Question Types
Two main categories of question: Closed-Ended & Open-Ended
Closed-ended questions
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Name: Dichotomous
Description: Question offering two choices
Example: Did you watch television at all yesterday?
Yes / No
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Name: Multiple
Description: Question offering three or more choices
Example: Which of these shops do you prefer?
Next / River Island / Gap Top Shop/ Top Man
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Name: Likert scale
Description: Statement with which respondent shows the amount of agreement / disagreement
Example: Assessment by course-work is easier than assessment by examination
Neither agree nor
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
disagree
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Name: Semantic differential
Description: Scale is inscribed between two bipolar words and respondent selects the point that most
represents the direction and intensity of his / her feelings
Example: The degree I am taking is.............
Interesting :_____:_____:_____:_____:_____:_____:_____: Boring
Useful :_____:_____:_____:_____:_____:_____:_____: Useless
Easy :_____:_____:_____:_____:_____:_____:_____: Difficult
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Name: Rank order
Description: Respondent is asked to rate or rank each option that applies. This allows the researcher to
obtain information on relative preferences, importance etc. Long lists should be avoided (respondents
generally find it difficult to rank more than 5 items)
Example: Please indicate, in rank order, your preferred chocolate bar, putting 1 next to your favourite
through to 5 for your least favourite.
Double Decker
Crunchie
Wispa
Mars Bar
Creme Egg
Name: Numeric
Description: Respondent specifies a particular value (can include decimal places)
Example: How far (to the nearest kilometre) did you travel today to reach this supermarket?
________km
Open-ended questions
Name: Unstructured
Description: Question that respondents can answer in an unlimited number of ways?
Example: Why did you enrol for this course at QMC / SCOT?
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
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Name: Word Association
Description: Words are presented one at a time and respondents give the first word that comes to mind
Example: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the following?
Interesti
Lecture
ng
Computer Exciting
Challeng
Exam
e
Rewardin
Tutorial
g
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Name: Sentence completion
Description: Incomplete sentences are presented, one at a time, and respondents are asked to complete the
sentence
Example: My worst shopping experience while visiting Tescburys happened when……………….
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Name: Story completion
Description: An incomplete story is presented and respondents asked to complete it
Example: I sat down at the kitchen table, picked up a fork, then looked at the Chicken and Mushroom
flavour Pot Noodles in front of me…….
NOW COMPLETE THE STORY
Advantages of Closed-Ended Questions
Quick to answer
Easy to code
No difference between articulate and inarticulate respondents
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Disadvantages of Closed-Ended Questions
Can draw misleading conclusions because of limited range of options
Researcher / interviewer cannot deal with qualifications to responses e.g. "Yes, but….." or
"It depends" where only Yes/No are given as options
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Advantages of Open-Ended Questions
Greater freedom of expression
No bias due to limited response ranges
Respondent can qualify their answers
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Disadvantages of Open-Ended Questions
Time consuming to code
Researcher / interviewer may misinterpret (and therefore misclassify) a response
Instructions in Questionnaires
General instructions
Indicate that you are a student at Queen Margaret College / Scottish College of Textiles and that this
work is being undertaken as part of your course. You should also have a letter from your tutor or
supervisor to authenticate this.
You should address issues of confidentiality and/or anonymity. You could, for example, include a
sentence at the beginning such as "All of the information you give me will be treated as completely
confidential and it will not be possible for anyone to identify the information you give me when I
write up the project report".
(If applicable) indicate how the person was selected to receive the questionnaire.
Indicate how it is to be answered. For example….. "Please answer all of the questions which apply,
and leave the remainder blank"
Return questions (if not being delivered in person)
Question instructions
Ensure that each question (or block of similar questions) has a clear instruction on how to respond.
Indicate the form of the answer (numeric, tick-box, rank etc.) and how many answers are expected,
such as "most relevant", "one only" or "all which apply"
Routing instructions
Where respondents' answers to an earlier question affects subsequent sets of questions, ensure that
the route which they should take is clearly specified. For example, "If YES, please go to Question
15"
Question Order
Your respondents may refuse to co-operate if your survey begins with awkward or embarrassing
questions.
People are more likely to give honest replies to personal questions if some rapport has been
developed with the interviewer.
For the above reasons, it is generally best to keep all questions dealing with demographic information
(such as age) at the end of the questionnaire.
The Layout of the Questionnaire
Print clearly (if computer printout is giving faint printouts, ask the IT staff whether a new print
cartridge can be installed)
Allow adequate space between questions so that you can write down any comments made (but don't
waste too much paper!!)
Write the questions themselves in lower case (i.e. like this writing) , INSTRUCTIONS IN UPPER
CASE (i.e. capital letters)