What is a questionnaire?

a list of written questions that people answer by themselves. Nobody asks the questions aloud.

Which is an open question?

What do you think about school uniform?. The respondent answers freely in their own words.

What is a scaled question?

one where the answer is placed on a scale, such as 1 to 5. It measures how strongly people feel.

Which is a strength of questionnaires?

they can reach a large sample cheaply. Cost and scale are their advantages.

Why does a low response rate matter?

those who reply may differ from those who do not, so the sample is unrepresentative. People with strong views are the most likely to reply.

Surveys, questionnaires and types of question

In plain words

If you want the views of two thousand people by Friday, there is only one method. A questionnaire asks everyone the same thing in the same way. What you gain in numbers you pay for in depth.

8 things to know

A survey collects the same information from a large number of people, usually by questionnaire or structured interview.
A questionnaire is a list of written questions that respondents answer by themselves, on paper or online.
Strengths: questionnaires are cheap and quick, and reach large samples spread over a wide area. Everyone gets the same questions, so the method is reliable. Answers can be anonymous, which encourages honesty. There is no interviewer to affect the answers.
Limitations: the response rate is often low. Nobody is there to explain a question or ask for more detail. People may misunderstand, lie or skip questions. The answers lack depth, so validity can be low.
A closed question offers fixed answers to choose from, such as yes or no. The answers are easy to count. The choices may not fit what the person really thinks.
An open question lets people answer in their own words. It gives detail and meaning. The answers are hard to count and compare.
A multiple choice question offers a list of answers to pick from. A scaled question asks people to place their answer on a scale, such as from 1 to 5, or from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree".
Good questions are short and clear, ask one thing at a time, and do not lead the respondent towards an answer.

Worked example

Improve this question: "Don't you agree that teenagers spend too much time on their phones and should read more?"

It is a leading question: "Don't you agree" pushes the respondent to say yes.
It asks two things at once, about phones and about reading.
Better, as a closed question: "How many hours a day do you use your phone? Under 1, 1 to 3, 4 to 6, over 6."
The new question is neutral, asks one thing, and gives answers that can be counted.

Tips and tricks

Closed questions give quantitative data, which positivists prefer. Open questions give qualitative data, which interpretivists prefer.
Low response rate is the classic weakness of a questionnaire. Add the consequence: the people who reply may be different from those who do not, so the sample is unrepresentative.

5 questions, about 2 minutes.

It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.

Surveys, questionnaires and types of question: 5 questions and answers

These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.

What is a questionnaire?
- a conversation with a researcher
- a list of written questions that people answer by themselves (the answer)
- a way of watching people
- a list of the population
Nobody asks the questions aloud.
Which is an open question?
- Are you over 16? Yes or no
- How many siblings do you have? 0, 1, 2, 3 or more
- What do you think about school uniform? (the answer)
- Rate your school from 1 to 5
The respondent answers freely in their own words.
What is a scaled question?
- one with no answer
- one answered in a paragraph
- one asked only of adults
- one where the answer is placed on a scale, such as 1 to 5 (the answer)
It measures how strongly people feel.
Which is a strength of questionnaires?
- they can reach a large sample cheaply (the answer)
- they give very detailed answers
- every question can be explained
- everybody returns them
Cost and scale are their advantages.
Why does a low response rate matter?Stretch
- the questionnaire becomes illegal
- the questions become leading
- those who reply may differ from those who do not, so the sample is unrepresentative (the answer)
- the data change from numbers to words
People with strong views are the most likely to reply.

5 questions

Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.

Worksheet

3 questions, 10 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.

Surveys, questionnaires and types of question

Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 · 10 marks · papermunch.org

Name ______________________________ Date ______________

What is meant by the term "closed question"?[2]
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A question with a fixed set of answers for the respondent to choose from.
I got this one
Explain two strengths of questionnaires.[4]
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Any two, each explained: they are cheap and quick, so a large sample can be reached; the questions are standardised, so the research is reliable; they can be anonymous, so people answer more honestly; there is no interviewer effect.
I got this one
Explain two limitations of questionnaires.[4]
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Any two, each explained: the response rate may be low, making the sample unrepresentative; questions cannot be explained, so they may be misunderstood; answers lack depth, lowering validity; the researcher cannot be sure who filled it in or whether they told the truth.
I got this one

Answers: Surveys, questionnaires and types of question

1. A question with a fixed set of answers for the respondent to choose from.
2. Any two, each explained: they are cheap and quick, so a large sample can be reached; the questions are standardised, so the research is reliable; they can be anonymous, so people answer more honestly; there is no interviewer effect.
3. Any two, each explained: the response rate may be low, making the sample unrepresentative; questions cannot be explained, so they may be misunderstood; answers lack depth, lowering validity; the researcher cannot be sure who filled it in or whether they told the truth.