Definition

  • Survey research aims to collect information about the preferences, thoughts, and behaviours of people. The main methods of data collection are interviews and questionnaires.

  • Questionnaires are systematic tools that ask a set of questions and collect written responses from research participants.

  • Questionnaire may utilize questions that are:

      • Structured and require the participant to select from a set of given responses

      • Unstructured and allow the participant to write an original response

  • Questionnaires are commonly administered through:

      • Self-administered mail surveys: questionnaires are mailed to participants, participants complete the questionnaire and mail back to researchers

      • Group-administered questionnaires: participants are gathered to a common location to complete and return the questionnaire to researchers

      • Online/web surveys: questionnaires are completed over the internet using an interactive forum

  • Structured response formats:

      • Dichotomous response: provides two responses ie: yes/no

      • Nominal response: provides more than two unordered responses ie: blue, pink, yellow, green

      • Ordinal response: provides more than two ordered responses ie: never, rarely, sometimes, often, always

      • Interval-level response: allows participants to select a response from a scale where there is no value for zero ie: Likert scale (very dissatisfied, dissatisfied, neutral, satisfied, very satisfied)

      • Continuous response: allows participants to provide a numeric response ie: age- 37

  • Characteristics of good survey questions:

      • Uses clear and understandable language

      • Gives participants all the necessary information to answer the question

      • Asks specific questions with one focus at a time

            • Ie: 1. Do you consume alcohol? 2. Do you consume Marijuana?

            • NOT: Do you consume alcohol and Marijuana?

      • Uses appropriate amount of detail

      • Avoids ambiguity

            • Ie: How many members live in your household?

            • NOT: How big is your family?

      • Promotes understanding by avoiding use of negatives and double negatives

            • Ie: Should the government increase healthcare funding?

            • NOT: Should the government not increase healthcare funding?

      • Avoids biased language

      • Avoids making presumptions

      • Avoids imaginary questions

  • Questions may be sequenced:

      • Chronologically

      • Based on increasing difficulty

      • Grouped by topic

      • Using contingency questions

            • Ie: if you answered yes proceed to question 2, if you answered no proceed to question 3

      • Using open ended questions at the end of the survey

  • Other considerations for questionnaires:

      • Keep surveys short and concise to limit time needed to complete them

      • Keep responses confidential

      • Send participants a copy of the final results

      • Thank participations who complete your questionnaire

      • Pretest the questionnaire before use in the field setting

  • Statistical Analysis:

      • Quantitative analysis of data may include the use of descriptive or inferential statistics

      • Qualitative analysis of data may include use of grounded theory, content analysis, or hermeneutic analysis