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◆ The questionnaires should preferably be pre-coded.

◆ The questionnaires themselves should be numbered serially.

3.3.4.2 Interview Schedule
Interview schedule is a tool for collecting primary data similar
◆ Tool for interview
to that of a questionnaire. The difference between an interview
schedule and a questionnaire is related to the party marking
responses to the questions. Similar to a questionnaire, interview
schedules also encompass a certain number of questions but the
responses to it are marked by the enumerator himself/herself and
not by the respondents.

In certain situations, schedules may be handed over to
respondents and enumerators may help them in recording their
answers to various questions in the said schedules. Enumerators
explain the aims and objects of the investigation and also remove

◆ Needs a skilled the difficulties which any respondent may feel in understanding the
enumerator implications of a particular question or the definition or concept of
difficult terms. This method requires the selection of enumerators
for filling up schedules or assisting respondents to fill up schedules
and as such enumerators should be very carefully selected. The
enumerators should be trained to perform their job well and the
nature and scope of the investigation should be explained to them
thoroughly so that they may well understand the implications of
different questions put in the schedule. Enumerators should be
intelligent and must possess the capacity of cross examination
in order to find out the truth. Above all, they should be honest,
sincere, hardworking and should have patience and perseverance.
Difference between Questionnaire and Interview schedule
The key differences between a questionnaire and an interview
schedule are depicted in the following table.

134 SGOU - SLM -MCom Research Methodology