The key parts of a questionnaire research instrument typically include the general instructions, personal information section, and the body of questions.
Here's a breakdown of each component:
-
General Instructions: This section provides clear and concise instructions to the respondent on how to complete the questionnaire. This includes explaining the purpose of the research, how to answer the questions, and any other relevant information necessary for accurate completion. Good instructions are crucial for minimizing errors and ensuring valid data.
-
Personal Information (Demographics): This section collects essential demographic data about the respondent. This can include information such as age, gender, education level, occupation, income, and location. This information is used to analyze responses based on different groups and identify any patterns or correlations.
-
The Body (Questions): This is the main part of the questionnaire, containing the questions designed to gather data related to the research objectives. These questions can be structured in various formats, including:
- Open-ended questions: Allow respondents to provide detailed, free-form answers.
- Closed-ended questions: Provide a limited set of answer choices, such as multiple-choice, yes/no, or Likert scales.
- Scaled questions: Use a scale to measure attitudes, opinions, or behaviors (e.g., rating satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 5).
The order and wording of questions in the body are critical for avoiding bias and ensuring clarity. The questions should be relevant to the research question, easy to understand, and presented in a logical sequence.
