Which of the following steps are required to design a questionnaire ? (a)…
2015
Which of the following steps are required to design a questionnaire ?
(a) Writing primary and secondary aims of the study.
(b) Review of the current literature.
(c) Prepare a draft of questionnaire.
(d) Revision of the draft.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below :
Answer: D. (a), (b), (c) and (d) — Concept. A questionnaire is a measurement instrument, so designing one is a planned sequence rather than the single act of writing questions. Any…
- A.
(a), (b) and (c)
- B.
(a), (c) and (d)
- C.
(b), (c) and (d)
- D.
(a), (b), (c) and (d)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept. A questionnaire is a measurement instrument, so designing one is a planned sequence rather than the single act of writing questions. Any instrument-design sequence has to perform four distinct functions: decide what is to be measured, find out how it has already been measured, build the instrument, and refine the instrument before it reaches respondents. An activity counts as a required design step exactly when it supplies one of those functions.
Application. Each activity named in this item supplies exactly one of those four functions, and no two of them supply the same one:
Listed step | Function it supplies |
|---|---|
(a) Writing primary and secondary aims | Fixes the constructs the instrument must capture, and so gives the criterion for judging whether any proposed item is relevant. |
(b) Review of the current literature | Supplies established definitions, existing scales and already-validated item wordings, so measures are borrowed rather than reinvented. |
(c) Prepare a draft of the questionnaire | Converts the constructs into worded items, response formats and an item order that can actually be administered. |
(d) Revision of the draft | Reworks ambiguous wording, drops redundant items and fixes sequence and length after pre-testing and expert comment. |
Cross-check. Remove any one of the four and the sequence breaks down: with no statement of aims there is no criterion for item relevance; with no literature review the items are homemade and unvalidated; with no draft there is nothing to administer; with no revision an unpiloted instrument goes to the field. Because no listed activity duplicates another, no three-step subset covers all four functions.
All four listed steps are therefore required to design a questionnaire: (a), (b), (c) and (d).