The Principles of Questionnaires - Article Example

The Principles of Questionnaires Researchers utilize different methods to perform quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data they compiled. There are two major types of research which are primary and secondary research. Secondary research is research based on already existing research literature such as journal articles, while primary research is an original piece of research performed by a person or institution (Isd) Research performed based on qualitative research concentrates on gathering data based on information that is mostly expressed in terms of words and sentences. Numerical analysis is not emphasized in qualitative research, but in the result analysis of the research they may be applied based on the qualitative data gathered. The philosophical foundation in which qualitative research is founded is called interpretivism (Neil, 2006). Different forms of qualitative research include observation, ethnography, case studies, photography, dramaturgical interviews and surveys or questionnaires. This paper emphasizes in the methodology and principles involved in surveys or questionnaires. Questionnaires are the most commonly utilized research method (Statpac). The advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires are analyzed and particular applications of this research method are provided related to its significance in the health care industry. Questionnaires are very useful tool that allow the gathering of data for research and program evaluation or to access the current status or need of a specific group (Nedarc, 2006). This research method can be applied in the field in an anonymous basis quite easily. In medicine the significance of the utilization of questionnaires is extremely important. For example by utilizing surveys the health care industry can target certain groups of patients and get information from them anonymously that patients with sensitive and private conditions such as HIV/AIDS patients would not be willing to reveal to anyone since many of these patients prefer to keep their condition status a secret due to discrimination and other privacy issues. Questionnaires can be administered in a variety of ways such as by mail, telephone, online, personally and through mobile technology. There are different advantages and disadvantages to the different types of questionnaires formats. The common characteristic among all formats is that it is of the utmost importance for the researcher to properly design the questionnaire that the subjects are going to answer. A badly design questionnaire will display weaknesses such as single method instead of multiple possibility design, inadequate sampling procedures, low response rate, weak linkages between questions and respondents, and over reliance on cross sectional questionnaires instead of longitudinal questionnaires (Kraemer, 1992). A bad response rate is a characteristic of a poor design questionnaire because the respondents are not motivated to fill out a questionnaire that does not make any sense to them. The cross sectional and longitudinal conflict means that the researcher is relying too much on a research method based on gathering all the date in a single time instance which is called cross sectional data, instead of applying a methodology based on gathering data in different time intervals (Washington). Another problem with poor design questionnaires is that they lead to inclusive of bias, an undesirable characteristic of any research initiative. Bias can be eliminated from a questionnaire by rearranging the order of the questions so that one response does not affect the answer to a subsequent question and by providing multiple response alternatives (Trendwatch). In order for a questionnaire to be effective it must possess certain characteristics. Seven elements that ensure a complete questionnaire in order for the method to be able to reach the target audience are: Demographics Behaviors Attitudes Knowledge Predispositions Propositional Intentions (Ambrose & Anstey, 2007). The different types of questionnaire formats have specific qualities which differentiates them. For example statistics revealed by ODMP website showed that the response rate of face to face questionnaires is 10.6%, which is a much smaller rate in comparison with mail questionnaires which are answered 32.1% of the time (Ives, 2007). Mail survey are good at finding data about customer reactions and satisfaction such as the quality of the service provided by nurses at a hospital, problem incidents, and time sensitive issues; but they suffer from issues such as bias in response rates, problems with respondents with low levels of literacy, and quality control of the data (Marketstreetresearch, 2004). Mobile technology questionnaire applications is a promising method since it provides very fast responses from the subjects, but it suffers from limitation such as the size of the surveys and other issues familiar with online technologies such as set up cost, quality of the data, and targeting of subject inefficiencies (Shitaro, 2007). Online questionnaires are good at collecting data in fast timeframes, saving money in terms of cost per respondent, and reaching new communities (Yenza). In the health care field questionnaires have many applications. Three ways questionnaires can be incorporated in the medical field to obtain data is symptom questionnaires, in evaluations of medical treatment programs such as alcohol abuse therapies, and in medical research. The performance of the therapies can be benchmark by analyzing the data of the questionnaire in order to make improvements to the program and better serve the patients (Nedarc, 2006). Palliative research requires in-depth detail data collection. Questionnaires are prepared in this field of medical research so that the participants answering the questions undertake complex cognitive processes, including understanding and interpreting questions, retrieval of information from memory, and undergo a decision process to estimate answer and response formulation (FEM Murtagh, 2007). Questionnaires are an extremely useful and valuable method for performing primary research due to the simplicity, low cost and time saving associated with this format. . A study of a sample size of 215 peer reviewed journal articles revealed that 63.4% of the researchers incorporated surveys / questionnaires with the content of the article in some capacity (Gregory & Feldt, 2007). A questionnaire is as good as its design. The question must be prepared in a way that the participants comprehend the material and multiple choice questions are recommended to eliminate bias in the questionnaire. Questionnaires are a powerful research tool that positive influenced many investigations and research projects in the past which is transforming itself and gaining greater popularity due to new technologies such as the internet and mobile technology. References Ambrose, D. and J. R. Bank. (2007). Better Survey Design Is: Stuck for an Answer? Bank Marketing, 39(2), 26-31. Available from EBSCOhost database [Accessed 8 November 2007]. Crawford, G. and Jessica, F. (2007). An Analysis of the Literature on Instruction in Academic Libraries, 46(3), 77-87. 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