A questionnaire is a research tool used to gather information from a specific demographic in order to achieve research objectives. It should be short, clear, objective and avoid embarrassing questions. Questionnaires provide factual, behavioral, and attitudinal information. They describe populations and measure variables like attitudes. Good questionnaire design involves determining question content, format, wording and sequence. Questionnaires standardize data collection but lack validity checks and insight into responses.

1. QUESTIONNAIRE

2. INTRODUCTION
 A set of Questions designed to generate the statistical
information from a specific demographic needed to
accomplish the research objectives.
 The questionnaire was invented by Sir Francis Galton
 E.g.: A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is a
questionnaire to assess the type of diet consumed in
people, and may be used as a research instrument.

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
QUESTIONNAIRE
 Should be concerned with specific and relevant topic
 Should be short
 Directions and wording should be simple and clear
 Questions should be objective
 Embarrassing questions, presuming questions and
hypothetical questions should be avoided
 Should be presented in a good order
 Should be attractive, neatly printed and clearly arranged

4. QUESTIONNAIRES PROVIDE THREE
SORTS OF INFORMATION
 Factual information (Characteristics) (e.g., age, gender,
level, language background etc.)
 Behavioral information: (Behaviors) (e.g., frequency of
using a dictionary or teaching by visuals? etc.)
 Attitudinal information:
(Attitudes/Opinions/beliefs/Interests) (e.g., What is your
purpose in learning English? etc.)

5. FUNCTIONS OF QUESTIONNAIRE:
DESCRITION :
 The questionnaire provides description about age, sex,
marital status, occupation, income,.,etc.
MEASUREMENT :
 Measurement of individual and/or group variables like
attitude, opinion, traits and habits of persons.

6. FORMAT
 Descriptive title for the study
 Purpose for the study
 Name of sponsoring agency or institution
 Name and address of the person to whom the
completed questionnaire is to be returned
 Method of filling it up
 A guarantee that the identity of the respondent will not
be revealed

7. Step 1: Specify what information will be sought
Step 2: Determine type of questionnaire and method of administration
Step 3: Determine the content of individual questions
Step 4: Determine form of response for each question
Step 5: Determine wording for each question
Step 6: Determine sequence of questions
Step 7: Determine physical characteristics of questionnaire
Step 8: Revise steps 1-7, revise if necessary
Step 9: Pretest questionnaire, revise if necessary
Step 10: Implement
Questionnaire Design Flow Chart

8. BASED UPON THE TYPE OF RESPOND REQUIRED
Questionnaire
Supply type or Open ended questions selection type or closed form
It allow the respondent to write
what he feels about the topic
Such questions requires high
standard of literacy
These questions demand a still
willingness and care on the part
of the respondent
These questions may be yes-no or
true-false or right-wrong or
multiple choice
They are convenient to
respondents.
The respondent is likely to take
more time to answer a multiple
choice question.

9. EXAMPLES:
Why did you join the
government services?
a) Dislike private jobs
b) High salary
c) Greater avenues for
promotion
Why did you join the
government services?
Closed form Open form:

10. CLASSIFICATION OF CLOSED FORMAT QUESTIONS FOR
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Leading Questions
Importance Questions
Likert Questions

11. Dichotomous Questions
Bipolar Questions
Rating Scale Questions

12. A. Buying Propensity Questions

13. ART OF ASKING QUESTIONS
Avoid complexity :Use simple , Conversational language
Avoid leading and loading questions
Leading : A questions that suggest or implies certain answers.
Loaded : A questions that suggest socially desirable answer or is emotionally
changed
Avoid ambiguity : Be specific as possible
A questions that may induce Bias because it covers two issue at once.
Between you & your husband who does the housework over and above that done by
any hired help?
 I do all of it
 I do almost all of it
 I do over half of it
 We split the work fifty-fifty.
Avoid Burdensome questions that may tax respondent Memory
Avoid double barreled Items

14. THE ADVANTAGES OF QUESTIONNAIRES
 Practical
 Large amounts of information
 limited effect
 quickly and easily quantified the results.
 scientific and objective
 compare and contrast
 Positivists believe that quantitative data can be used to
create new theories and / or test existing hypotheses

15. DISADVANTAGES OF QUESTIONNAIRES
 Inadequate
 limited amount of information
 lacks validity
 There is no way to tell how truthful a respondent is
being
 There is no way of telling how much thought a
respondent has put in
 The respondent may be forgetful or not thinking within
the full context of the situation
 Own interpretation

16. CONCLUSION:
 It ensures standardization and comparability of the
data across interviews – everyone is asked the same
questions. It increases speed and accuracy of
recording. It facilitates data processing. Allows the
researcher to collect the relevant information
necessary to address the management decision
problem. Thus it is one of the best tool for collection of
data.

17. REFERENCES:
 www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki.questionnaire
 www.outsource2india.com
 www.samplequestionnaire.com
 Book reference
 Research methodology –Dr.N.Thanulingam
 Statistical methods-Dr. S.P.Gupta
 Introduction to Research methodology –Dr.Nirmala
jeyaraj