RESEARCH METHOD COHEN ok

338 QUESTIONNAIRES
techniques. This is not only a matter of appeal to
respondents, but, perhaps more significantly, is a
matter of accessibility of the questionnaire to the
respondents, i.e. a matter of reliability and validity.
The layout of the questionnaire
The appearance of the questionnaire is vitally
important. It must look easy, attractive and
interesting rather than complicated, unclear,
forbidding and boring. A compressed layout is
uninviting and it clutters everything together;
alargerquestionnairewithplentyofspacefor
questions and answers is more encouraging to
respondents. Verma and Mallick (1999: 120)
suggest the use of high quality paper if funding
permits.
Dillman et al. (1999)foundthatrespondents
tend to expect less of a form-filling task than is
actually required. They expect to read a question,
read the response, make a mark, and move on to
the next question, but in many questionnaires it
is more complicated than this. The rule is simple:
keep it as uncomplicated as possible.
It is important, perhaps, for respondents to be
introduced to the purposes of each section of a
questionnaire, so that they can become involved
in it and maybe identify with it. If space permits,
it is useful to tell the respondent the purposes and
focuses of the sections of the questionnaire, and
the reasons for the inclusion of the items.
Clarity of wording and simplicity of design
are essential. Clear instructions should guide
respondents: ‘Put a tick’, for example, invites
participation, whereas complicated instructions
and complex procedures intimidate respondents.
Putting ticks in boxes by way of answering a
questionnaire is familiar to most respondents,
whereas requests to circle precoded numbers at
the right-hand side of the questionnaire can be
asourceofconfusionanderror.Insomecases
it might also be useful to include an example
of how to fill in the questionnaire (e.g. ticking
a box, circling a statement), though, clearly,
care must be exercised to avoid leading the
respondents to answering questions in a particular
way by dint of the example provided (e.g. by
suggesting what might be a desired answer to the
subsequent questions). Verma and Mallick (1999:
121) suggest the use of emboldening to draw the
respondent’s attention to significant features.
Ensure that short, clear instructions accompany
each section of the questionnaire. Repeating
instructions as often as necessary is good practice
in a postal questionnaire. Since everything hinges
on respondents knowing exactly what is required
of them, clear, unambiguous instructions, boldly
and attractively displayed, are essential.
Clarity and presentation also impact on the
numbering of the questions. For example a fourpage
questionnaire might contain sixty questions,
broken down into four sections. It might be offputting
to respondents to number each question
(1–60) as the list will seem interminably long,
whereas to number each section 1–4 makes the
questionnaire look manageable. Hence it is useful,
in the interests of clarity and logic, to break
down the questionnaire into subsections with
section headings. This will also indicate the overall
logic and coherence of the questionnaire to the
respondents, enabling them to ‘find their way’
through the questionnaire. It might be useful to
preface each subsection with a brief introduction
that tells them the purpose of that section.
The practice of sectionalizing and sublettering
questions (e.g. Q9 (a) (b) (c)...) is a useful
technique for grouping together questions about
aspecificissue.Itisalsoawayofmakingthe
questionnaire look smaller than it actually is!
This previous point also requires the questionnaire
designer to make it clear if respondents are
exempted from completing certain questions or
sections of the questionnaire (discussed earlier in
the section on filters). If so, then it is vital that
the sections or questions are numbered so that the
respondent knows exactly where to move to next.
Here the instruction might be, for example: ‘If
you have answered ‘‘yes’’ to question 10 please go
to question 15, otherwise continue with question
11’, or, for example: ‘If you are the school principal
please answer this section, otherwise proceed to
section 3’.
Arrange the contents of the questionnaire in
such a way as to maximize cooperation. For