Questionnaire

Questionnaire

A Questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions (or other types of prompts) for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. The questionnaire was invented by the Statistical Society of London in 1838.

Types of Questionnaires

There are different types of questionnaires in practice and the type of questionnaire will depend on the purpose of the survey, the target audience and the desired data output.

Structured Questionnaires

Structured Questionnaires are questionnaires that use closed questions. The responses to these questions are defined in advance and are usually in the form of multiple-choice.

Unstructured Questionnaires

Unstructured Questionnaires are questionnaires that use open-ended questions. The responses to these questions are not defined in advance.

Designing a Questionnaire

Designing a questionnaire involves decisions about the content, wording, format, and placement of questions and instructions. These decisions will depend on the research objectives, the target audience, the distribution method, and the desired data output.

Uses of Questionnaires

Questionnaires are used in various fields including market research, psychology, health care, and social sciences. They are used to gather data on a wide range of topics, from customer satisfaction to health behaviors.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Questionnaires

Like all research methods, questionnaires have their advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage of questionnaires is their cost-effectiveness and ability to gather data from a large number of respondents. The main disadvantage is the potential for bias in the responses.

See Also

• Survey Methodology
• Data Collection
• Research Design

References

Questionnaire Resources
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