CH04 Acquiring Data Via a Questionnaire

Question 1

define a questionnaire (or data acquisition form)

Answer 1

questionnaire (or data acquisition form): a set of questions designed to generate the data necessary to accomplish the objectives of the research project

also called an ‘interview schedule’ or ‘survey instrument’

Question 2

why are the wording and sequence of questionnaires standardized?

Answer 2

standardization eliminates the potential for interviewer bias or interpretation, allowing researchers to compare and analyze respondents’ answers accurately

Question 3

**define the questionnaire’s pivotal role in the research process (exhibit 4.1)

Answer 3

1. survey objectives OR respondent information
2. questionnaire
3. data analysis
4. findings
5. recommendations
6. managerial action

Question 4

improper design of a questionnaire can lead to what 3 things?

Answer 4

• incomplete information
• inaccurate data
• higher costs

Question 5

to design a good questionnaire, researchers must consider a number of issues:

Answer 5

• does it provide the necessary decision-making information for management?
• does it consider the respondent?
• does it solicit responses in an unbiased manner?
• does it meet editing, coding, and data analysis requirements?

Question 6

what is the primary role of any questionnaire?

Answer 6

primary role of any questionnaire: provide the information required for management decision-making

Question 7

what should researchers consider when designing a questionnaire?

Answer 7

various factors to consider when designing a questionnaire include:
- topic and type of respondent
- interviewing environment
- questionnaire length
- appropriate language (simple everyday language is preferred)
- designing surveys for smartphones

Question 8

what are the pros and cons of having longer questionnaires?

Answer 8

• pro: the longer the questionnaire, the more useful data you will receive
• con: respondents might not fully complete the survey OR they might omit to do it at all if it’s too long and they are not interested

Question 9

define editing

Answer 9

editing: going through each questionnaire to ensure that skip patterns were followed and the required questions filled out

Question 10

what is a skip pattern (aka branching)?

Answer 10

skip pattern (aka branching): sequence in which questions are asked, based on a respondent’s answer

in other words, certain questions are skipped based on a respondent’s previous answers, making the survey more efficient and relevant

Question 11

define piping

Answer 11

piping integrates responses from a previous question into later questions

a participant could be asked to type an answer to an open-ended question (eg., year, make, and model of the car they drive most often), and the text of that answer could be incorporated into the wording of the next question (eg., how would you rate you 2016 RAV4 overall?)

Question 12

name the steps in the questionnaire design process

Answer 12

questionnaire design process:
1. determine survey objectives, resources, and constraints
2. determine the data-collection method
3. determine the question response format
4. decide on the question wording
5. establish questionnaire flow and layout
6. evaluate the questionnaire
7. obtain approval of all relevant parties
8. pretest and revise
9. prepare final copy
10. implement the survey

Question 13

define survey objectives

Answer 13

survey objectives: outline of the decision-making information sought through the questionnaire

Question 14

what are the different types of question formats?

Answer 14

• open-ended questions
• closed-ended questions
• dichotomous questions
• multiple-choice questions
• scale-response questions

Question 15

what are open-ended questions?

Answer 15

open-ended questions: questions to which the respondent replies in her or his own words

eg. how did you feel after writing the math final?

Question 16

what are closed-ended questions?

Answer 16

closed-ended questions: questions that require the respondent to choose from a list of answer

eg. which of the following colors is your favorite?
a. red
b. blue
c. yellow
d. green

Question 17

what is a dichotomous question?

Answer 17

dichotomous question: closed-ended questions that ask the respondents to choose between 2 answers

eg. did you heat the danish roll before serving it?
- yes 1
- no 2

many times, a neutral response option is added to dichotomous questions, ‘don’t know’ or ‘no response’

Question 18

what is a multiple-choice question?

Answer 18

multiple-choice questions: closed-ended questions that ask the respondent to choose among several answers; also called ‘multi-dichotomous questions’

eg. i’d like you to think back to the last footwear of any kind that you bought. i’ll read you a list of descriptions and would like fo you to tell me into which category it falls:
1. dress and/or formal
2. casual
3. canvas-trainer-gym shoes
4. specialized athletic shoes
5. boots

Question 19

name the 2 disadvantages of using multiple-choice questions

Answer 19

1. generating the list of possible responses can be time-consuming, requiring brainstorming or analysis of focus group tapes or secondary data
2. selecting an appropriate range of answers is crucial as a long list can confuse or disinterest respondents. position bias is also a concern, where respondents tend to choose the first or last option. however, this bias can be eliminated by using online or smartphone questionnaire software and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) systems, which automatically rotate the items on the list

Question 20

what are scaled-response questions?

Answer 20

scaled response-questions: closed-ended questions in which the response choices are designed to capture the intensity of the respondent’s feeling

eg. now that you have used the product, would you say that you … (check one)
- definitely would buy it?
- probably would buy it?
- might or might not buy it?
- probably would not buy it?
- definitely would not buy it?

Question 21

what is a primary advantage of using scaled-response questions?

Answer 21

scaling permits measurement of the intensity of respondents’ answers

also the marketing researcher can use much more powerful statistical tools with some scaled-response questions

Question 22

what are things to consider when deciding on the question wording?

Answer 22

things to consider include
- make sure the wording is clear
- avoid biasing the respondent
- consider the respondent’s ability to answer the questions
- consider the respondent’s willingness to answer the question

Question 23

define clarity

Answer 23

clarity: achieved by avoiding ambiguous terminology, using reasonable, everyday spoken language adjusted to the target group, and asking only one question at a time

Question 24

how can a questionnaire’s flow and layout be established?

Answer 24

establishing a questionnaire’s flow and layout:
- use screening questions to identify qualified respondents
- begin with a question that gets the respondent’s interest
- ask general questions first
- ask questions that require “work” in the middle
- positive sensitive, threatening, and demographic questions at the end
- put instructions in capital letters
- use a proper introduction and closing

Question 25

define screeners (aka screening questions)

Answer 25

screeners (aka screening questions): questions used to identify appropriate respondents

Question 26

list a few key points to include in a good introduction and closing

Answer 26

a few key points include:
- explaining the nature of the study topic/subject matter in general terms
- the respondents should be told the approximate length of the survey
- reinforcing the fact that the respondent’s time is appreciated/valued
- at the conclusion of the survey, thank the respondent for his or her time
- stating that the desired intention is that the respondent has a positive survey experience
- reminding the respondent that his or her opinions do count

Question 27

how can a questionnaire be evaluated?

Answer 27

questionnaire evaluation:
- is the question necessary?
- is the questionnaire too long?
- will the questions provide the information needed to accomplish the research objectives?

Question 28

define a pretest

Answer 28

pretest: a trial run of a questionnaire

Question 29

what is the purpose of a pretest?

Answer 29

ideally, a pretest is administered to target respondents for the study. in pretest, researchers look for misinterpretations or confusion on the part of the respondents, lack of continuity, poor skip patterns, additional alternatives for closed-ended questions, and general respondent reaction to the interview. the pretest should be conducted in the same mode as the final interview, that is, if the study is to be an internet survey, then the pretest should be too.

Question 30

what are field services?

Answer 30

field services refer to the individuals or agencies responsible for conducting in-person interviews as part of data collection

to ensure accurate and efficient data gathering at a reasonable cost, field service firms are provided with a set of forms and procedures along with the questionnaire. these include supervisor’s instructions, interviewer’s instructions, screeners (used to filter respondents), call record sheets (for tracking interview details), and visual aids (such as charts or diagrams). these materials support the field service firm in conducting interviews according to the specified guidelines and assist in maintaining consistency and quality throughout the data collection process.

Question 31

define field management companies

Answer 31

field management companies: firms that provide such support services as questionnaire formatting, screener writing, and coordination data collection

generally lean on staff, these companies provide the services clients need without attempting to compete with the design and analytical capabilities of full-service companies and ad agency research staffs

Question 32

what are the pros of using field management companies?

Answer 32

pros of using field management companies:
- cost-effectiveness
- increased productivity
- expertise and support
- streamlined processes
- quality control
- time savings
- access to specialized resources
- flexibility and scalability
- industry knowledge

Question 33

what are some of the limitations of using field management services?

Answer 33

limitations of using field management services:
- lack of design and analytical capabilities
- variability in experience, services, and standards
- limited scope of services (depending on the chosen firm)
- reliance on external resources
- potential for misalignment
- limited control over the entire research process
- subject to market dynamics

Question 34

what is something you want to avoid when it comes to survey research?

Answer 34

you want to avoid respondent fatigue

Question 35

define respondent fatigue

Answer 35

respondent fatigue: this happens when the respondent becomes bored, exhausted, or uninterested in the survey

Question 36

what are some of the limitations of using field management services?

Answer 36

limitations of using field management services:
- lack of design and analytical capabilities
- variability in experience, services, and standards
- limited scope of services (depending on the chosen firm)
- reliance on external resources
- potential for misalignment
- limited control over the entire research process
- subject to market dynamics

Question 37

what are some ways to reduce respondent fatigue?

Answer 37

ways to reduce respondent fatigue:
- add a progress bar at the top of the screen so that respondents can gauge the time remaining
- keep the survey length down, preferably no longer than 20 mins
- vary the types of questions being asked and the structure of the questions
- give an honest estimate up-front regarding the length of the interview
- (if appropriate), offer an honorarium/fee or gift as a thank you for completing the survey

Question 38

define sentiment extraction

Answer 38

sentiment extraction: the identification of subjective information

in other words, sentiment extraction refers to the process of capturing and analyzing the sentiments or subjective opinions expressed by respondents in their survey responses. it involves identifying and extracting the emotional tone, attitudes, or subjective judgments conveyed by the respondents in their answers.

Question 39

what is augmented intelligence?

Answer 39

augmented intelligence: an alternative conceptualization of artificial intelligence that focuses on AI’s assistive role, designed to enhance human intelligence, rather than replace it

Question 40

what are some tips for designing a smartphone or tablet questionnaire?

Answer 40

tips for designing a smartphone or tablet questionnaire:
- remember the reality of the real estate
- design for both portrait (vertical) and landscape (horizontal) view
- reduce the number of works in the questions
- design the functional elements first
- test on multiple devices
- avoid scrolling designs
- make text boxes as large as you can

Question 41

define do-it-yourself (DIY) research

Answer 41

do-it-yourself (DIY) research: research when someone creates their own survey, draws a sample, and receives quantitative results

Question 42

what is software as a service (SaaS)?

Answer 42

software as a service (SaaS): it is accessed online via a subscription, rather than bought and installed on individual computers

Question 43

what is do-it-together (DIT)?

Answer 43

do-it-together (DIT): research when research suppliers partner with clients at various points during projects

Question 44

list some factors that define DIY today

Answer 44

some factors that define DIY today are:
- the client using sample recruitment but facilitating their own qualitative research
- the client using sample providers but fielding their own surveys
- the client paying to fully field the survey but handling analysis on their own
- the client using SaaS tool to field qualitative or quantitative research but getting help to leverage results for strategic marketing recommendation
- the client leveraging their open-ended survey results and/or other unstructured data for test analytic work carried out by a research partner who may use a firm like Caplena
- the client leveraging a text analytic SaaS solution to analyze their own unstructured data
- within any of the above scenarios, the research partner is likely to be using one or more other partners and/or SaaS tools to help them efficiently assist their clients