Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More Effective PSY2061 Research methods lab ©2016 South University 2 Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More Effective Questionnaires and Interviews Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More Effective Let's look at some ways of ensuring that the questionnaire is appropriate. Guidelines: Read the Guidelines to Reduce Bias in Language section of the American Psychological Association (APA) manual. Guideline 2 is devoted to being sensitive to labels. It is suggested that you try to determine what specific groups of people prefer to be called. Observation: Observe your audience so that you can learn more about them. When possible, observe some of their activities and functions to become more familiar with their behavior in different settings. You might target activities that are related to the study topic. Discussion: Talk to a respected member of the group or a learned authority figure. You may have an opportunity to ask important questions before designing your survey. Research Studies: Read other research studies that have been conducted on that group of people. Beta Testing: You can beta test the questionnaire on people who have some knowledge about the group. Their feedback may provide insights. © 2016 South University Education Management Corp | PSY2061__Week 4 Lecture 1 Establishing a rapport with the participants. Regardless of the focus on your research, you need to determine the best way to approach and interact with the participants in the study. This is especially important and requires more work if the participants are not your cohorts. For example, if there is a large cultural or ethnicity gap between the participant and the investigator, something needs to be done to bridge the gap. In such cases, the researchers should learn as much as possible about the community of interest before starting a study. The idea is not to mimic the customs and manners of the participants, but to understand them and increase positive communication with them. At times, it may be helpful to take assistance from a member of the group to gain access to the group and foster trust. For example, if a study is being conducted on how women cope after sexual harassment in the workplace, it would be preferred if the mediator is a woman who has experienced such a situation. Key Strategies to Establish Rapport PSY2061 Research methods lab ©2016 South University 2 Key Strategies to Establish Rapport Introduction to Rapport and Surveys Key Strategies Here are three key strategies for enhancing the internal validity of studies. These strategies aim at fostering an environment where there is greater likelihood for cooperation and honesty.  Establishing a Rapport with the Participants: It is important to take the time to make the participants feel comfortable with you before you start to interview them. You should introduce yourself and the ...

1. Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More
Effective
PSY2061 Research methods lab
©2016 South University
2
Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More Effective
Questionnaires and Interviews
Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More Effective
Let's look at some ways of ensuring that the questionnaire is
appropriate.
Guidelines: Read the Guidelines to Reduce Bias in Language
section of the American
Psychological Association (APA) manual. Guideline 2 is
devoted to being sensitive to
labels. It is suggested that you try to determine what specific
groups of people prefer to
be called.

2. Observation: Observe your audience so that you can learn more
about them. When
possible, observe
some of their activities and functions to become more fami liar
with their behavior in
different settings. You might target activities that are related to
the study topic.
Discussion: Talk to a respected member of the group or a
learned authority figure. You
may have an opportunity to ask important questions before
designing your survey.
Research Studies: Read other research studies that have been
conducted on that group
of people.
Beta Testing: You can beta test the questionnaire on people who
have some knowledge
about the group. Their feedback may provide insights.
© 2016 South University
Education Management Corp | PSY2061__Week 4 Lecture 1
Establishing a rapport with the participants. Regardless of the
focus on your research, you need to determine the

3. best way to approach and interact with the participants in the
study. This is especially important and requires more
work if the participants are not your cohorts. For example, if
there is a large cultural or ethnicity gap between the
participant and the investigator, something needs to be done to
bridge the gap. In such cases, the researchers
should learn as much as possible about the community of
interest before starting a study. The idea is not to mimic
the customs and manners of the participants, but to understand
them and increase positive communication with
them.
At times, it may be helpful to take assistance from a member of
the group to gain access to the group and foster
trust. For example, if a study is being conducted on how women
cope after sexual harassment in the workplace, it
would be preferred if the mediator is a woman who has
experienced such a situation.
Key Strategies to Establish Rapport

4. PSY2061 Research methods lab
©2016 South University
2
Key Strategies to Establish Rapport
Introduction to Rapport and Surveys
Key Strategies
Here are three key strategies for enhancing the internal validity
of studies. These strategies aim at
fostering an environment where there is greater likelihood for
cooperation and honesty.
ort with the Participants: It is important
to take the time to make
the
participants feel comfortable with you before you start to
interview them. You should
introduce yourself and then tell them something that might help
them understand why
you are involved in this project. Itis best if you have something
to say that helps to feel
more relaxed.
imperative that the

5. investigator devotes time to make sure that the survey is
appropriate for the age group,
educational level, and cultural group that will be assessed. This
matters more for certain
topics more than others. If an interview is being used for a
personal or sensitive topic, it is
best to start with relatively benign questions and then work up
to more difficult
questions.
-Style Balance During Assessment: When
testing people, you must
work hard to develop a sixth sense that helps you know when to
push or hold back. Some
participants can be driven through a test battery and they will
appreciate being able to go
fast and get done more quickly. Others need to be allowed more
time or else they may
become flustered or stressed. You also must know when to be
more formal or relaxed.
The person will give you cues and it is usually best to start with
the more formal approach
and then to relax the approach as appropriate.
© 2016 South University
Questionnaires and Interviews.html
Questionnaires and InterviewsDesigning Effective

6. Questionnaires and InterviewsQuestionnaires
When a study depends on acquiring data via self-reporting
measures, an investigator should always try to make the best fit
between the types of questions asked, the person who is asking
the questions, and the person answering the questions. Making
sure the fit is as appropriate as possible increases a participant's
sincerity and willingness. This in turn leads to greater internal
validity.
See the linked document to explore ways of designing an
effective questionnaire.
You have learned that the wording of your questionnaire should
be carefully considered so the participants understand the
questions and are willing to answer the questions in an honest
manner. Understanding your audience helps you write the
questions in a clear and nonoffensive manner.Interviews
Research interviews are usually more flexible than
questionnaires and have a more open format that permits the
investigator to ask follow-up questions when clarification is
needed. There are some challenges, however, to interviewing
people who are from a different cohort.
See the linked document for information about interviewing
participants from other cohort groups.Additional Materials
Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More Effective
Interviewing Participants from Other Cohort Groups
media/week4/SUO_PSY2061 Ways to Make Your Questionnaire
More Effective.pdf
Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More
Effective

7. PSY2061 Research methods lab
©2016 South University
2
Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More Effective
Questionnaires and Interviews
Ways to Make Your Questionnaire More Effective
Let's look at some ways of ensuring that the questionnaire is
appropriate.
Guidelines: Read the Guidelines to Reduce Bias in Language
section of the American
Psychological Association (APA) manual. Guideline 2 is
devoted to being sensitive to
labels. It is suggested that you try to determine what specific
groups of people prefer to
be called.
Observation: Observe your audience so that you can learn more
about them. When
possible, observe
some of their activities and functions to become more familiar
with their behavior in
different settings. You might target activities that are related to
the study topic.
Discussion: Talk to a respected member of the group or a

8. learned authority figure. You
may have an opportunity to ask important questions before
designing your survey.
Research Studies: Read other research studies that have been
conducted on that group
of people.
Beta Testing: You can beta test the questionnaire on people who
have some knowledge
about the group. Their feedback may provide insights.
© 2016 South University
media/week4/SUO_PSY2061 Interviewing Participants from
Other Cohort Groups.pdf
Interviewing Participants from Other
Cohort Groups
PSY2061 Research methods lab
©2016 South University

9. 2
Interviewing Participants from Other Cohort Groups
Questionnaires and Interviews
Interviewing Participants from Other Cohort Groups
Let's look at some typical problems you may face when
interviewing participants from a
different cohort. Fortunately, these problems are not
insurmountable.
Problem 1
Due to close proximity, the personal characteristics of the
interviewer may impact the
answers given by the participant. This is especially true when
the person who is
conducting the interview is a nonmember who is distrusted.
Solution
1: Take the time to converse with the participants and foster a
sense of
trust.
This is the best choice. This will increase the honesty and
compliance of the participant.

10. Additionally, the interviewer may ask a trusted member of that
group to help facilitate the
communication.