3.Questionnaire

3.1 Asking Questions

 

Asking Questions

  • Avoid ambiguity, confusion, and vagueness
  • Avoid jargon, slang, abbreviations
  • Avoid double-barreled questions
  • Avoid leading
  • Avoid implicit assumptions
  • Avoid implicit alternatives
  • Avoid treating respondent’s belief about a hypothesis as a test of the hypothesis
  • Avoid generalizations and estimates

“It is not every question that deserves an answer”

Publius Syrus, roman, 1st century B.C.

 

Avoid Ambiguity, Confusion and Vagueness

Define the issue in terms of who, what, when, where, why, and way (the six Ws). Who, what, when, and where are particularly important.

  • Example:
    Which brand of shampoo do you use?
  • Ask instead:
    Which brand or brands of shampoo have you personally used at home during the last month? In case of more than one brand, please list all the brands that apply.

 

Avoid Ambiguity, Confusion and Vagueness

Which brand of shampoo do you use?

The W’s Defining the Question
 

Who

  

The Respondent

It is not clear whether this question relates to the individual respondent or, e.g., the respondent’s total household
 

What

  

  The Brand of Shampoo

It is unclear how the respondent is to answer this question if more than one brand is used
When  

 Unclear

The time frame is not specified in this question. The respondent could interpret it as meaning the shampoo used this morning, this, week, or over the past year.
 

Where

  

  Unclear

At home, at gym, on the road?

 

Avoid Ambiguity, Confusion and Vagueness

  • Example:
    What brand of computer do you own?
    ☐ Windows
    ☐ Mac OS
  • Ask instead:
    Do you own a Windows PC? (☐ Yes ☐ No)
    Do you own an Apple computer? (☐ Yes ☐ No)
  • Even better:
    What brand of computer do you own?
    ☐ Do not own a computer
    ☐ Windows
    ☐ Mac OS
    ☐ Other

 

  • Example:
    Are you satisfied with your current auto insurance?
    ☐ Yes
    ☐ No
  • Ask instead:
    Are you satisfied with your current auto insurance?
    ☐ Yes
    ☐ No
    ☐ Don’t have auto insurance
  • Even better (branch questions):
    1. Do you currently have a life insurance policy?
    (☐ Yes ☐ No). If no, go to question 3.2. Are you satisfied with your current auto insurance?
    (☐ Yes ☐ No)

 

Avoid Ambiguity, Confusion and Vagueness

scales and options should be unambiguous too

   Example:
In a typical month, how often do you shop in department stores?
☐ Never
☐ Occasionally
☐ Sometimes
☐ Often
☐ Regularly

   Ask instead:
In a typical month, how often do you shop in department stores?
☐ Less than once
☐ 1 or 2 times
☐ 3 or 4 times
☐ More than 4 times

Whenever using words “will”, “could”, “might”, or “may” in a question, you might suspect that the question asks a time-related question.

 

Avoid Jargon, Slang, Abbreviations

 

Use ordinary words

  • Example:
    Do you think the distribution of soft drinks is adequate?
  • Ask instead:
    Do you think soft drinks are readily available when you want to buy them?
  • Example:
    What was your AGI last year?
    $ _______

 

Avoid Double-Barreled Questions

Are several questions needed instead of one?

  • Example:
    Do you think Coca-Cola is a tasty and refreshing soft drink?
  • Ask instead:1. Do you think Coca-Cola is a tasty soft drink?

    2.     Do you think Coca-Cola is a refreshing soft drink?

 

Avoid Leading

If you want a certain answer – why ask?

  • Example:
    Do you help the environment by using canvas shopping bags?
  • Ask instead:
    Do you use canvas shopping bags?

Avoid Implicit Assumptions

The answer should not depend on upon implicit assumptions about what will happen as a consequence.

  • Example:
    Are you in favor of a balanced budget?
  • Ask instead:
    Are you in favor of a balanced budget if it would result in an increase in the personal income tax?

Avoid implicit alternatives

An alternative that is not explicitly expressed in the options is an implicit alternative.

  • Example:
    Do you like to fly when traveling short distances?
  • Ask instead:
    Do you like to fly when traveling short distances, or would you rather drive?

 

Avoid Treating Beliefs as Real Facts

 

Beliefs are only a biased representation of reality

  • Example:
    Do you think more educated people wear fur clothing?
  • Ask instead:
    1. What is your education level?
    2. Do you wear fur clothing?

 

Avoid Generalizations and Estimates

Don’t task respondents’ memory and math skills

  • Example:
    What is the annual per capita expenditure on groceries in your household?
  • Ask instead:
    1. What is the monthly (or weekly) expenditure on groceries in your household?
    2. How many members are there in your household?

To the beginning of the section