PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2
LESSON: Questionnaire
Designing the Questionnaire and Establishing Validity and Reliability
What is Questionnaire?
1. An instrument for collecting data.
2. Consists of series of questions that respondents provide answers
to a research study.
Steps in Writing a Questionnaire
1. Check the background of the chosen variable.
Choose a construct that can be used to craft the purpose
and objective of the questionnaire.
Construct- The traits or characteristic that you would like to
evaluate or measure.
5 Main Types of Variables
Dependent Variable
Independent Variable
Control Variable
Continuous Variable
Discrete Variable
2. Conceptualize the Questionnaire
Choose the response scale to use.
Likert Scale- a rating scale used to measure survey
participants’ opinions, attitudes, motivations and more.
It uses a range of answer options ranging from one
extreme attitude to another.
Generate the items or questions of the questionnaire based
on the purpose and objectives of the research study.
Choose the type of questions in developing statements:
Dichotomous- Only two choices are provided
Open Ended Questions- Typically answers the
question “why”
Closed Questions- Multiple choice questions
Rank- Order Questions- Respondents are asked to
rank their choices on each statement or item
Rating Scale- The construct of scale
Examples of Likert Scale Rating
Frequency of Occurrence Frequency of Use
Very Frequently Always
Frequently Often
Occasionally Sometimes
Rarely Rarely
Very Rarely Never
3. Establish the Validity of the Questionnaire
Validity- Traditionally defined as degree to which a test
measures what it claims or purports. (Brown, 1996)
Ways to Assess the Validity of a Set of Measurements
Face Validity- A superficial or subjective assessment.
The questionnaire appears to measure the construct or
variable that the research study is supposed to
measure.
Content Validity- Measured by experts or people who
are familiar with the construct being measured. The
experts are asked to provide feedback on how well each
question measures the variable or construct under
study.
Criterion- related validity- measures the relationship
between a measure and an outcome.
o Concurrent Validity- Measures how well the results
of an evaluation or assessment correlate with
other assessments measuring the same variables
or constructs.
o Predictive Validity- Measures how well the results
of an assessment can predict a relationship
between the construct being measured and future
behavior.
Construct Validity- the extent to which a measure is
related to other measures as specified in a theory or
previous research. It is an experimental demonstration
that a test is measuring the construct it claims to be
measuring
4. Establish the Reliability if the Questionnaire
Reliability- Indicates the accuracy or precision of the
measuring instrument.
The condition where measurement process yields
consistent responses over repeated measurements.
Ways to Assess the Reliability of a Questionnaire
Test- retest reliability- The simplest method of
assessing reliability. The same test or questionnaire is
administered twice and correlation between the two
sets of scores is computed.
Split- half method- Also called equivalent or parallel
forms. In this method, two different tests covering the
same topics are used and the correlation between the
two sets of scores is calculated.
Internal Consistency- Used in assessing reliability of
questions measured on an interval or ratio scale. The
reliability estimate is based on a single form of test
administered on a single occasion.
- Chronbach Alpha- Can range from 0 to 1.
Anything above .70 is considered sufficiently
reliable.
5. Pilot Testing of Questionnaire
Pre- Testing or Pilot Testing
You may find 10-15 people from your target group to pre-
test the questionnaire.
6. Revise the Questionnaire
After identifying the problem areas in your questionnaire,
revise the instrument as needed based on the feedback
provided during the pre- testing or pilot testing.
