Characteristics of Good Questionnaire

• Determine survey objectives: Plan what to measure.
• Decide on format. E.g. personal interview, telephone, self.
• Formulate questions to obtain the needed information
• Decide on the wording of questions
• Decide on the question sequence and layout of the questionnaire
• Using a sample, test the questionnaire for omissions and ambiguity
• Correct the problems (pretest again, if necessary)
• 1. Content - What should be asked?
• 2. Wording - How should each question be phrased?
• 3. Sequence  - In what order should the questions be presented?
• 4. Layout - What layout will best serve the research objectives?
• Questions should flow logically from one to the next
• General questions should be asked before more specific ones
• Earlier questions should not influence response to later ones
• Questions should flow from factual and behavioural questions to attitudinal and opinion questions
• Questions should flow from the least sensitive to the most sensitive.
• Questions should flow from unaided (which brand do you prefer) to aided questions (which brand do you prefer Tide, Cheer, Gain)
• Demographic questions should come at the end.
• Questionnaires should be designed to appear as short as possible
• Questionnaires should not appear overcrowded
• Leave lots of space for open ended questions
• Questionnaires in booklet form are often recommended
• If the questionnaire deals with several topics, complete questions on a single topic before moving on to a new topic
• If topics are related, ask questions on related topics before asking questions about unrelated topics
• Pilot the questionnaire, using a group of re sample.
•   It deals with significant topic. The significance should b stated clearly and in appropriate manner.
•   It should be attractive in format and design.
•   There should be proper and comprehensive directions regarding filling of questions.
• The questionnaire should be presented in good psychological order i.e from general to specific.
•     It should b easy to tabulate and interpret.
•   Questionnaire should be as brief as possible and arranged neatly.
•   The language of questionnaire should b simple and unambiguous.
•   Don’t make it too formal or informal.
•   Start with interesting question to attain the interest of respondent.
•   Avoid making hard and describing questions.
•   Consider the readability levels of the questionnaire.
•   Include the covering explanation, indicating purpose of research.
•   Ensure that each issue is explored in more than one question.
•   Decide the most appropriate kind of question and the kind of scale.
•   Plan with the kind of analysis in mind.
•  Avoid leading questions. Do you prefer abstract, academic-type courses, or down-to-earth, practical courses that have some benefit in day-to-day work?
•   Ensure that the question stem does not frame the answer. The tourism industry is successful because.
•   Avoid highbrow questions. What particular aspects of the current positivist/interpretive debate would you like to see reflected in the course of developmental psychology?
•   Avoid negatives and double negatives. ‘How far do you agree that without a Consumer Association the public cannot discuss consumer matters?’
•   Avoid complex questions. ‘Would you prefer a short award-bearing course with part-day release and one evening per week attendance, or a longer, non-award-bearing course with full-day release, or the whole day designed on part-day release without evening attendance?’
•   Avoid too many open-ended questions on self-completion questionnaires
•   Try to convert dichotomous questions into rating scales: ‘Do you. . .’ / ‘Are you. . .’ become ‘How far . . .?’/ ‘How much . . .?’