Effective Questionnaire Design for Research and Surveys

Posted on Jul 31, 2025 in Psychology and Sociology

Understanding Research Data Collection Methods

In educational research, we use different methods to gather information:

Questionnaires / Surveys – written sets of questions.
Interviews – direct one-on-one or group conversations.
Focus Groups – small group discussions on a topic.
Observation – watching behavior or situations to gather data.

Survey vs. Questionnaire: Key Differences

Feature	Survey	Questionnaire
Definition	A research method used to collect data from a sample.	A tool (set of questions) used to gather data.
Purpose	Often broader; can include interviews, observations, questionnaires, etc.	Usually focused on written responses.
Includes	Planning, sampling, administration, and analysis.	Just the questions asked.
Example	A school-wide survey on mental health (includes questionnaire + interviews).	A 10-question form asking about stress levels.

What Is a Questionnaire?

A questionnaire is a set of questions used to collect information. It may be used on its own or as part of a survey. A great questionnaire requires great questions: clear, focused, and unbiased.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Questions

Qualitative	Quantitative
Focuses on opinions, feelings, and experiences.	Focuses on numbers and measurable data.
Open-ended answers	Closed-ended answers
Example: “What do you think about online learning?”	Example: “How many hours do you study per day?”

Types of Questions in Questionnaire Design

Open-Ended Questions

Allow respondents to write in their own words.
Good for collecting ideas, thoughts, or experiences.
Example: “What do you enjoy most about school?”

Dichotomous Questions

Give only two answer choices (e.g., Yes/No).
Example: “Do you have a pet?”

Multiple Choice Questions

Provide several fixed answers to choose from.
Respondents pick one or more.
Example: “Which fruits do you like? Apple, Banana, Orange, None”

Scaling Questions

Ask the respondent to rate something on a scale.
Usually from “Not at all” to “Extremely”.
Example: “How satisfied are you with your classes?”

Pictorial Questions

Use symbols or pictures to make answers easier.
Often used for children or visual learners.
Example: Asking how someone feels using emojis or face icons.

Summary of Question Types and Examples

Type	Description	Example
Open-ended	The person writes a free-form answer.	“What challenges do you face as a student?”
Dichotomous	Two options.	“Have you taken online classes before? Yes / No”
Multiple choice	Choose one or more from a list.	“Which devices do you use for studying? Phone / Laptop / Tablet / None”
Scaling (Likert)	Rating level of opinion/feeling.	“How stressed do you feel during exams? 1 = Not at all, 5 = Extremely”
Pictorial	Uses symbols or images to answer.	“How do you feel today?” 😊😐😞 (used often with kids)

Common Mistakes in Questionnaire Design

Double-Barreled Questions

Combine two questions into one.
Problem: Confuses the respondent.
Example: “Do you talk to your parents and teachers when you’re sad?”

Negatively Worded Questions

Use negative phrasing that’s harder to answer.
It’s better to ask questions in a positive form.

Acquiescence Bias

People tend to agree automatically with ‘yes/no’ or ‘agree/disagree’ questions.
Solution: Use more varied and descriptive answer options.

Statements Instead of Questions

Avoid statements like “I am happy at school.”
Better to ask: “How happy are you at school?”

Too Few or Too Many Response Options

Not enough options limits expression.
Too many options can be confusing.
Typically, 5-point scales work best.

Loaded Questions

These questions assume something or push a certain answer.
Example: “Where do you like to drink beer?” (assumes the person drinks beer)

Summary of Common Questionnaire Mistakes

Mistake	Example	What’s Wrong?	Better Version
Double-barreled	“Do you talk to your parents and teachers when you have a problem?”	Asks about two things in one.	“Do you talk to your parents when you have a problem?” AND “Do you talk to your teachers?”
Negatively worded	“How many times are you unable to finish homework?”	Negative structure is confusing.	“How many times do you finish your homework?”
Acquiescence bias	“Do you agree that school uniforms are helpful?”	Yes/no makes people more likely to say “yes”.	“How helpful are school uniforms?” with a 1–5 scale.
Using statements	“I am confident I will pass the test.” (Rated from “Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree”)	It’s a statement, not a question.	“How confident are you that you will pass the test?”
Loaded question	“Where do you usually drink alcohol?”	Assumes the person drinks.	First ask: “Do you drink alcohol?” Then follow up if yes.
Too few/many answer options	“How was the class? Good / Bad”	Lacks nuance.	“Very bad / Bad / Neutral / Good / Very good”

Characteristics of a Good Question

Clear and simple wording.
Focused on one idea.
Neutral (no bias).
Uses the right question type.
Provides suitable answer options.