Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
4. Postal delay may lead to ill response.
5. The response of the respondent may not be
accurate.
6. The possibility of getting more information
like that of an interview method is reduced.
For a data collection method to be successful,
researchers dealing with the questionnaire should
pay attention to the following features: (1)
introducing letter, (2) the size of the questionnaires,
(3) sequence of questions, (4) simplicity, (5) clarity,
(6) nonpersonal, and (7) pretesting.
Each and every questionnaire should reach to
the respondent with a request from the researcher
in a very humble approach clearly mentioning
the need for the study and the help needed from
the respondent. The size of the questionnaire is a
matter of great concern. In the present and fast-
moving world, time is precious to each and every
one. If one gets very lengthy questionnaire, the
respondent gets bored. The question should be
kept as minimal as possible. Repetitions and
unnecessary questions should be avoided.
Questions should be framed in a logical sequence
so that both the respondent and the researcher
become very much clear about each other with
respect to the objective of the study vis-a-vis the
questions framed. Questions should be framed in
a free-flowing sequence. If the sequencing of the
questions is such that the respondent may get
confused, then their immediate reflection will
be in how to answer the questions. Simplicity in
language and communication is the art of fram-
ing a good questionnaire. A researcher should
communicate to the respondent in a very simple
and sober manner using simple language. The
simpler the language, the easier is the way to
reach the respondent. Any ambiguous question
should be avoided. Question should be very short,
simple, and informative. Clarity in the nature of
questioning is the most important factor in getting
an actual response. The degree of clarity of the
questions asked and their wordings are the most
important things. Questions should be easily
understood; it should convey only one message at
a time. The researcher should try to avoid asking
any personal questions which may make the
respondent hesitant in answering those questions.
Questions related to personal income, income tax
paid, sale tax paid, and extramarital relationship
should be avoided. Asking personal information
greatly influences the overall response of the
respondent. As such, personal questions if at all
required to be asked should be placed at the end of
the questionnaire. Instructions in filling out the
questionnaire will provide an additional advantage
to the respondent and may encourage him/her to
respond positively to the request of the researcher.
The researcher should clearly clarify the code,
groups, or other special notations used in the
questionnaire. A declaration on the part of the
researcher stating that the information provided
by the respondent should be kept confidential and
should not be used for other purposes other than
the purpose mentioned in the study without prior
permission from the respondent may encourage
the respondents in providing feedback to the
questionnaires. For comprehensive and big stud-
ies, pretesting of questionnaire is essential.
Pretesting of questionnaire means application of
the questionnaire to a small group of respondents
before it is being used for the main study. This is
also known as pilot survey. There are several
advantages of a pilot survey. The researcher can
modify or adjust, incorporate some new questions,
and delete some unwanted or nonresponsive
questions based on the feedback from the pilot
survey.
7.1.4 Schedule Method
The method of data collection through a schedule is
almost similar to that method of data collection
through questionnaires with a slight difference,
that is, an enumerator or a researcher prepares
a list of questions and takes it to the respondents to
fill them in during the process/time of interviewing.
While the questionnaires are being filled in by the
respondents themselves, the schedule is most likely
to be filled in by an enumerator or investigator. The
added advantage of data collection through sched-
ule is that the enumerator or investigator clarifies or
explains the questions whichseemtobedifficultto
answer by the respondent. The success of this
