209KMLect 7 Collecting Data - A - Primary Data Using Questionnaire

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CHAPTER 11Collecting Primary Data using Questionnaires

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Learning Outcomes

Understand the advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires as a data collection method

Aware of a range of self-administered and interview-administered questionnaires

Aware of the need to combine techniques within a research project

Able to select and justify the use of appropriate questionnaire techniques for a variety of research scenarios

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Learning Outcomes (cont’d)

Able to design, pilot and administer a questionnaire to answer research questions and to meet objectives

Able to take appropriate action to enhance response rates and to ensure the validity and reliability of the data collected

Able to apply the knowledge, skills and understanding gained to your own research project

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Introduction

Questionnaire – used as a general term to include all techniques of data collection in which each person is asked to respond to the same set of questions in a pre-determined order

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Introduction (cont’d)

Questionnaires should have following criteria:

Careful design of individual questionsClear layout of the formLucid explanation of the purposePilot testingCarefully planned and executed

administration

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An Overview of Questionnaire Techniques

When to use questionnairesFor descriptive research – use attitude or

opinion questionnaires to identify and describe the variability in different phenomena

For explanatory or analytical research – to examine and explain relationships between variables

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An Overview of Questionnaire Techniques (cont’d)

Types of questionnairesSelf-administeredInternet-mediatedIntranet-mediatedPostalInterview-administeredTelephone

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Figure 11.1 Types of questionnaire

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Choice of questionnairesCharacteristics of respondentsImportance of reaching a particular

respondentImportance of respondents’ answersSize of sample requiredTypes of questionsNumber of questions

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Choice of questionnaires (cont’d)Time available to complete data

collectionFinancial implications of data collectionAvailability of interviewersEase of automating data entry

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Deciding what data need to be collected

Research design requirementsReview the literature carefullyDiscuss the ideas with relevant partiesBe clear about the relationships that

exist between variables

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Deciding what data need to be collected (cont’d)

Types of variableOpinion variables – record how

respondents feel about somethingBehaviour – record what respondents doAttribute – record respondents’

characteristics

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Ensuring that essential data are collected Create a data requirements table Decide whether the main outcome of research

is descriptive or explanatory Subdivide each research question or objective

into more specific investigative questions Identify the variables which you need to collect

data

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Ensuring that essential data are collected (cont’d)

Establish the level of detail required from the data for each variable

Develop measurement questions to capture the data at the level of data required for each variable

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Designing the Questionnaire

Researcher is clear about the data required and designs a

question

Respondent decodes the

question in the way researcher

intended

Respondent decodes the

question

Researcher decodes the

answer in the way respondent

intended

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Designing the Questionnaire (cont’d)

Assessing validityInternal validityContent validityCriterion-related validityConstruct validity

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Test for reliabilityTest re-testInternal consistencyAlternative form

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Designing individual questionsAdopt questions used in other

questionnairesDevelop your own questions

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Types of Questions in a questionnaire

Open-ended

This type of question allows participants to respond in any way they choose. Open-ended questions provide primarily qualitative data, and are frequently used in exploratory research.

Example

What do you feel can improve your studies?

Participants provide answers in their own words.

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Types of Questions in a questionnaire

Closed-endedIn contrast to open-ended questions, closed-ended

questions require participants to choose from a limited number of responses predetermined by the researcher.

There are 5 basic types of closed-ended questions: (1) Multiple-choice; (2) Categorical; (3) Likert-scale; (4) Numerical; and (5) Ordinal.

Closed-ended questions provide primarily quantitative data, and are frequently used in confirmatory research.

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Closed-ended questions

Multiple Choice

Use a multiple-choice question when you want your respondents to choose the best possible answer among all options presented.

Example

What is your current student status? (Select one.)

High school Undergraduate Post graduate

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Categorical

Use a categorical question when the possible answers are categories, and the respondent must belong to one category.

Example

What is your gender? Male

Female

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Likert-ScaleUse a Likert-scale question when you are trying to determine respondents’ attitudes or feelings about something.

ExampleHow important do you think SAT scores are to a college student’s success? (select one):

Not very important 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely important

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Ordinal

Sometimes you may want your respondents to rank order their responses. A ranking indicates the importance assigned by a participant to an attitudinal object.

Example

Please rank the importance of the following qualities in a team leader. (Please fill in your rank order in the spaces provided using the numbers 1 through 4)

A team leader should provide support to team members A team leader should give direction for other to follow A team leader should be a good motivator A team leader should handle group conflicts

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Numerical

When the answer must be a number, ask a numerical question.

Example

What is your current age? (select one)

Less than 18 18 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 or older

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Designing individual questions (cont’d) Question wording – needs to be checked to

ensure that they are within context

Translating questions – must ensure meanings remain after translation, paying attention to lexical meaning, idiomatic meaning, grammar and syntax, experiential meaning

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Designing the survey formOrder and flow of questionsLayout of questionnaire

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Explaining the purpose of the questionnaire

Cover letterIntroducing the questionnaireClosing the questionnaire

32Figure 11.3 Structure of a covering letter

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Test the Questionnaire

Pilot testing and assessing validity Time how long the questionnaire took to complete The clarity of instructions Were there any questions that were unclear Were there any questions which respondents

omitted Whether the layout was clear and attractive Any other comments

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Administering the Questionnaire

Internet-mediated questionnaires Simple and clear instructions Should set up an on-line questionnaire website Carefully handle web/questionnaire page

navigation Carefully design so to allow user to

change/modify their answers.

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Administering the Questionnaire (cont’d)

Postal questionnaires Ensure questionnaires are printed and

envelopes addressed Contact recipients beforehand about the

questionnaires Use a cover letter and a return envelope Assure anonymity and confidentiality

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Administering the Questionnaire (cont’d)

Telephone questionnaires Ensure to explain to the interviewee about

your research Use clear voice and the right speech speed. Make callback calls for previously

unsuccessful

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Summary

Questionnaires collect data by asking people to respond to exactly the same set of questions.

Choice of questionnaire will be influenced by research question(s) and objectives

There are five main types of questionnaires: internet- or intranet-mediated, postal, delivery and collection, telephone and interview schedule

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Summary (cont’d)

Know precisely what you need to collect prior to designing your questionnaire

Validity and reliability of the data you collect and response rate you achieve depend on the design of questions, structure of questionnaire and rigour of pilot testing

When designing your questionnaire, you should consider the wordings used and the order that the questions appear

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Summary (cont’d)

Questions may be open or closedSix types of closed questions: list, category,

ranking, rating, quantity, gridClosed questions should be coded to allow

for analysisOrder and flow of questions must be logical

to respondentsQuestionnaire should be laid out so that it is

easy to read and responses easy to fill in

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Summary (cont’d)

Questionnaires must be introduced carefully to respondents to ensure higher response rate

All questionnaires should be pilot tested to assess validity and reliability

Administration of questionnaires needs to be appropriate to the type of questionnaire

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209KMLect 7 Collecting Data - A - Primary Data Using Questionnaire