7: Designing the Questionnaire

ESSENTIALSESSENTIALS OF MARKETING RESEARCHOF MARKETING RESEARCHHair/Wolfinbarger/Ortinau/BushHair/Wolfinbarger/Ortinau/Bush

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Learning Objectives

Describe the steps in questionnaire design

Discuss the questionnaire development process

Summarize the characteristics of good questionnaires

Understand the role of cover lettersExplain the importance of other

documents used with questionnaires

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Value of Questionnaires in Marketing Research

A questionnaire is a formal framework consisting of a set of questions/scales designed to generate primary data

Questionnaire construction involves using a process that takes established sets of question/scale measurements and formats them into a complete instrument

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Steps in Questionnaire Design

1: Confirm research objectives2: Select appropriate data collection method3: Develop questions and scaling4: Determine layout and evaluate questionnaire5: Pretest, revise, and finalize questionnaire6: Implement survey

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Quality of Question Bad Questions

Unanswerable. Leading or loaded. Double-barreled questions.

Quality of Question Bad Questions

Unanswerable. Leading or loaded. Double-barreled questions.

Type of Question Format

Unstructured QuestionsOpen-ended format where respondent replies in their own words.

Structured QuestionsClosed-ended format where respondent responds from a set of possible responses.

Type of Question Format

Unstructured QuestionsOpen-ended format where respondent replies in their own words.

Structured QuestionsClosed-ended format where respondent responds from a set of possible responses.

Questions and Scaling

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Guidelines for Evaluating the Adequacy of Questions

Use simple words, avoiding technical words

Avoid qualifying phrasesEnsure response categories are mutually

exclusiveEnsure question and scale statements are

meaningful to the respondentsAvoid arranging response categories in a

manner that may bias responsesDo not double-barrel questions or response

items

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Considerations in Questionnaire Design_1

Confirm the research objectives before designing the questionnaire

Determine data requirements to complete each research objective

Include a general description of the study in the introduction section

Ensure instructions are clearArrange questions in a logical order

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Considerations in Questionnaire Design_2

Begin with simple questions and then progress to more difficult ones

Ask person questions at the end Place sensitive questions towards the end Avoid asking questions using a different

measurement format in the same section of the questionnaire

End with a thank-you statement

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Nominal ScalesNominal Scales

Ordinal ScalesOrdinal Scales

Interval ScalesInterval Scales

Ratio ScalesRatio Scales

Four Basic Scale Levels

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Nominal Scales

Nominal scales focus on only requiring arespondent to provide some type of

descriptor as the raw response

Nominal scales focus on only requiring arespondent to provide some type of

descriptor as the raw response

Example.

Please indicate your current martial status.

__Married __ Single __ Single, never married __ Widowed

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Ordinal Scales

Ordinal scales allow the respondent to express “relative magnitude” between the raw

responses to a question

Ordinal scales allow the respondent to express “relative magnitude” between the raw

responses to a question

Example.

Which one statement best describes your opinion of an Intel PC processor? __ Higher than AMD’s PC processor__ About the same as AMD’s PC processor __ Lower than AMD’s PC processor

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Interval Scales

Interval scales demonstrate the absolute differences between each scale point

Interval scales demonstrate the absolute differences between each scale point

Example.

How likely are you to recommend the Santa Fe Grill to a friend?

Definitely will not Definitely will

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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Ratio Scales

Ratio scales allow for the identification of absolute differences between each scale point,

and absolute comparisons between raw responses

Ratio scales allow for the identification of absolute differences between each scale point,

and absolute comparisons between raw responses

Example 1.

Please circle the number of children under 18 years of age currently living in your household.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (if more than 7, please specify ___.)

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Encourage ParticipationEncourage Participation

Improve Response RatesImprove Response Rates

Initial Contacting Device Initial Contacting Device

Provide Study InformationProvide Study Information

Communicate Study’s Legitimacy

Communicate Study’s Legitimacy

Role of a Cover Letter

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Guidelines for Developing Cover Letters_1

Personalize letterIdentify sponsoring organizationState purpose and importance clearlyPromise anonymity or confidentialityClarify the general time frame of doing

study

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Guidelines for Developing Cover Letters_2

Reinforce importance of participationAcknowledge reasons for nonparticipationProvide time requirements and any

compensationExplain completion date and where and how

to return surveyOffer advance thank you statement

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Other Documents Used in Collecting Data

Supervisor instructionsInterviewer instructionsScreening forms Quota sheetsRating cardsCall record sheets

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Sample Rating Card