Creating a Questionnaire

Part 2

Questionnaire Refinement

Anchors:

Are not these folks!

Anchors:

Question………

Agree: 1 2 3 4 5 :Disagree

Strongly Agree:……………Strongly Disagree

A Staple Scale has only ONE anchor……

Why?

Forced Choice…….

Smoking should be banned in cars?

Agree: 1 2 3 4 : Disagree

A forced choice questions does not have the possibilityof a neutral response.

Neutral allowed….

Smoking should be banned in cars?

Agree: 1 2 3 4 5 : Disagree

But… what does a “3” mean?

Neutral

No opinion

Don’t know!?

Solution:

Add a “Don’t know”

Or a

“No Opinion”

Steps in Creating Questionnaire

Cover LetterPossible Inclusions

1. Make it personal2. Ask a favor3. Importance of research and its purpose4. Importance of respondents 5. Importance of replies6. Importance of replies even if reader is not qualified to answer7. How the respondent may benefit8. Completing the questionnaire will take little time

Cover LetterPossible Inclusions

9. The questionnaire can be answered easily10. A stamped envelope is enclosed11. How respondent was selected12. Answers are anonymous or

confidential13. Offer to send results on results14. Note of urgency15. Appreciation16. Importance of sender (official and response rate)17. Importance of sender’s organization18.Description and purpose of

incentive

Cover LetterPossible Inclusions

19. Avoid bias20. Style21. Format and appearance22. Brevity

Emergency Project to SupportCol. North and the President's Freedom Fight in Central America (1980s)

Col North complained of Congress' failure to give consistent aid to the anti-communist freedom fighters in Nicaragua. Should Congress continue aid to the Nicaraguan Freedom fighters?

a) Yes, they're battling for our freedom too.b) No, abandon Central America to the

communists.

November 1992 Holocaust Poll conducted by theRoper Organization for the American Jewish Committee:

"Does it seem possible or does it seem impossible to you that the Nazi extermination of the Jews never happened?"

NorthwestInternational Women's Conference

DEMOGRAPHICS• [ ] African American• [ ] Asian American/ Pacific islander• [ ] Hispanic/Latina• [ ] Native American/Alaskan Native• [ ] Transsexual• [ ] Transgendered• [ ] Lesbian/Gay• [ ] Caucasian• [ ] Other

DRUG POLICY FOUNDATION

Instructions: If you believe the current drug policies have failed and that the Federal government needs to research and explore all solution to this escalating national catastrophe, complete your survey and return it with your generous contribution in the enclosed envelope today.

1995 SURVEY

3. We spend over $20 billion each year on drug law enforcement – over two-thirds of the total drug control budget. Should other methods such as treatment programs and drug education be allocated a higher percentage of that budget?

__ Yes. Our tax money would be more effectively spent funding treatment and prevention programs.

__ No. We should continue funding punitive measures of drug enforcement and build more jails.

7. Will you support the Drug Policy Foundation's efforts to mobilize the American people and the Federal government to examine alternative solutions to the drug crisis?

__ Yes. Enclosed is my tax deductible contribution of:__$200 __$150 __$100 __$75 __$50 __$35

__$25 __Other (Please make your check payable to: The Drug Policy

Foundation.)__ No. I can't give my full support to DPF at this time.

However, I am completing my 1995 Drug Policy Survey and have enclosed a gift of $12.50 to help with the processing.

Examples of Bad Questionnaires

http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~jpiliavi/357/neuman.pdf

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/project_ideas/Soc_survey.shtml