264a Marketing Research 1

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

264a Marketing Research 2

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

264a Marketing Research 3

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.• Bad: “Tell me what you think about this product?”

• Good “On a scale from 1 to 10 how fresh is this bagel?”

(circle one)

Very Stale 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Very Fresh

264a Marketing Research 4

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

264a Marketing Research 5

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.• Bad: What is your income level?

$0 - $10,000

$10,000 - $20,000

$20,000 - $30,000

$30,000 or more.

264a Marketing Research 6

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

264a Marketing Research 7

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.• Bad: “Moribund 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Lively”

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

264a Marketing Research 8

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.

• Do not use words or phrases that show bias.

264a Marketing Research 9

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.

• Do not use words or phrases that show bias.• Bad: “Why isn’t this brand better liked?”

• Good: “What is it that you like least about this brand?”

264a Marketing Research 10

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.

• Do not use words or phrases that show bias.

• Avoid double-barreled questions.

264a Marketing Research 11

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.

• Do not use words or phrases that show bias.

• Avoid double-barreled questions.• Bad: “Do you like the taste and the feel of this brand?”

264a Marketing Research 12

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.

• Do not use words or phrases that show bias.

• Avoid double-barreled questions.

• State explicit alternatives.

264a Marketing Research 13

Principles of Questionnaire Writing• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.

• Do not use words or phrases that show bias.

• Avoid double-barreled questions.

• State explicit alternatives.• “Does it seem possible or does it seem impossible to

you that the Nazi extermination of the Jews never happened?”

264a Marketing Research 14

Principles of Questionnaire Writing

• Be clear and precise.

• Response choices should not overlap.

• Use natural and familiar language.

• Do not use words or phrases that show bias.

• Avoid double-barreled questions.

• State explicit alternatives.

• Questions should be reliable and valid.