QUESTIONNAIRE
7.1.2 Questions in Questionnaire
a) Questions to be Asked
Below are three types of information collected in a survey:
1. Dependent Variables: Information of the research’s primary interest.
2. Independent Variables: Information explaining the dependent variables.
3. Confounding Variables: Other factors associated to both dependent and independent factors which will alter the outcomes and have to be changed for.
An example is a survey regarding the level of knowledge and attitudes of participants about climate change. The dependent factors are the participants’ level of relevant knowledge and attitudes. The independent factors are the education, background or experiences of the participants about climate change. The confounding variables might be the quality of their education where the knowledge they obtain are different from the school they attended.
b) Types of Questions
Closed Format: Respondents are only required to select the answer from the given options.
Examples: Multiple choices, yes/no, ranking and rating scale.
Benefits of closed format:
Easy and quick to fill in.
Discrimination for the less literate (in self-constructed questionnaire) or the less articulate (in interview questionnaire) can be reduced.
Quantitative results of coding, recording and analyzing can be obtained easily.
The reporting of results is simpler.
In obtaining information, types of question can be combined. However, be careful in using too many different question types to avoid confusion towards the respondents.
Also, the structure of the question must be consistent if the same type of questions is used. For example, in a rating scale, the most positive response is assign as the highest numerical value (Very Satisfied = 5 on scale of 1 to 5).
Chapter 7: Questionnaire
The responses must also be balanced (for every Very Satisfied, have a Very Unsatisfied). For example is rate the effectiveness of the recent school recycling education program on a scale of 1 to 5.
Open Format: It is based on the respondents own answers where their answers provide specific comments or feedback.
Benefits of open format:
More possible themes can be explored from an issue
Can be used even if a broad range of alternative choices cannot be compiled
c) Ways to Ask the Questions
Use short and simple sentences.
Generally, a short and simple sentences is less confusing and ambiguous than long and complex sentences. As a rule of thumb, the sentences should not contain more than one or two clauses.
Ask for one piece of information at a time.
Avoid putting two pieces of information in one sentence at the same time. It should be separated into two different sentences. For example, “Please rate Global Environment Class in terms of its content and presentation” can be separated into two parts which is
“Please rate the class in terms of its content” and “Please rate the class in terms of its presentation”.
Avoid leading questions to reduce bias.
A lot of neutral questions lead to bias where the people are often led down the path of answering questions in a way they perceive to be socially desired or in a way expected by the questioner. It is preferable to encourage the respondent to select a response from a list of answer. For example, the question “What do you believe are the major forces behind recent climate change? Natural Forces, Human Forces or the Combination of both” is preferable instead of “Do you agree that humans are the major force behind recent climate change? Yes or No”.
Negatives are preferable to be avoided.
Negatives should be used carefully. For example, in a yes or no question, the statement,
“Coal plants should not be abolished” should be rephrase as, “Coal plants should continue operating”. Never use double negatives in a statement as well.
Chapter 7: Questionnaire
Ask specific questions.
Words can be a bit confusing sometime where different people will interpret different meaning. Another source of uncertainty is the frame of reference is failed to be specified.
For example is the time reference is missing in the question “How often do you recycle?”.
It can be rephrased as, “How many times have you filled your recycling bin in the past six months?”
Participants must have the knowledge about the research.
For example, the question, "Do you agree with restriction on new coal plants found in the Clean Air Act?” is unsatisfactory. Several pieces of information is asked at the same time (there are many restrictions in the Act) and it shows that the participants know details of the restrictions and the Clean Air Act.
Sensitive issues should be questioned carefully.
A true and honest answer is difficult to get. A response of either no or negative is likely to be receive for the question such as, “Have you ever littered while no one is watching?”
Some less direct approaches:
The casual approach: “By the way, have you ever happened to litter, maybe when no one was looking?” should be used as a last part of another decoy question.
The numbered card approach: “Please pick one or more of the following items which correspond to how you view littering.” In the list of choices, include: “I occasionally litter”
The everybody approach: “As we all know, some people litter when they have no choice. Are you one of them?”
The other people approach: A scenario is given to the participants, “John occasionally tosses small pieces of litter out his car window.” They were then asked, “Do you feel John is wrong? What penalty should be imposed for John? Have you done this in the past? Would you ever consider doing the above?”
d) Arrangement of Questions
It is important to arrange the questions to get the most information out of the participant.
Some general rules are:
Go from general to specific
Go from easy to difficult
Go from factual to abstract
Start with closed format questions
Start with questions relevant to the main subject
Avoid starting question with demographic and personal questions
Chapter 7: Questionnaire