questions are particularly useful if you need to collect data
about behaviour or attributes. The number of categories is dependent on the type
of questionnaire. Self-completed questionnaires and telephone questionnaires
should usually have no more than five response categories. Structured
interviews can have more categories provided.
Category question example:
How often do you visit this shopping centre ?
Interviewer: listen to the respondent’s answer and tick ✓ as appropriate.
❑ First visit 2 or more times a week ❑
❑ Once a week Less than once a week to fortnightly ❑
❑ Less than fortnightly to once a month less often ❑

3. Ranking questions
Ask respondents to rank a set of options from first to last based on a factor
you’ve set. For instance, you could require that soda brands be ranked based on
their taste.
Each answer position will assign an answer option a weight and the average
weight of each result will be indicated in your results.
Ranking question example
Rank the following aspects of the store in order of importance from 1 to 5,
where 1 is most important to you and 5 is least important to you:
Rank
Cleanliness
Parking access
Availability of staff
Product range
Pricing
4. Rating questions
Rating scale questions are a great tool for measuring attitudes and opinions of
your respondents. You could ask them to what extent do they agree with a
statement or to assign a star rating to a movie or restaurant.
This question type can also be used to determine your Net Promoter Score
(customer loyalty).
Rating question examples
How likely are you to recommend our product/service to a friend?
Please, rate our restaurant out of 5 stars.
Overall, how happy were you with the event?

5. Quantity questions
The response to a quantity question is a number, which gives a factual amount
of a characteristic. For this reason, such questions tend to be used to collect
behaviour or attribute data.
Quantity question example:
A common quantity question, which collects attribute data, is:
What is your year of birth?
(for example for 1994) write: 1 9 9 4
Because the response to this question data is coded by the respondent, the
question can also be termed a self-coded question.

6. Matrix questions:
A matrix question is a group of multiple-choice questions displayed in a grid of
rows and columns. The rows present the questions to the respondents, and the
columns offer a set of predefined answer choices that apply to each question in
the row A matrix or grid of questions enables you to record the responses to two
or more similar questions at the same time.
Matrix Question Example:
As can be seen, questions are listed down the left-hand side of the page, and
responses listed across the top. The appropriate response to each question is
then recorded in the cell where the row and column meet.

2) What should be and should not be to make an effective

questionnaire?

A questionnaire is a technique for collecting data in which a respondent

provides answers to a series of questions. It involves creating questions that
accurately measure the opinions, experiences, and behaviors or actions of the
sampling of the public the survey will ask to respond.
There are some points involve making an effective questionnaire:

 Define the target respondents: At the outset, the researcher must define the
population about which he/she wishes to generalise from the sample data to
be collected. For example, in marketing research, researchers often have to
decide whether they should cover only existing users of the generic product
type or whether to also include non-users. Secondly, researchers have to
draw up a sampling frame. Thirdly, in designing the questionnaire we must
take into account factors such as the age, education, etc. of the target
respondents.
 Develop questions for your questionnaire: The questions that you develop
for your questionnaire should be clear, concise, and direct. This will ensure
that you get the best possible answers from your respondents.
Relevance and accuracy are the two most basic criteria to be met if the
questionnaire is to achieve the researcher’s purpose. A questionnaire is
relevant if no unnecessary information is collected and if only the
information needed to solve the marketing problem is obtained. Accuracy
means that the information is reliable and valid. While it is generally
believed that one should use simple, understandable, unbiased,
unambiguous, and nonirritating words, no step-by-step procedure can be
generalized.
 Develop the question wording: The choice of words and phrases in a
question is critical in expressing the meaning and intent of the question to
the respondent and ensuring that all respondents interpret the question the
same way. Even small wording differences can substantially affect the
answers people provide.
 Prioritize questions and limit the length of your questionnaire: A lengthy
or complicated survey leads to “respondent fatigue.” Respondents tend to be
most cooperative when the subject of the research is interesting. If questions
are lengthy, difficult to answer, or ego threatening, there is a high probability
of biased answers. And if you really must have a longer questionnaire, put
your most important questions near the beginning where respondents are
most engaged.
 Arrange a pilot test of your questionnaire: Testing your questionnaire
before field it will save the frustration of getting off-target answers. Ideally,
“pilot” test will be done with a smaller sample of the respondents plan to
send in the survey to. If there have the time and resources issues to do that,
it’s wise to at least test the questionnaire with a few people. The pilot test
 will help reveal any wording in your questions that is confusing or
ambiguous.
 Ensure you can protect privacy: Make your plan to protect respondents’
privacy before you begin writing your survey. This is a very important part
of many research projects.

Things should avoid making questionnaire:

 Leading Questions: A leading question is one that guides the respondents’

answers. Sometimes, we do it unknowingly and end up skewing the result.
As a researcher, we avoid creating biases within a survey questionnaire to
ensure a fair and objective study.
 Double-Negative Questions: Use of 2 negative words in a question can
confuse the respondents, who may misinterpret your question. Make sure
you phrase all your questions such that they are easy to understand and
follow.
 Double-Barreled Questions: This is a common oversight and can confuse
those participants who may fall in multiple categories. Make sure that the
answer choices don’t overlap with one another.
 Hypothetical Questions: Ask hypothetical questions when absolutely
necessary. They force respondents to imagine scenarios that they may be
clueless about. If the hypothetical question is a bit too vague, try putting it
out as an open ended question. This gives the respondents a wider canvas to
express their thoughts rather than limit them to our own imagination.
 Restricted Answer Options: Make sure that the answer options for a
question are exhaustive and account for each respondent’s choices. In
another word, don’t force a respondent to pick an answer option for lack of
a right one. Providing, “Other” as an answer option and letting them type
their response, always helps. How do you think someone who drives a
Honda car, will answer this question?
3) What are the ways of administering questionnaire? Discuss.

Administering questionnaires is the process of asking questions and recording

the answers. It is the process associated with delivering each of the five types of
questionnaires that we now consider.
a) Self-administered questionnaire
A self-administered questionnaire is completed by the respondent and not
administered by an interviewer.
Self-administered questionnaires can be internet-mediated, postal, and
delivering and collection which is given to the respondents. It is feasible in a
literate population if the questions are short and simple.
Internet and Intranet mediated Questionnaires
Self-administered questionnaires are administered electronically using the
Internet (Internet-mediated questionnaires) or intranet (intranet-mediated
questionnaires), it allows the collection of data through an electronic set of
questions that are posted on the web. Participants are invited to submit their
answers usually in simple checkboxes or drop-down menus. However, text
boxes can also be used to provide more detailed responses.
To administered such questionnaires need to follow the ways -

i. contact recipients by email and advise them to expect a questionnaire –(a

pre-survey contact)
ii. Email the hyperlink to the questionnaire with a covering email. Where
possible, the letter and questionnaire or hyperlink should be part of the
email message rather
iii. Than an attached file to avoid viruses. make sure that this will arrive
iv. When recipients are likely to be receptive. For most organizations Fridays
and days
v. surrounding major public holidays have been shown to be a poor time;
 vi. summaries the purpose of the research and include an explicit request for
the respondent’s consent in the welcome screen at the start of the
questionnaire
vii. Email the first follow-up one week after emailing out the questionnaire to
all recipients. This should thank early respondents and remind non-
respondents to answer
viii. Email the second follow-up to people who have not responded after three
weeks. This should include another covering letter and a copy of the
hyperlink. The covering letter should be reworded to further emphasise
the importance of completing the questionnaire;
ix. also use a third follow-up if time allows or your response rate is low;
x. When the respondent completes the questionnaire, their responses will be
saved automatically. However, you may need to select the online survey
tool option that prevents multiple responses from one respondent.

Postal Questionnaire
In this method paper questionnaires are sent by post to potential participants,
the paper questionnaires are completed by the participants themselves, and
returned by post to the survey organization.
To administered such questionnaires need to follow the ways -
i. Ensure that questionnaires and letters are printed, and envelopes
addressed.
ii. Contact recipients by post, telephone or email and advise them to expect
a questionnaire – a pre-survey contact. This stage is often omitted for cost
reasons.
iii. Post the survey with a cover letter and a return envelope. You should
make sure that this will arrive when recipients are likely to be receptive.
For most organizations Fri-days and days surrounding major public
holidays have been shown to be a poor time.
iv. Post (or email) the first follow-up one week after posting out the survey
to all recipients. For posted questionnaires, this should take the form of a
postcard designed to thank early respondents and to remind rather than to
persuade non-respondents.
v. Post the second follow-up to people who have not responded after three
weeks. This should contain another copy of the questionnaire, a new
return envelope and a new covering letter. The covering letter should be
reworded to emphasise further the importance of completing the
questionnaire. For anonymous questionnaires, a second follow-up will not
be possible, as you should not be able to tell who has responded!
vi. Also use a third follow-up if time allows or your response rate is low. For
this, it may be possible to use ‘signed for’ delivery (post), telephone calls
or even call in person to emphasise the importance of responding.
Delivery and Collection Questionnaires
Questionnaires are delivered by hand to each respondent and collected later.
To administered such questionnaires need to follow the ways -
i. Ensure that all questionnaires and covering letters are printed and a
collection box is ready.
ii. Contact respondents by email, internal post, telephone or text/SMS
advising them to attend a meeting or one of a series of meetings to be
held (preferably) in the organization’s time (Section 6.3).
iii. At the meeting or meetings, hand out the questionnaire with a cover letter
to each respondent.
iv. Introduce the questionnaire, stress its anonymous or confidential nature
and that participation is voluntary.
v. Ensure that respondents place their questionnaires in a collection box
before they leave the meeting
b) Interviewer-administered questionnaires
Interviews are the second approach, which is usually more personal and
probing. It can be telephoned and structured. A researcher has the opportunity to
ask follow-up questions to gain deeper insights, but the downside of the
interview is its time-consuming nature.

Telephone Questionnaires
Telephone interview is a data collection method when the interviewer
communicates with the respondent on the telephone in accordance with the
prepared questionnaire. Telephone interview is a quantitative research tool
practiced in public opinion, customer or other target group surveys.
To administered such questionnaires need to follow the ways -
i. ensure that all questionnaires are printed or, for CATI, that the survey
tool has been programmed and tested;
ii. where possible and resources allow, contact respondents by email, post or
telephone advising them to expect a telephone call (Section 6.3);
iii. Telephone each respondent, recording the date and time of call and
whether or not the questionnaire was completed. You should note any
specific times that have been arranged for call-backs. For calls that were
not successful you should note the reason, such as no reply or telephone
disconnected;
iv. for unsuccessful calls where there was no reply, try three more times,
each at a different time and on a different day, and note the same
information;
v. make call-back calls at the time arranged

Structured Interviews
Structured interviews (sometimes known as interview schedules), refers to those
questionnaires where interviewers physically meet respondents and ask the
questions face to face. These differ from semi structured and unstructured
interviews, as there is a defined schedule of questions, from which interviewers
should not deviate.
To administered such questionnaires need to follow the ways -
i. ensure that all questionnaires are printed or, for CAPI, that the survey tool
has been programmed and tested;
ii. Contact respondents by email, post or telephone advising them to expect
an interviewer to call within the next week. This stage is often omitted for
cost reasons;
iii. (for large-scale surveys) divide the sample into assignments that are of a
manageable size (50–100) for one interviewer;
iv. Contact each respondent or potential respondent in person, recording the
date and time of contact and whether or not the interview was completed.
You should note down any specific times that have been arranged for
return visits. For contacts that were not successful, you should note down
the reason;
v. try unsuccessful contacts at least twice more, each at a different time and
on a different day, and note down the same information;
vi. visit respondents at the times arranged for return visits

4. Develop an on-line based survey tool using open questions,

category questions, rating questions and ranking questions to
measure the “Factors affecting human behavior to follow the
guidelines during the pandemic time”.

Open Question;

 What changes do you notice in your day to day life during pandemic time?
 What is the most irritating thing you face in your day to day life during
pandemic?
 Limited to physical contact with people makes people more stressed,
monotonous, and sad- what is your opinion?
 What usually you do now when you come from outside?

Category Question:

 How many times a day do you wash your hand?

1) 10-12 times a day
2) 7-8 times a day
3) 3-4 times a day

 How often do you disinfectant your phone, door knob, key board ?
1) Onec a day
2) 2-3 times a day
3) 2-3 days a week
4) Once a week
5) never

Rating question:

 How worried do you feel when your family member go outside??

1) not worried
2) very slightly worried
3) fairly worried
4) worried a lot
5) very worried
Ranking question:

 Which measures should take to protect themselves from the coronavirus?

please rank the following on order of importance 1-6 :
1) The stockpiling of food
2) The use of face mask
3) The increased use of hand sanitizer
4) The increased washing hand
5) Social distancing
6) The reduced use of public transporting