On this section is the questionnaire design from where the primary data was collected. It consists of 20 questions and the research took place in the UK. (The actual questionnaire is on Appendix 3.xx). A successful design of it must emphasize on the aim and objectives of the research as this can be a difficult procedure to handle with. It is a challenging job which necessitates the mixture of methodological capability and experience in order to form the appropriate questionnaire design (Sarantakos, 1998).
When designing the questionnaire it has to be included six broad principles that have to be built within the question design. Those consist of “Reliability”, “Validity”, “Discrimination”, “Response rate”, “similar meaning for all respondents” and finally “Relevance” (De Vaus, 2013).
The extent of validity and reliability of the responds provided by the respondents depends largely on the questionnaire design and its structure
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(Saunders et al., 2007). Babbie (2010) additionally argues that a weak questionnaire design will lead to inaccurate outcome.
Reliability more particularly involves the issue that the question has to be answered in a similar way on different occasions. Failure in achieving consistent responses means that the question is unreliable. Additionally a vague wording of the question can bring also unreliable responses due to the fact that participants interpret differently the question on different occasions.
Validity on the other hand here is interpreted as a question that measures what the respondents will think. For example if the question asks “how healthy are you?” the researcher wants to see replies that measure health rather than something like optimism and pessimism (de Vaus, 2013).
Discrimination here is related with how much variation exists in the sample, high variance or low variance. High variance within the sample is good but in the case of low variance that might have caused due to poor design of the questions which can include e.g. limited range of response alternatives. If there is good question design that would include finer-grained response categories which means higher variation of the sample as a good design would have entail more sensitivity in measuring real and meaningful dissimilarities across the sample.
Response rate reveals that in many cases some questions of the questionnaire maybe partly answered which means loss of information. That loss is due to several reasons such as poor question content and construction, poorly worded, length of the question, insufficient categories, and all these create difficulties to understand and answer which finally cause non-response. Those non-responses need to be minimised.
Same meaning for all respondents depends from the interpretation that each one provides for the question as the way they perceive it can be different which end up in answering different questions instead of the same one. In order to reduce that issue careful design of the question is necessary. Therefore the design of the questions must be in such a way for the respondents to perceive the question in a similar way as the researcher did and respond with the required data. Further to that their answers must be interpreted by the researcher in a similar way as with the respondents.
Relevance finally means that each question must “earn” its position to the questionnaire as usually many irrelevant ones appear reducing the possibilities for a desirable in quality data collection.
Walliman (2011) suggests some guidelines for a competent questionnaire design. Initially there has to be identification of the assessment method of the variables from which the data will be collected. Additionally here that initial identification will assist the researcher to collect the necessary information
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(Saunders et al., 2007). Then the use of language has to show clarity on its meanings. The questions must be simple and the same applies for the whole questionnaire, it has to be easily readable and understandable. Finally the presentation of it has to be clear.
An earlier view of Hussey and Hussey (1997) brings additional attention to the questionnaire design as it includes the size of the sample, the question categories, the question wording and the guidance to the respondents. Additionally they include the existence of an accompanying letter, how the distribution of the questionnaire will take place, the existence of test for validity and reliability and what method will be followed for the collected data analysis. According to Sarantakos (1998) also the design of the questionnaire must be in alliance with the nature of this particular research.
Further on having an efficient design according to Babbie (2010) the questions must reflect clarity in what they are asking in order to evade confusion of the respondents. Slang or vague expressions, hypothetical statements or leading questions have to be avoided (Finn et al., 2000). De Vaus (2002) provided a list of actions (see Table 3.4) that can improve further the questionnaire wording design.
Before acknowledging details in designing the questions it is beneficial to consider principles which can influence the way that participants progress upon them. The major task for the questions would be to acquire precise responses from a large sample of participants. To achieve that it has to be acknowledged what can motivate them to answer those questions in the best possible way reducing the complexity of it (Krosnick, 1999).
In constructing the questionnaire acknowledgement took place from the work of De Vaus (2013), listed in the timetable Figure 1 below and also from Krosnick and Presser (2010).
127 Table 3.4 - Adapted De Vaus' (2013) Suggestions for Questionnaire Wording p.97
Suggestions Meaning How suggestions were achieved in
this research 1 Using a simple language Avoid jargons and complicate expressions That took place through pilot test 2 Short questions Avoid long sentences leading to
misunderstanding of meanings
That took place through pilot test
3 Avoid double-barrelled questions
Avoid questions referring to two or more points or using words meaning more than one items
That took place through pilot test
4 Avoid leading questions Use of words that directly or indirectly lead to an opinion
That took place through pilot test
5 Avoid negative questions The use of ‘not’ expression may lead to answer accordingly
That took place through pilot test
6 Respondents should have the necessary knowledge to answer
Inappropriate questions to an audience results in unreliable answers
Any kind of possible inappropriate question was not in use in this research
7 Words should have the same meaning to everyone
Self-explanatory That took place through pilot test
8 Avoid prestige bias Avoid the inclusion of opinions on important people
Important people didn’t involve
9 Avoid ambiguity The use of words that may have several meanings or vague can induce wrong answers
That took place through pilot test
10 Avoid asking for precision Excessive precision in answers requires information that respondents may not have and lead to bias
Such level of precision was not required
11 Clear frame of references Avoid asking questions that are vaguely construed and do not refer to something specific
That took place through pilot test
12 Avoid creating artificial opinions
It is important not to force for an answer within the spectrum of options given, hence including a ‘don’t know’ option to avoid bias
The alternative option of ‘Don’t know’ was included
13 Personal or impersonal approach in questions
Addressing the respondent’s feelings or people’s feelings; this depends on the purpose of the research
The approach was personal by the researcher to the respondents. 14 Avoid detailed or
objectionable questions
Some specific or personal questions might be unnecessary and create discomfort to respondents
Not applicable this one
15 Avoid questions phrased with alternative options
Respondents may want to refer to one option only but they cannot
That took place through pilot test
16 Avoid inclusion of gratuitous qualifiers
The inclusion of sentences providing leading statements may affect the answers
That took place through pilot test
17 Avoid ‘dead giveaways’ Avoid absolute words that do not allow exceptions since they compromise answers and compromise variance
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