Research techniques Questionnaires

Research techniques Questionnaires

‘Can be an effective means of measuring the behaviour, attitudes, preferences, opinions and, intentions of relatively large numbers of subjects more cheaply and quickly than other methods’

A form of primary research that can be carried out online (electronic), postal (printed), delivery and collection, telephone and interview/face to face.

Advantages

·      can use open and closed questions open = qualitative, closed = quantitate

·      less time consuming

·      can be sent to wider range of people in a shorter amount of time

·      closed questions easily analysed

·      cheap

·      standardised

    Test reliability

Disadvantages

·      can have a low rate of return

·      open questions can be hard to analyse

·      social desirability bias

·      Can lack detail

·      May get lost in post

Creating a questionnaire.

1} Aim? What is the purpose of the questionnaire and what questions will be asked to investigate this aim, ‘Find out the views of 18-25-year olds when it comes to music videos and what they would like to see in them’.

2} Length? How many questions will be in the questionnaire? Ideally 8-12 questions, keep it short in order to maintain the participants attention and interest. Length of individual questions should also be fairly short with a maximum of 5 possible answers in order to not confuse the participant as well as making sure analysis of responses isn’t too complicated.

3} Question order? Questionnaires should start with the easiest/ simpler questions first and build up to more detailed ones so that the participant doesn’t feel overloaded with difficult questions. Work down from least emotive questions to more emotive questions as well as making sure previous questions don’t influence the ones following. Ideally open questions will be left until last. 

4} Terminology? Make sure that the wording of the questionnaire isn’t too technical and that it is simple and easy to understand so that the participant doesn’t put down the wrong answer due to confusion.

5} Presentation? Make sure that it looks simple and sophisticated so that the participants don’t feel put off by a confusing layout. Make sure that the instructions are clear and easy to follow for more reliable results. 

References

·     McLeod, S. A. (2018). Questionnaire. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/questionnaires.html(accessed 1^st feb 2019)