Questionnaire design is a long process that demands careful attention. Design begins with an understanding of the capabilities of a questionnaire and how they can help the research. If it is determined that a questionnaire is to be used, the greatest care goes into the planning of the objectives. Questionnaires are like any scientific experiment. One does not collect data and then see if they found something interesting. One forms a hypothesis and an experiment that will help prove or disprove the hypothesis.
Questionnaires are versatile, allowing the collection of both subjective and objective data through the use of open or closed format questions. However, a questionnaire is only as good as the questions it contains. Mindful review and testing is necessary to weed out minor mistakes that can cause great changes in meaning and interpretation. When these guidelines are followed, the questionnaire becomes a powerful and economic evaluation tool.
3 Comments