Questionnaire Design

Chapter 12: Questionnaire Design

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following is not characteristic of the questionnaire?
a. formalized schedule for collecting data
b. a unique control device in the data collection process
c. survey instrument
d. set of questions designed to generate data for specific objectives
e. All are characteristic of the questionnaire.

Ans: E
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Role of a Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.1: To understand the role of the questionnaire in the data-collection process.

2. Which of the following is not part of the criteria for a good questionnaire?
a. considers the respondent
b. considers the computer hardware tabulating the results
c. provides decision-making information
d. meets data-processing requirements
e. All are part of the criteria for a good questionnaire.

Ans: B
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Criteria for a Good Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.2: To become familiar with the criteria for a good questionnaire.

3. Which of the following is not characteristic of open-ended questions?
a. ease of coding and tabulation of results
b. respondents get to reply in their own words
c. answers based on respondent’s frame of reference
d. can be used to interpret closed-ended questions
e. all of these are characteristic of open-ended questions

Ans: A
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: Learn the process for questionnaire design.

4. What type of question is the following?
Which of the following age categories best describes your age?
____0-18 ____19-24 ____25-34 ____35 and over

a. dichotomous question
b. open-ended question
c. multiple choice question
d. scaled question
e. none of these

Ans: C
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: Learn the process for questionnaire design.

5. Probing is especially important when using:
a. dichotomous questions.
b. open-ended questions.
c. closed ended questions.
d. multiple choice questions.
e. none of these

Ans: B
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: Learn the process for questionnaire design.

6. Which type of question does not allow the researcher to perform statistical analysis?
a. closed ended
b. multiple choice
c. open-ended
d. dichotomous

Ans: C
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: Learn the process for questionnaire design.

7. Which of the following is an incorrect statement concerning questionnaire layout?
a. Position threatening or sensitive questions last.
b. Allow plenty of space for open-ended questions.
c. Always place demographics questions at the beginning.
d. Position questions that require the most effort in the middle.
e. None of these is an incorrect statement.

Ans: C
Difficulty: Easy
Response: See pages 355-358
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

8. Which of the following is not specifically part of the questionnaire evaluation process?
a. evaluating questionnaire length
b. the necessity of each of the questions
c. getting approval from a client
d. whether questions are needed to accomplish research objectives
e. All are part of the questionnaire evaluation process.

Ans: C
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

9. Which type of question would be located in the screener?
a. transitional
b. warm up
c. demographic
d. qualifying
e. none of these

Ans: A
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

10. When a questionnaire asks the respondent to skip question 4 if they answered “no” to question 3, this is an example of _______.
a. piping
b. editing
c. branching
d. coding
e. none of these

Ans: B
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Criteria for a Good Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.2: To become familiar with the criteria for a good questionnaire.

11. Which of the following is not a true statement concerning questionnaire development and the Internet?
a. It can be used to facilitate questionnaire development.
b. There is specialized software for online questionnaire development and implementation.
c. Questionnaires can be delivered to potential respondents via email.
d. Questionnaires can be posted on the market researcher’s website.
e. All of these are true.

Ans: E
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Impact of the Internet on Questionnaire Development
Learning Objective 12. 4: Understand how software, the Internet, and mobile devices are influencing questionnaire design.

12. Which of the following is a reason for increased costs of survey research?
a. premature termination of the interview
b. adding a security screener
c. trying to reach a qualified respondent
d. None of these are reasons for increased costs of survey research.
e. All of these are reasons for increased costs of survey research.

Ans: E
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Costs, Profitability, and Questionnaires
Learning Objective 12.5: To understand the impact of the questionnaire on data-collection costs.

13. When a question has only two possible choices, it is referred to as a _____________question.
a. dichotomous
b. qualitative
c. multiple choice
d. scaled-response
e. none of these

Ans: A
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

14. Going through each question to ensure that skip patterns are followed and that required questions are answered is _______.
a. coding
b. scaling
c. editing
d. closing
e. none of these

Ans: C
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Criteria for a Good Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.2: To become familiar with the criteria for a good questionnaire.

15. “In the space below, please write down your three favorite flavors of ice cream” is an example of what type of question?
a. scaled response
b. dichotomous
c. open ended
d. closed ended
e. none of these

Ans: C
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

16. “Do you own a cell phone? ____YES ____NO” is an example of which type of question format?

a. scaled response
b. dichotomous
c. open ended
d. closed ended
e. none of these

Ans: B
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

17. “First National Bank is….. progressive ____|____|____|____|____ backward” is which of the following question formats?

a. scaled response
b. dichotomous
c. open ended
d. closed ended
e. none of these

Ans: A
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

18. A screening question is used to:
a. identify the right type of question for the final questionnaire.
b. check for respondent bias.
c. identify appropriate respondents for the survey.
d. to identify the right type of question for the final questionnaire and to check for respondent bias.
e. none of these

Ans: C
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

19. Which of the following questions potentially biases the respondents?
a. “We are conducting a study concerning the high quality of First National Bank services”
b. “Do you shop at a store like Wal-Mart?”
c. “How satisfied are you with McDonald’s food quality and location?”
d. all of these

Ans: A
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

20. A proper layout for a questionnaire is needed to:
a. make it attractive to the respondent.
b. elicit answers that are more carefully thought out and detailed.
c. impose standardization on the questionnaire.
d. compensate for poorly worded questions.
e. all of these

Ans: B
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

21. Questions that are sensitive and may embarrass the respondent should be positioned at the ___________ of the survey.
a. beginning
b. middle
c. end
d. Such questions should not be asked at all.

Ans: C
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

22. The pretest of a questionnaire would not be done for:
a. getting the respondent’s reaction to the questionnaire.
b. checking for the appropriateness of the sample of respondents.
c. checking for misinterpretations by respondents.
d. checking for potentially biasing questions.
e. All of these would be part of a pretest.
Ans: B
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.
23. It is important for surveys to include supervisor’s instructions in order to assist the _______.
a. client
b. field services firm
c. respondent
d. none of these

Ans: B
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

24. Which of the following types of questions would have the highest cost associated with its interpretation and tabulation?
a. open ended
b. dichotomous
c. multiple choice
d. scaled response
e. The cost would be equal for all.

Ans: A
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design

25. Which of the following would not be a good practice regarding question sequencing?
a. general questions at the end
b. general questions at the beginning
c. sensitive questions at the end
d. questions requiring work in the middle
e. none of these

Ans: A
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

26. A researcher wants to develop a questionnaire that asks users of the product different questions than non-users. What technique should s/he use to accomplish this?
1 a. open-ended questions
2 b. piping
3 c. branching
4 d. non-response

Ans: C
Difficulty: Hard
Response: See page 338: Criteria for a Good Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.2: To become familiar with the criteria for a good questionnaire.

27. _______________ integrates responses from a question into later questions.

a. piping
b. editing
c. branching
d. coding

Ans: A
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Criteria for a Good Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.2: To become familiar with the criteria for a good questionnaire.

28. In the questionnaire design process, what is the first step?

1 a. Determine the data-collection method
2 b. Determine the question response format
3 c. Decide on question wording
4 d. Determine the survey objectives, resources, and constraints

Ans: D
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

29. Probes fall into three distinct categories. What are the categories?

1 a. Proactive, reactive, inactive
2 b. Proactive, reactive, spontaneous
3 c. Reactive, active, spontaneous
4 d. Proactive, spontaneous, inactive

Ans: C
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

30. __________ is achieved by avoiding ambiguous terminology, using reasonable, vernacular language adjusted to the target group, and asking only one question at a time.

1 a. Leadership
2 b. Clarity
3 c. Precision
4 d. None of these

Ans: B
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

31. Which of the following is not a general rule for creating web surveys for mobile devices?

a. Keep the number of scale points on rating items in the 5 to 7, at a maximum, range
b. Keep answer lists to maximum of 10 to 12 items
c. Present grids/batteries as individual questions
d. Generally work to minimize question wording
e. All of these are general rules

Ans: E
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Adapting to Mobile Device Questionnaires
Learning Objective 12. 4: Understand how software, the Internet, and mobile devices are influencing questionnaire design.

True /False

32. In the marketing research process, the questionnaire precedes survey objectives and comes after data analysis.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Role of a Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.1: To understand the role of the questionnaire in the data-collection process.

33. A questionnaire developed for adults should not be modified for a study with children.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Role of a Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.1: To understand the role of the questionnaire in the data-collection process.

34. Once the questionnaire has been designed and pretested, the researcher can decide on how the data will be collected.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

35. Survey objectives should utilize abbreviations and slang.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

36. Closed-ended questions require less time to prepare for data processing than open-ended questions.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

37. A yes-no question is an example of a dichotomous question.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

38. One of the characteristics that separate multiple-choice questions from scaled questions is that scaled questions attempt to capture the intensity of the respondent’s feelings.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

38. Screening questions are used to determine if someone is qualified to participate in a study.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

39. Preparing the final questionnaire copy is the last step in the questionnaire design process.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Role of a Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

40. Open-ended questions provide more detailed information than scaled questions.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

41. Open-ended questions, by their nature, do not need to be coded for data analysis.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

42. A researcher who wants to know consumers’ perceptions of the taste and temperature of a restaurant’s food should combine these attributes into a single question.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

43. When writing a questionnaire, it is often effective to use industry jargon.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

44. A lower incidence population would cost more money to reach than a higher incidence population.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Costs, Profitability, and Questionnaires
Learning Objective 12.5: To understand the impact of the questionnaire on data-collection costs.

45. In a survey, there should never be a model introduction/opening and closing.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.5: To learn the necessary procedures for successful implementation of a survey.

46. Today, Facebook can be used as a survey research platform.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Impact of the Internet on Questionnaire Development
Learning Objective 12.4: Understand how software, the Internet, and mobile devices are influencing questionnaire design.

47. A questionnaire must translate survey objectives into specific questions to solicit the required information from respondents.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Easy
Ref: Role of a Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.1: To understand the role of the questionnaire in the data-collection process.

48. To avoid the problem of a respondent’s inability to recall, the researcher should keep the referenced time periods relatively short.

Ans: True
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Criteria for a Good Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.2: To become familiar with the criteria for a good questionnaire.

49. A major source of eliminating costs in survey research is premature termination of interviews.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Costs, Profitability, and Questionnaires
Learning Objective 12.5: To understand the impact of the questionnaire on data-collection costs.

50. Field management companies generally have design and analytical capabilities.

Ans: False
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: Learn the process for questionnaire design.

Essay Questions

51. Comment on each problem you find in the short questionnaire that follows. Then revise the questionnaire so that it is reliable.
Objective of the questionnaire: to determine respondent buyer intentions regarding the purchase of a new car.

Please indicate your income: _____________________
When will buy your next car? ____________
Age Category: ___0-18 ___19-24 ___35-44 ___45 & over
How much will spend on your next car? ___________
List the types of cars you will consider in your next purchase:
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
What is the make and model of your present car? __________________

Ans: This questionnaire has some obvious flaws such as nonexhaustive categories, insensitive open-ended questions, and the incorrect sequencing of questions.
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

52. Why do open-ended questions require more time (and money) to evaluate than closed-ended questions?

Ans: Open-ended questions do not have a preset list of answers that can be precoded during questionnaire development, as do closed-ended questions. In addition, the coding of open-ended questions has to be done as responses are generated, or after the survey process has been completed. The increased labor costs comes from grouping the open-ended questions into a discrete number of similar response categories, so they can be evaluated.
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

53. In questionnaire design, what is a “skip pattern?” Provide an example to illustrate your answer.

Ans: A skip pattern is a sequence in which questions are answered, based on the respondent’s answers. For example: Question: Do you smoke more than two packs of cigarettes per day? ____Yes (Go to Question 3) ____No (Skip to Question 10)
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Criteria for a Good Questionnaire
Learning Objective 12.2: To become familiar with the criteria for a good questionnaire. 54. What are Field Management Companies and when are they cost effective?

Ans: Field management companies are firms that provide support services such as questionnaire formatting, screener writing, and coordination of data collection. They are cost effective when they can provide services for companies so that their high paid consultants can concentrate on the functions that require their expertise.

Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Field Management Companies
Learning Objective 12.5: To understand the impact of the questionnaire on data collection costs.

55. Design three open-ended and three closed-ended questions to measure consumers’ attitudes toward Honda Civic automobiles.

Ans: An example is as follows: Open-ended: How comfortable is the driver’s seat in the Honda Civic?
What is your opinion of the body style of the two-door coupe?
What did you think of the sound system in the Honda Civic?
Closed-ended: What exterior colors do you like most of those offered by Honda?
White Blue Burgundy Taupe

How would you judge the quality of the ride in the Honda?
Very smooth/Somewhat smooth/No Opinion/Somewhat bumpy/Very bumpy

Please rank the following features (with 1 being the most important and 8 being the least important) in their importance to you in buying a new car.
Gas Mileage
Automatic Transmission
Body style
Special feature (power doors, windows, etc.)
Sound system
Acceleration speed
Interior color
Exterior color
Difficulty: Medium
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.

56. Once a questionnaire has been developed, what other factors need to be considered before putting the questionnaire into the hands of interviewers?

Ans: Has it been approved by all relevant parties? Has it been pretested and revised? Have appropriate instructions been written for the supervisor and interviewers? Have appropriate visual aids or other supplements been prepared? Has a field management firm been chosen?
Difficulty: Hard
Ref: Questionnaire Design Process
Learning Objective 12.3: To learn the process for questionnaire design.