A questionnaire can be a useful means of obtaining information for an investigation, collecting data or testing a hypothesis. To develop an effective questionnaire that can get you the information you need, you will need to create a series of questions that are easy to understand and complete. Here are some tips to follow.
Steps
Step 1. Find out what kind of information you need to collect for your questionnaire
What is the main goal of the research? What kind of information will you need to achieve your goal? Think of questions that relate to your goal and possible answers. You also need to make sure they are not repetitive, but specific and relevant to your search theme.
Step 2. Write an introduction for your questionnaire
You should briefly explain what you are doing and why. The introduction should be concise but at the same time grab the reader's attention. Think about the length of the respondent's attention span and try to shape the length of the survey so the reader doesn't lose interest.
Step 3. Use closed questions that can be answered with a word or phrase
This will make it easier for respondents to respond without thinking about an overly articulated answer. These types of questions are also easier to classify and group for later analysis.
Step 4. Arrange the questions in a consistent, easy-to-follow pattern
Start with easier questions, as difficult questions may discourage or scare the respondent, even before the questionnaire begins. Conversely, the easy ones encourage the participant to finish the entire survey. The rest of the questions should follow a natural order and not go from one topic to another. Group similar themes and do not jump from one to the other too abruptly.
Step 5. Place the most important questions at the beginning of the survey
Participants often lose interest towards the end, especially if the questionnaire is quite long. If there are questions that are more important and those who answer should pay more attention, always put them among the first.
Step 6. Add some variety to the survey
While closed questions are best for ease of answering and analyzing, adding a couple of open questions will prevent attendees from getting bored. In this case they will have to write down their answers and include details.
Step 7. Decide what method to use to reach the people you need
If you do not need a particular group of participants you can obtain the information through interviews, interest groups, by sending the survey by e-mail or by telephone interviews. If you need a specific group you will need to adapt your information gathering method. For example, if you want to focus on university students you will have to submit the questionnaire in various local universities.
