Question format examples
Example of horizontal vertical response choices:
Do you think that there is evidence of female racism in sports?
The table below is an example of a matrix question format:
The doctors
gave
prescriptions
Strongly
agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Don’t know
Some examples of response choices:
•
Excellent, good, fair, poor
•
Strongly approve, approve, strongly disapprove, and disapprove
•
Very interested, interested, not interested.
Scaled items or Likert scales:
The closed question describes various degrees of something. It enables people to get
accurate assessment of beliefs or opinions with Likert type questions.
Examples:
Female education is
important
Critical
Very important
Undecided
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Guidelines for an effective questionnaire
• Participants should not be asked to identify themselves in questionnaires (they should
remain anonymous).
• Responses from participants should remain confidential
in order to encourage frank
answers to sensitive questions in the study.
• Target only those respondents to whom your study is applicable.
• Neatness and conciseness are important in questionnaires to avoid confusion.
• The questionnaire must be attractive and easy for respondents to deal with.
• Time and simplicity are key issues.
•
Plan carefully and only relevant questions must be included. Present an attractive
questionnaire to ensure that respondents accept it and
that they will answer the
questions.
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