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What are the most common questionnaire design errors and how can you avoid them?

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Questionnaires are a widely used method of collecting data for marketing research. They can help you understand your customers, measure their satisfaction, test new ideas, and more. However, designing a good questionnaire is not as easy as it seems. You need to avoid common errors that can compromise the quality and validity of your data. In this article, you will learn about some of the most common questionnaire design errors and how to avoid them.

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Nesta Law

Market and Social Data Analyst | Programme Evaluator | Passionate in Using Data to Find out the Truth | Hong Kong…

1 Error 1: Ambiguous or leading questions

One of the most common errors in questionnaire design is asking questions that are unclear, vague, or biased. Ambiguous questions can confuse or mislead your respondents, leading to inaccurate or irrelevant answers. To prevent this, you should use simple and precise language that your respondents can understand. Additionally, double-barreled questions should be avoided as they ask about two or more things at once. Additionally, negative or complex wording and loaded or emotive words should be avoided as they can confuse or reverse the meaning of a question, or evoke a strong or emotional response. Finally, questions that imply a norm or expectation should be avoided as they can pressure your respondents to conform.

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Nesta Law

Market and Social Data Analyst | Programme Evaluator | Passionate in Using Data to Find out the Truth | Hong Kong native, now in London
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In my professional experience in Hong Kong, I have observed that leading question errors often arise in discussions surrounding controversial topics. In these situations, the parties conducting the surveys may inadvertently employ ambiguous wording, making it difficult for respondents to clearly understand the questions, thus leading to confusion. Additionally, there is a tendency to manipulate responses on Likert scales by employing imbalanced scales that emphasize either positive or negative outcomes, further impacting the accuracy of the data collected.

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2 Error 2: Inappropriate or inadequate response options

An error commonly made in questionnaire design is providing response options that are not suitable or sufficient for the question. Inappropriate response options can limit or distort your respondents' choices, leading to unreliable results. Additionally, inadequate response options can leave out important alternatives and frustrate your respondents. To prevent this, you should match the response options to the type and scale of the question, provide a comprehensive range of options that cover all possible answers, include a "Don't know" or "Not applicable" option if some respondents may not have an answer or opinion, avoid overlapping or inconsistent options that can create confusion, and avoid using too many or too few options that can affect the reliability or validity of your data.

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3 Error 3: Poor question order and layout

Another common mistake in questionnaire design is arranging the questions in a way that affects the flow and logic of the questionnaire. Poor question order and layout can cause respondents to become fatigued or biased. To avoid this, it's important to group questions by topic or theme and use subheadings or transitions to guide respondents. Start with general questions and gradually move to more specific and complex ones. Place sensitive or controversial questions in the middle or after establishing rapport and trust. Additionally, use filters or skips to direct respondents to relevant questions based on their previous answers, and avoid placing questions that can influence each other on the same page or screen.

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4 Error 4: Excessive or unnecessary questions

An error to avoid when designing a questionnaire is asking too many or too few questions that are irrelevant or unhelpful for your research objectives. This can lead to boredom or dropout, as well as waste your respondents' time and patience. To prevent this, you should first define your research objectives and hypotheses and ensure that your questions align with them. Then, prioritize the most important and relevant questions while reducing or eliminating the less important ones. It's also helpful to use pre-tests or pilot studies to test the validity and reliability of your questions before removing or revising the ones that are not working properly. Additionally, you can use branching or conditional logic to show or hide questions based on your respondents' answers or characteristics. Finally, avoid asking questions that you already have the answer to or that you can obtain from other sources.

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5 Error 5: Insufficient or unclear instructions

Another common error in questionnaire design is providing insufficient or unclear instructions for your respondents, which can lead to confusion or misunderstanding about the purpose, scope, and format of the questionnaire. To avoid this error, you should start by providing a clear and concise introduction that outlines the purpose, scope, and duration of the questionnaire, as well as the benefits and risks of participating. Additionally, you should give clear and consistent instructions for each question or section that explain how to answer, what to do, and what to expect. To further reduce confusion, provide examples or definitions of terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar or ambiguous to your respondents. Additionally, give feedback or confirmation messages that acknowledge or thank your respondents for their answers or completion. Finally, provide contact information or support channels in case your respondents have any questions or issues.

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Nesta Law

Market and Social Data Analyst | Programme Evaluator | Passionate in Using Data to Find out the Truth | Hong Kong native, now in London
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In research settings, interviewer bias can be a significant concern, especially when fieldwork guidelines are not strictly followed. Factors such as the interviewer's gender, tone, manner, conversational speed, and attitude can influence the responses provided by the interviewee. To mitigate this bias, it is essential to establish clear guidelines for the questionnaire, specifying exact wording and ensuring uniformity in the interviewing process. Adhering to these guidelines helps minimize errors and enhances the reliability of the collected data.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Nesta Law

Market and Social Data Analyst | Programme Evaluator | Passionate in Using Data to Find out the Truth | Hong Kong native, now in London
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During my professional experience, I once encountered a situation where one of the telephone interviewers consistently provided significantly different results compared to others. Upon reviewing her telephone records, I discovered that she deviated from the prescribed instructions. Specifically, she failed to use all the wordings outlined in the questionnaire and made subjective judgments about respondents' answers, even when they were still uncertain or contemplating their responses. This incident highlights the significant impact that human factors can have on the quality of data in research studies.

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What are the most common questionnaire design errors and how can you avoid them?

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1 Error 1: Ambiguous or leading questions

2 Error 2: Inappropriate or inadequate response options

3 Error 3: Poor question order and layout

4 Error 4: Excessive or unnecessary questions

5 Error 5: Insufficient or unclear instructions

6 Here’s what else to consider

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