Developing New Data Collection Tools

4.3 Look for model questionnaires

A variety of non-standardized questionnaires have been developed by agencies and community groups, which can provide models or be used intact with permission. Questionnaires from community groups are likely to have a mix of question types to collect quantitative and qualitative data.

Advantages

• already been tested and used
• development work is done regarding
• how much to ask
• question wording
• placement
• questionnaire format

Characteristics of good model questionnaires

• contain a description about confidentiality
• provide some explanation for the purpose and use of the questionnaire
• easy to read and follow from question to question
• reasonably consistent in format and layout of questions
• give precise, comprehensible instructions
• differentiate instructions clearly from questions (e.g., font size, type, boldface)
• express appreciation for the respondent’s time and assistance
• have easily understood, unambiguous questions
• are appropriate for the purpose and the respondent in tone and content
• unemotional, impersonal and reasonably unintrusive
• provide opportunities for identifying date, collection place and coded identification as needed
• provide simple ways to minimize the amount of writing an informant needs to do, e.g., tick boxes, lists of responses to circle
• provide prompts to assist specific answers and avoid unclear responses (“yr/month/day” instead of “date”; birthdate instead of “age”)
• use scales to identify the intensity of the response (e.g., a 5-point scale with each point labeled)

Suitability

Determine the utility of data to be gathered from a question before including it in the final questionnaire.

Even in good model questionnaires, some questions may not be suitable as they are worded.

• omit unnecessary or unsuitable questions unless the intention is to compare the results of the model questionnaire as a whole to your own
• make every effort to contact the originator of the questionnaire and obtain consent to use it