RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY
(Business Research Methods)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 1

 Designing a Questionnaire
 A survey is only as good as the questions it asks

 The underlying esearch problem and objectives must be

clearly understood by the researchers

 Using common sense, good grammar and imagination alone

cannot guarantee producing a high quality questionnaire

 Good quality and professionally-worded, carefully conceived

questionnaires produce good quality information which can
aid in decision-making

 Good questionnaires require experience and a knowledge of

the respondents level of awareness, education and
understanding in order to maximize feedback and miminize
respondent and other potential sources of error
Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 2
Typical Issues in Questionnaire Design
 What should the respondents be asked?
 How should each question be phrased?
 In what sequence should the questions be arranged?
 What is the best questionnaire layout for the research
problem in question?
 What communication medium should be utilized
(personal interview, telephone interview etc.)
 Should the questionnaire be pretested?
 How should the questionnaire be pretested?
 Does the questionnaire require a revision?

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 3

 Questionnaire Relevancy & Accuracy
 Qustionnaires must fulfill the two fundamental criteria of
redundancy and accuracy in order to meet the purposes
for which the research is being undertaken

 Relevancy means that no unnecessary information is

obained from the questionnaire and that all the
information that is needed for the purpose of the
research is collected, and that no important information
is omitted

 Accuracy means that the questions are worded in a

manner which ensures the collection of correct
information from respondents
Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 4
 Phrasing Questionnaires (1)
Open-Ended Questions – These require the respondent to answer
the question in his or her own words

Examples:

– Why do you like studying at COMSATS?

– Why do you fly with Airlines X, Y or Z?
– How do you assess the economic prospects of Pakistan?

Open-ended questions allow the respondent to ask or probe the

respondent further if he/she feels that clarification of a point, or
additional information, is needed. Good for exploratory research.
Disadvantage are the difficulties of analyzing the data and in
categorizing and summarizing answers because of the unique
resonses. Also, there is the possibility of interviewer bias and bias
caused by the different education levels of the respondents
Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 5
 Phrasing Questionnaires (2)
Fixed-Alternative Questions – These require the respondent to choose,
among a limited number of alternative given responses, the one which
coincides closely with his or her view or behaviour. Example:

• Do you base your examination preparation on Dr. Aurangzeb‘s PPT-slides

or do you read the prescribed course literature

Use the PPT-Slides Read the Course

Only Literature

Fixed Alternative questions allow the respondent to ask or probe the

respondent further if he/she feels that clarification of a point, or additional
information, is needed. Advantages include requiring less interviewer time,
less interviewer skill and ease of answer for respondents. Disadvantages
are that the researcher may be basing the response structure on
assumptions which may be incorrect, and that there may be additional
responses which are not indicated. Also, care must be taken to ensure that
response categories are mutually exclusive and do not overlap
Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 6
 Phrasing Questionnaires (3)
There are several categories of Fixed-Alternative Questions, for
example:

The Simple Dichotomy (dichotomous alternative) Question –

Respondent can choose one out of two alternatives, for example,
„yes“ and „no“

The Determinant Choice Question – Respondent must choose one

of several possible alternatives (Example: Which is your preferred
place to sit in an aircraft: First Class, Business Class, Economy
Class)

The Frequency Determination Question – Respondent is asked

about the frequency of occurence (Example: How often Do you
watch Discovery, History or National Geographic Channel each
week (Every day, 8-9 times a week, 3-7 times a week, 1-2 times a
week, less than once a week, never)
Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 7
 Phrasing Questionnaires (4)
The Checklist Question – Respondent can choose multiple
answers to a single question. Example:

What sources of information would you use to compile your

classroom project research paper:

- Local bookstores
- University libraries in Islamabad and surroundings
- Research Institutes
- The Digital library at CIIT Islamabad
- Technical Journals
- Magazines and Newspapers
- Interviews with Key Stakeholders

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 8

 Phrasing Questionnaires (5)
Some important guidelines for phrasing questionnaires include:

 Avoidance of Complexity / Use Simple Language – Respondents

may have quite different educational backgrounds (from illiterate or
semi-literate to PhD) and conversational levels (from quiet and shy
to articulate) which have to be taken into consideration when
designing a questionnaire which is intended for general circulation.
Technical jargon should only be considered when the group of
respondents is homogenous and familiar with the jargon

 Avoidance of „Leading“ and „Loaded“ Questions – Both are

major sources of bias in the wording of questionnaires. Leading
means implying certain answers which respondents are pushed
towards (see example on page 336); Loading pushes the
respondent towards a socially desirable or politically correct answer
or puts a question which is emotionally charged (see example on
page 337)
Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 9
 Phrasing Questionnaires (6)
 Counterbiasing Statements – Respondents are presented with an
introductory statement or preface to a question or section of
questions that may help reduce the respondents reluctance to
answer the question(s) (see example on page 338)

 Avoidance of Ambiguity – Respondents must not be presented

with terms and words that are vague or general or which cause
confusion and misunderstanding (example: How „frequently“ do you
go the the internet cafe? Do you „usually“ pepare for your
examinations alone? See other examples on page 339)

 Avoidance of Double-Barreled Questions – Questions which

adress two or more issues simultaneously (see examples on pages
341-342)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 10

 Phrasing Questionnaires (7)
 Avoidance of Assumptions – Respondents are presented with
assumptions which cause them to give biased responses (see
example on page 343)

 Avoidance of Burdensome (and Memory Taxing) Questions –

Respondents are asked to give answers to questions which they
may not be in a position to give due to forgetfulness (note: aided
and unaided recall). See example on page 343

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 11

Sequencing Questions in Questionnaires (1)
 The order in which questions are put in a questionnaire may
significantly affect the response rate

 Asking questionnaires which require resondents to give personal

details at the beginning of the questionnaire is generally not
recommended

 Usually, researchers prefer to ask general questions from

respondents before moving on to specific questions (funnel
technique)

 Often, it is advisable to produce multiple versions of a questionnaire

in which fixed-alternative responses are shuffled about

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 12

Sequencing Questions in Questionnaires (2)
 Filter Questions are used to screen out respondents who are not
qualified to answer one or more related questions. Example:

Are you a student of

COMSATS?

Yes

No When were you enrolled?

What is your GPA?
Note: Questionnaires can include Which classes are you attending?
hints for interviewers on how to
conduct the interview (see page 351)
Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 13
Sequencing Questions in Questionnaires (3)
 The layout of questions can also influence the answers of the
respondents. Good, simple and visually appealing layouts are a
must for mail surveys, but also can be useful in personal and
telephone interviews (see examples on pages 348 – 351)

 Factors to consider in questionnaire layout:

 Don‘t overcrowd the questionnaires

 Use margins of adequate size
 Use white space if needed to seperate sections of the questionnaire
 Keep questionnaires as brief as possible
 Use a booklet instead of stapled form
 Use good quality paper
 Ensure that the title and subtitles of the questionnaire and questionnaire
sections are carefully phrased and captures the respondents attention
 Include a privacy and confidentiality mention
Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 14
 Pretesting Questionnaires (1)
 Pretesting is a very useful method for determining whether
respondents have any difficulty understanding the questionnaire and
wther the questions are ambiguous or can lead possibly to biased
answers

 Pretesting ensures that costly errors in questionnaires which are

given to a large number of respondents is avoided and that damage
to the image of the researchers is avoided

 The respondents involved in a pretest should be similar in essence

to the target respondents of the research

 Personal interviewers are often used for pretesting in order to

ascertain why questions appear ambiguos or confusing etc. to
respondents, and to solicit their comments

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 15

 Pretesting Questionnaires (2)
 Pretesting provide answers to important questions for the business
researcher, such as:

 Can the questionnaire format be followed by the interviewers?

 Does the questionnaire flow naturally and conversationally?
 Can respondents answer the questions easily?
 Which alternative forms of questions work best?

NOTE: Cultural factors have to be considered in the design of

questionnaires (see example on page 351)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan 16