parents and principals as partners in creating a culture of learning

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It greatly reduced the number of treatment errors because unforeseen
problems revealed in the pilot study resulted in redesigning the main study.
It saved the researcher major expenditures of time and money on aspects
of the research which would have been unnecessary.
Feedback from other persons involved were made possible and led to
important improvements in the main study.
In the pilot study the researcher tried out a number of alternative measures
and selected only those that produced the best results for the final study.
The approximate time required to complete the questionnaire was
established in the pilot study.
Questions and/or instructions that were misinterpreted were reformulated.
Through the use ofthe pilot study as 'pre-test' the researcher was satisfied that the
questions asked complied adequately with the requirements of the study.
5.6 ADMINISTRATION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
If properly administered the questionnaire is the best available instrument for
obtaining information from widespread sources or large groups simultaneously
(Mulder, 1989:39). The researcher personally delivered questionnaires to selected
respondents (parents and principals) and collected them after completion (cf.
5.3.2).