ML 4202 Chapter 12 Questionnaire Set of questions to generate the data necessary to accomplish the objectives of the research project also called an interview schedule or survey instrument Marketing researchers need to make sure the terms are understood by 8 year olds so using words like acceptability efficiency and likelihood of purchase won t work Criteria for a Good Questionnaire Does it provide the necessary information Managers always need to approve the questionnaire so it is maximizing the information needed and minimizing what isn t needed Does it consider the respondent Making sure that the questionnaire is fitting the respondent Purchasing cold cereals should be worded in language suitable for adult interviewees Does it meet Editing and Coding requirements Editing Going through each questionnaire to ensure that skip patterns were followed and the required questions filled out Skip pattern Sequence in which questions are asked based on a respondent s answer Coding The process of grouping and assigning numeric codes to the various responses to a question A questionnaire serves many masters First it must accommodate all the research objectives in sufficient depth and breadth to satisfy the information requirements of the manager Next it must speak to the respondent in understandable language and at the appropriate intellectual level Questionnaire Design Process 1 Determine Survey objectives Resources and Constraints Often begins when a marketing manager brand manager or new product development specialist has a need for decision making information that is not available Survey objectives Outline of the decision making information sought through the questionnaire 2 Determine the Data Collection Method Given the variety of ways in which survey data can be gathered such as via the Internet telephone mail or self administration the research method will have an impact questionnaire design 3 Determine the Question Response Format The AVM shows the surrounding environment in a composite bird s eye perspective on a dashboard monitor The AVM system was of 25 advanced technology features Infinity developers had on the table four years before its launch Open ended questions Questions to which the respondent replies in her or his own words a Probing Open ended questions require probing Probing means that an interviewer encourages the respondent to elaborate or continue the discussion They fall into 3 categories proactive reactive and spontaneous natural i Natural probe What upsets you ii Proactive Planned ahead of time In reviewing those key factors in your mind which one stands out as critical to buying decisions iii Reactive Almost like natural probes except that they are more knee jerk in character The most common are What makes you say that or What is the basis for that belief on your part Open ended questions may be biased toward the articulate interviewee A person with elaborate opinions and the ability to express them may have much greater input than a shy inarticulate or withdrawn respondent Close ended questions Questions that require the respondent to choose from a list of answers Primary advantage is simply the avoidance of many of the problems associated with open ended questions b Precoded open ended questions Allows the respondent to answer in a freewheeling format the interviewer simply checks coded answers as they are given Probing is used but a list is never read If the answer given is not one of the precoded ones it is written verbatim in the Other column c Close ended questions Requires that a list of alternatives be read by the respondent or interviewer Dichotomous questions Close ended questions that ask the respondents to choose between two answers These evoke a rapid response but they are alos prone to a large amount of measurement error Multiple choice questions Close ended questions that ask the respondent to choose among several answers also called multichotomous questions Scaled response questions Closed ended questions in which the response choices are designed to capture the intensity of the respondent s feeling 4 Decide on the Question Wording Clarity Achieved by avoiding ambiguous terminology using reasonable vernacular language adjusted to the target group and asking only one question at a time Respondent biasing Leading questions that give away the research goal or sponsor identity Respondent s question answering ability Factors affecting this ability include lack of required information forgetfulness or incomplete recall ability Respondent s willingness to answer Embarrassing sensitive or threatening questions divergent from respondent s self image may cause them to refuse to answer 5 Using Screening Questions to Identify Qualified Respondents A food products study generally has quotas of users of specif brands a magazine study screens for readers and a cosmetic study screens for brand awareness Screeners Questions used to identify appropriatae respondents 6 Evaluate the Questionnaire a Necessary questions Pertain directly to the stated survey objectives or are screeners interest generators or required transitions 7 Obtain Approval of All Relevant Parties a Approval by managers Managerial review approval after questionnaire drafting to prevent false starts and expensive later redrafts 8 Pretest and Revise a Pretest Trial run of a questionnaire Researchers look for misinterpretations by respondents lack of continuity poor skip patterns additional alternatives for pre coded and closed ended questions and general respondent reaction to the interview The pre test should be conducted in the same mode as the final interview that is if the study is to be an Internet survey then the pretest should be too 9 Prepare Final Questionnaire Copy a Precise instructions must be created when an interviewer is involved for example where to interview target respondents and when to show respondents test items like alternative product designs 10 Implement the Survey a A series of forms and procedures must be issued with the questionnaire to make certain that the field service firm gathers the data correctly efficiently and at a reasonable cost b Supervisor s instructions Written directions to the field service on how to conduct the survey c Field management companies Firms that provide such support services as questionnaire formatting screener writing and coordination of data collection