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CC 2040

English for Academic Studies


[Health Care]
Research Skills I: Designing a
questionnaire

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Questionnaire Survey

It is a research method to
collect data or information
by administering a pre-
designed questionnaire to
a sample drawn from the
population (the entire
group under research).
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Steps to Doing a
Questionnaire Survey
 Defining the Objectives
 Determining the Sample

 Writing the Questions
 Administering the
Questionnaire
 Interpreting the Results

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Formatting the
Questionnaire
A questionnaire should
always be formatted with
the following factors in
mind:
 Readability
 Ease of completion
 Accuracy
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Formatting the
Questionnaire
I. Introduction
Should have a cover letter or cover
page to:
 Express appreciation for the
respondent’s time and effort; and
 Provide an orientation by saying
what the respondent should
expect, and how much time the
survey will take.
 Guarantee confidentiality of the
respondent’s identity and
information in the orientation. 55
Formatting the
Questionnaire
II. Instructions
After the orientation, give instructions
on how to complete the questionnaire:
 Give clear directions on how to
complete the questionnaire
 Stress the importance of
answering every question
 Give clear directions on how to
return the questionnaire

(Source: adapted from “Chapter 13 – Conducting Research and Using Data”, Business Communication,
O’Hair, O’Rourke, O’Hair, South-Western College Publishing, Thomson Learning.)

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Example: Introduction to a
Questionnaire (I)
Exhibition Industry in Hong Kong
Please take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete this
questionnaire. Your responses will provide important information
that will help us to propose suggestions to improve the exhibition
industry in Hong Kong.

Confidential
What this survey is for?
This survey provides you with an opportunity to share your
thoughts on what changes the Hong Kong exhibition industry
needs to keep its competitiveness and to benefit Hong Kong
economically. You do not have to complete this survey if you do
not wish to do so. However, everyone’s views are important and
the more participation we receive, the better the results will be.
Please understand that this questionnaire is completely
confidential.
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Example: Instructions to a
Questionnaire
1.  Do not write your name on the questionnaire.
2. Answer all the questions provided as your response to
every question is important to the results generated.
2. Return the questionnaire to our staff in person once
you have completed it.
Your questionnaire will only be viewed by the
team analyzing your responses to the questions.
Your questionnaire will be placed with many others and
there will be no way to identify individual respondents.
The results of all the questionnaires will be added
together and kept by an independent institution.
Instructions...

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Setting Questionnaire Survey

Before writing any questions, make


sure that you will get the
information you need .
Think through:
How each research question
relates to your objective
How you will analyze each
question in relation to your
objective 99
Principles for Writing
Questions
The scale / response categories should
be:
 Relative to respondent’s experience
 Set for maximum variability
 Balanced
 Placed vertically
Points to note:
 Use item-in-a-series response categories
carefully
 Be careful about responses like ‘neutral’,
‘no opinion’ 10 10
Principles for Writing
Questions
Each questions should ask for
only one piece of information.
Avoid asking:
 Two questions at once
How often do you read the
newspaper and surf the internet?
 Questions that contain
assumptions
Assuming that prices continue to
rise, will you change your buying
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Principles for Writing
Questions
Questions should get respondents to
express their own feelings,
perceptions, behaviors, and
experiences, both past & present.
Avoid asking:
 Hypothetical questions
If you were Donald Tsang, what
would you do to help the elderly?
 Leading questions
Do you like this modern campus?12
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Principles for Writing
Questions
Wordings should be straightforward
and clearly understood by every
respondent.
Avoid using:
 Ambiguous words and time periods
How often do you go to the CPCE
library?
1. Very Often
2. Often
3. Sometimes
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4. Rarely
Principles for Writing
Questions
Wordings should be straightforward
and clearly understood by every
respondent.
Avoid using:
 Words that can mean different
things to different respondents
Is this the best CD player you have
ever used?
 Terms with definitions that can
vary (or provide a clear definition)
Are you concerned about news 14 14
Principles for Writing
Questions
Wordings should be straightforward
and clearly understood by every
respondent.
Avoid using:
 Complex scenarios involving too
many factors
Do you believe that the measures
proposed by the 2008 Budget report will
alleviate the commodity problem? The
measures are property and salary tax
rebate, a one-off $1,800 electricity 15 15
subsidy, one-month public housing
Principles for Writing
Questions
Do…
 Be straight-
forward Don’t…
 Be brief  Be vague
 Be clear  Be too personal
 Be specific  Use biased
 Be neutral language
 Use
abbreviations
or jargon
 Be redundant 16
Sequencing Questions
 Make the order of questions
logical to respondents
 Start with some easy yet
relevant questions
 Go from the most salient
questions to the least salient
ones
 Do not put demographic
questions at the start
 Place potentially objectionable
questions near the end 17
Reference
The materials in this PowerPoint
are adapted from:
http://www.ssri.psu.edu/survey
http://www.statcan.ca/english/edu/power/ch2/q
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751_97_w

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