This document provides guidance on designing questionnaires for collecting data. It discusses important considerations for data collection tools and methods, framing good questions, defining variable types and data scales, formatting questionnaires, and sequencing questions. The key steps in questionnaire design include determining what information is needed, breaking objectives into measurable units, ensuring questions are clear and avoid biases. Questions should collect numeric, categorical, or opinion-based variable data. Layout should include numbering, titles, and spacing. Response categories should be well formatted. Sensitive questions come at the end. Examples demonstrate how to properly structure questions. Database software options for compiling the collected data are also reviewed.

1. Questionnaire Design
EVANS XORSE AMUZU
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT UNIT , KATH

2. Outline
 Data collecting tools and methods
Framing a good question in the questionnaire
Data types
Designing a questionnaire
Database software
Designing with Access
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3. Data collection tools
 Questionnaire
 Case report form
 Data abstraction sheet
 Open ended
 Close ended
 Interview guide
 Structured, Semi-structured, Unstructured
 Paper moving to electronic (e-questionnaires, recorders,etc)
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4. Data collection methods
 Primary sources
 Interviewer administered questionnaires
 Face-to face interview
 Phone
 Self-completion
 Mail-in
 Email
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5. What information do I need to
collect to in the study to be
able to answer my questions
or meet my objectives?
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6. Framing a good question
 Break down objectives/questions to smallest unit of
measure
 Must be relevant to the study
 Not unnecessarily intrusive
 Intrusive questions must be explained beforehand
 Define what to be measured
 Define how to be measured
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7. Characteristics of a good question
Should be
 Clear- avoid jargons
 Precise
 Relatively short
 Interpreted the same
way every time by
anybody
Should not be
 Leading e.g. Is it good
to treat malaria?
 Loaded e.g. Do you feel
feverish and vomit?
 Confusing e.g Who
looks after you?
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8.  Health status of premier GCNM residents?
 Nutritional status
 age, weight, height, abdominal circumference
 Chronic disease
 Diabetes (Fasting Blood Sugar/ Random Blood sugar; last time of
eating)
 Hypertension (Two BP measurements)
 Physical activity
 Exercise routine
 Car ownership (Manual/Automatic)
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9. Variables
 Basic unit of measure
 Categories
Attribute variables- what respondent possesses. Eg age
Behaviour variables- what respondent did, does, will do. E.g.
Opinion variables- what respondent thinks/ feels/ believes. E.g.
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10. Data types
 Numeric
 Continuous (weight)
 Discrete (number of children)
 Categorical
 Binomial- two way(Yes/No)
 Nominal- Naming (Ethnicity)
 Ordinal- Ordered (Highest level of education obtained)
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11. Variable table
Variable Definition Type of data Scale
Age Age in completed years Discrete
Sex Sex of respondent Binomial Male
Female
Weight Weight in kg to two decimal places Continuous
Religion Current religion being practiced Nominal Christianity
Islam
Traditional
Others
Severity of diarrhoea Severity of diarrhoea as accessed by health
worker
Ordinal Mild
Moderate
Severe
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12. Questionnaire Layout
 Must have unique number
 Must have titles on each page
 Must have page numbers. Page 1 of 6
 Must have version number
 Well spaced
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13. Questionnaire Format
 Preferably each question in a box
 Questions must preferably be numbered
 Question on the left
 Options on the right
 Font
 Questions in Bold
 Response category in normal
 Instruction in Italics
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14. Questionnaire sequence
 Related questions should be neighbours
 Start with 'neutral' questions
 Leave sensitive questions to the end of the interview.
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15. Is this ok?
Question to a pregnant woman:
What is your estimated gestational age?___________
1. Simple?
2. Clear?
3. Appropriate?
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16. Is this ok?
Educational level
Primary ___
Secondary ___
Tertiary ___
None ___
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17. Is this ok?
Do you have intermittent fever?
___ Yes
___No
If yes, what is the nature of the fever
___High grade
___Low grade
How old is your child? ______________
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18. Layout 18

19. Layout 19

20. 20layout

21. Response Categories 21

22. Response Categories 22

23. Response Categories 23

24. Collect “Raw” data 24

25. Collect “Raw” data 25

26. Layout 26

27. Database designing software
 Microsoft Excel
 Microsoft Access
 Epi_info
 Epi Data
 FileMaker Pro
 CSPro
 Mobile Data Collection-
 Open Data Kit, Kobo, Formhub, Magpi, Textit, Frontline, EpiCollect,
Mobenzi researcher, Commcare
 REDcap
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28. Thank you!
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