Unit 6 - Survey

Question 1

What is the definition of descriptive research?

Answer 1

It is a type of conclusive research that has as an objective the description of something.

Question 2

What is the application of descriptive research?

Answer 2

• To describe the characteristics of relevant groups
• To estimate the percentage of units in a specified population exhibiting a certain behaviour
• To determine the perceptions of product characteristics
• To determine the degree to which marketing variables are associated
• To make specific predictions

Question 3

What is a survey?

Answer 3

What it is: structured questionnaire - method of obtaining information
Respondents: sample of a population
Aim: get specific information from respondents
Answer type: predetermined set of responses.

Question 4

What is the process of a survey?

Answer 4

Respondents are asked a variety of questions regarding their behaviour, intentions, attitudes, awareness, motivations, and demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Questions may be asked verbally, in writing, or via computer, and the responses may be obtained in any of these forms.

Question 5

What is the criteria for evaluation of surveys?

Answer 5

1. Task factors
2. Situational factors
3. Respondent factors

Question 6

What are the Task factors?

Answer 6

Task factors are:

• diversity and flexibility of questions
• use of physical stimuli
• sample control
• quantity of data
• response rate

Question 7

What are the Situational factors?

Answer 7

Situational factors are:

• control of the environment
• potential for interviewer bias
• speed
• cost

Question 8

What are the Respondent factors?

Answer 8

Respondent factors are:

• perceived anonimity
• sensitive information
• social desirability
• low incidence rate
• respondent control

Question 9

What is a questionnaire?

Answer 9

A questionnaire is a formalized set of questions for obtaining information from respodents.

Question 10

What is the questionnaire design process?

Answer 10

1. Specify the information needed
2. Determine the interviewing method
3. Determine the content of individual questions
4. Decide on the question structure
5. Determine the question wording
6. Determine the question sequence
7. Identify the form and layout
8. Re-examine steps 1-7 and revise if necessary
9. Pre-test questionnaire and revise if necessary

Question 11

What do you need to be aware of (avoid) when constructing a questionnaire?

Answer 11

1. Complexity has to be avoided in the questions,
2. Avoid leading and loaded questions
3. Avoid double-barreled items (when someone asks a question that touches upon more than one issue yet allows for only one answer)
4. Avoid making assumptions
5. Avoid ambiguity
6. Avoid burdensome questions that may test the respondent’s memory

Question 12

What types of questions can be used in questionnaires?

Answer 12

There are 2 types of questions:

1. Structured questions which pre-specify the set of response alternatives and the response format
2. Unstructured questions which are open-ended for respondents to answer in their own words

Question 13

What types of structured questions are there?

Answer 13

The structured questions:

1. Multiple choice
2. Dichotomous (yes/no)
3. Scales

Question 14

What is and should be the question wording?

Answer 14

Question wording is the translation of the desired question content and structure into words that the respondents can clearly and easily understand. If a question is worded poorly, respondents may refuse to answer it or may answer it incorrectly.

Question 15

What is the funnel approach?

Answer 15

A strategy for ordering questions in a questionnaire in which the sequence starts with general questions that are followed by progressively specific questions in order to prevent specific questions from biasing general questions.

Question 16

What is the questions sequence in a questionnaire?

Answer 16

1, we need qualifying questions, which aim to identify the target respondents.
2, we need warm-up questions, which are easy to answer and show respondents the survey is simple.
3, we need transitional questions, which relate to the research objectives and require slightly more effort to answer.
4, we need difficult and complicated questions, now the respondent has committed to completing the questionnaire and can see that just a few questions are left.
5, we need demographic information, with some questions may be considered personal and respondents may leave them blank but they are at the end of the survey.

Question 17

What are branching questions?

Answer 17

They are questions used to guide an interviewer through a survey by directing the interviewer to different spots on the questionnaire depending on the answers given.

Question 18

Comment on the questions form and layout.

Answer 18

The format, spacing and positioning of questions can have a significant effect on the results. The goal of the layout and format of the questionnaire should be to make the tasks of the interviewer and the respondent as easy as possible.

Question 19

What is pretesting?

Answer 19

It refers to the testing of the questionnaire on a small sample of respondents to identify and eliminate potential problems.

Question 20

Comment on pretesting:

Answer 20

All aspects of the questionnaire should be tested. The respondents for the pretest should be drawn from the same population.