How to Develop a Questionnaire

There are various types of questionnaires that can be used in research to ask questions of a sample of participants. However, one of the most widely used survey instruments is the self-completed questionnaire. While the development of a questionnaire may at first appear to be an easy task it is often a more complex process than anticipated. There are a number of steps required to develop a questionnaire to ensure that the end product is rigorous, and meets the needs of the research while also being appropriate to the participant sample. While the steps discussed below are presented in linear order, the process of developing a questionnaire is actually an iterative process.

Identifying the Research Aims

One of the first steps in developing a survey is to clearly identify the overarching aims of the survey and to ensure these are linked to the evaluation objectives (i.e., the research will achieve the evaluation objective). Once these have been identified and agreed upon by interested parties (e.g., management, providers) one can then move on to developing a series of well defined questions likely to elicit the kinds of information you are interested in finding out about. In developing the questionnaire it is useful to keep the aim of the survey to the fore. Examples of questions that you might ask: What is your overarching aim or research question? What aspects of the aim or research question do you want to find out about? What are the key questions that are likely to elicit information that will contribute to answering the overarching research question?

Quantitative and Qualitative Data Methods

The next step is to consider what kind of data is going to best serve your information needs and the best way to ask questions to elicit the kinds of information you want to find out about. While questionnaires typically depend on the use of questions that will produce quantitative data, many also include some questions that can elicit more indepth qualitative information. Quite frequently, a mix of quantitative and qualitative information can be used to maximise the advantages of each modality (e.g., survey a large number of people while also obtaining clarification and in-depth information on select issues). The use of both methods is useful in enhancing the validity of questionnaire data. Questions that elicit quantitative data are typically referred to as closed questions whereas those that elicit qualitative data are often referred to as openended questions.

Quantitative Data Methods

Some commonly used quantitative methods used in survey questionnaires include:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Basic quantity, information or categorical questions Forced choice yes/no questions Multiple choice questions A scale Ranking

Quantity, Information or Categorical Questions This form of questioning is usually used to find out basic demographic or related information that will inform the context of the participant group you are surveying. It would be usual to include questions about age, gender and ethnicity and other demographic information that may be useful to the purpose of the research. Other kinds of quantitative information you may want to find out include what year participants first started using a programme or intervention of interest, for example, joined a gym or began a public health course. Alternatively you may use categorical questions to find out whether participants have ever or currently attend a cardiovascular clinic, an organised sport etc. Forced Choice Yes/No Questions Forced choice questions are self-explanatory. The intention is to produce simple quantitative data relating to a certain issue or topic. For example:
Dont

Yes No Dont know

1 2 3

Multiple Choice Questions Multiple choice questions offer participants a range of responses but they must choose only one response. For example:
How many vending machines does the school have on the school grounds that are accessible to students?
Please tick one box only

1 2 3 4 or more Dont know Not applicable

1 2 3 4 5 6

Scale A commonly used scale is the Likert Scale. This scale is used when you want to find out the extent to which participants agree or disagree with a statement. The Likert Scale includes five possible ratings. For example: It is important for staff working in your organisation to have free fruit available in the workplace?
Please circle one answer only

Strongly Agree

Agree

Unsure

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Ranking A ranking approach is used when you want to find out how participants prioritise certain issues. This approach is often used to find out how important an issue is to participants. A ranking approach requires participants to rank their responses in order of priority. For example: In your household what are the most common barriers to physical activity: (please rank in
order of importance where a 1 indicates the barrier that is most important to you and a 6 indicates the barrier that is the least important to you).

Lack of money

Lack of time Lack of energy Unsafe neighbourhood No one to be active with Health problems

2 3 4 5 6

Qualitative Data Methods

In the questionnaire context open-ended questions that elicit qualitative data are often used to understand behaviour, to gain insights into how participants make sense of their experiences and construct meaning about a particular issue, and to understand certain behaviours within a sociopolitical or cultural context. This approach is also useful when researchers are exploring new areas of investigation or attempting to gain new insights into a particular problem or issue. Qualitative data is often useful in supplementing or complementing information obtained using quantitative approaches. In deciding whether to collect qualitative data one needs to consider how useful the information will be to your overarching aims or research questions, and whether there is merit in identifying more complex information and the nuances that are not tapped using closed

questions that produce quantitative data. For example, while you may want to find out the total number of participants who have ever bought food from a vending machine you may also want to understand why those who have never bought food from a vending machine have not done so. Alternatively, you may want to find out how many people in a work place regard free fruit as a top priority, but also why participants view this as more important than showers or bicycle parking.

Questionnaire Presentation
Question sequence
A questionnaire needs to be shaped into a logical sequence that provides some order and is likely to make sense to participants. The general rule of thumb is to work from the broadest to the narrowest questions, and from the least sensitive or difficult questions, to the potentially most sensitive or most difficult questions. Filter or skipping questions can be used when an issue is likely to apply to only some participants. For example:
Has your school ever updated or reviewed the food and nutrition policy/procedures? Yes
42

If Yes

continue to question

No Dont know
question 45

2 3

If No

go to question 45

If Dont know

go to

Questionnaire length
When developing a questionnaire it is wise to keep the length to a minimum in terms of the time it is likely to take participants to respond to the questionnaire. Obviously, where an issue is of importance to a particular group and where there is likely to be good compliance the length of the questionnaire will matter less than if the issue has low level interest and compliance is likely to be a problem. However, if it is necessary to construct a relatively long questionnaire it is useful to insert headings and transition statements which explain to the participant what the next group of questions is about.

Language and Phrasing

A key issue in developing questionnaires is to constantly keep your participant audience in mind, to use language appropriate to the group/s targeted, and to pitch the wording and phrasing of questions in a way that is likely to be most appropriate to the group/s concerned. Some key pointers regarding wording include: avoid wording that is ambiguous or imprecise avoid double barreled questions avoid leading questions use small precise questions rather than long complex questions phrase questions in the positive wherever it is appropriate to do so or ensure a mix of positive and negative questions throughout the questionnaire

minimise the number of open-ended questions consider translation where necessary consider use of showcards or pictures to illustrate concepts (e.g., portion size or definition of moderate activity)

Presentation and Layout

The way a questionnaire is presented and laid out has an impact on its appeal to the audience and the likelihood participants will participate in a survey. While this may seem like the most trivial aspect of constructing a questionnaire it is actually an important variable in gaining compliance from participants and maximising the response rate. In considering how to present and layout a questionnaire it is also useful to think through how the data will be managed and coded once the surveys are returned. While presentation and layout will vary depending on the target audience some key pointers include:

clear headings clearly separating questions from answers making the form of response required constant (e.g., a tick or circle) placing questions on one side of the paper only (for later use in the data management and analysis process) using sufficient space between sections of the questionnaire and individual questions to prevent the appearance of overcrowding allowing sufficient space for participants to record their responses to open-ended questions laying out questions in a way that ensures the visibility of all questions in the questionnaire thank the participant at the end of the questionnaire

It is also important to consider factors such as paper texture, quality, colour and size, the print style and size, and whether to include graphics or images as a way to bring the questionnaire to life or to enhance appeal to certain audiences. When a large number of questionnaires are being administered it is useful to include a coding system on the questionnaire as it is being developed. Some points to keep in mind when developing and finalising a survey questionnaire include:

Is the questionnaire clearly worded and easy to read? Is the questionnaire easy to follow, does the ordering of questions make sense? Is the layout appropriate and appealing? Is the language used and the way the questions are worded culturally appropriate? Is the language used and the way the questions are worded appropriate to the participant group, especially targeted groups (e.g., unemployed male youth, pregnant teen women, migrant health workers)? Is the spelling and grammar correct? Are all the questions, question numbers and pages included?

It is useful to pilot or trial a draft survey questionnaire with the target audience.