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3.3.4.1 Questionnaire

Questionnaire is a document containing a list of questions
designed to solicit information from respondents appropriate
for analysis. The questionnaire is used in mail surveys were it is ◆ List of questions
mailed to respondents who are expected to read and understand
the questions and write down the reply in the space meant for
the purpose in the questionnaire itself. The respondents have to
answer the questions on their own.
A questionnaire is designed to fulfil the following objectives:

◆ Translate the information needed into a set of specific
questions.

◆ Motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved
in the interview, to cooperate, and to complete the interview.

◆ Minimize response error.

Advantages

◆ There is low cost even when the universe is large and is
widely spread geographically.
◆ It is free from the bias of the interviewer since the answers
are in respondents’ own words.

◆ Respondents have adequate time to give well thought out
answers.

◆ Respondents, who are not easily approachable, can also be
reached conveniently.
◆ Large samples can be made use of and thus the results can be
made more dependable and reliable.

Disadvantages

◆ It can be used only when respondents are educated and
cooperating.

◆ The control over questionnaire may be lost once it is sent.

◆ There is inbuilt inflexibility because of the difficulty of
amending the approach once questionnaires have been
despatched.

◆ There is also the possibility of ambiguous replies or omission
of replies altogether to certain questions making the
interpretation difficult.

◆ It is difficult to know whether willing respondents are truly
representative.

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