De La Salle University – Dasmariñas

College of Business Administration

Marketing Department

College Life E-Zine: Questionnaire Design

Case Analysis

Reynan Bauto
Chynna Catangay
Andrea Eliza Dimasuay
Rechiel Lautriso
Genesis Pible

MKA 41/MKA 44

July 13, 2010

Questionnaire

- is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for

the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often

designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case.

Questionnaires have advantages over some other types of surveys in that they

are cheap, do not require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone

surveys, and often have standardized answers that make it simple to compile data.

However, such standardized answers may frustrate users. Questionnaires are also

sharply limited by the fact that respondents must be able to read the questions and

respond to them. Thus, for some demographic groups conducting a survey by

questionnaire may not be practical.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionnaire

Advantages:

• Can be used as a method in its own right or as a basis for interviewing or a

telephone survey.

• Can be posted, e-mailed or faxed.

• Can cover a large number of people or organizations.

• Wide geographic coverage.

• Relatively cheap.

• No prior arrangements are needed.

• Avoids embarrassment on the part of the respondent.

• Respondent can consider responses.

• Possible anonymity of respondent.

 • No interviewer bias.

Disadvantages:

• Design problems.

• Questions have to be relatively simple.

• Historically low response rate (although inducements may help).

• Time delay whilst waiting for responses to be returned.

• Require a return deadline.

• Several reminders may be required.

• Assumes no literacy problems.

• No control over who completes it.

• Not possible to give assistance if required.

• Problems with incomplete questionnaires.

• Replies not spontaneous and independent of each other.

• Respondent can read all questions beforehand and then decide whether to

complete or not. For example, perhaps because it is too long, too complex,

uninteresting, or too personal.

Questionnaire Design

- is a structured technique for collecting primary data in a marketing survey. It is a

series of written or verbal questions for which the respondents provide complete and

accurate information.

http://www.quickmba.com/marketing/research/qdesign/
Case 9.2

College Life E-Zine: Questionnaire Design

1. Does the introduction satisfy all of its necessary functions? Why or why not?

Yes. All necessary information like the name of researcher, from what

company she/he is, sponsorship that cause freebies for the respondents which is

the discount coupon to a certain restaurant and few message asking permission

and being grateful for the response are all indicated in the first statement written

in the survey. This is important for the respondent to know why he/she should

answer the survey.

2. Would you say that the survey was disguised or undisguised? Why do you think

Bob Watts chose to indicate the sponsor in this way?

Disguised surveys and questions occur when the purpose of the study is

not clear to the respondent. It does not make sense to disguise the purpose of

the study when knowing the purpose might bias the results.

In the viewpoint of a researcher, the survey was undisguised because it

indicated and it was transparent to what they want to ask. It only used long

introduction of series of questions about the sponsors for the researcher to know

if the freebie is effective or not. After these questions about the sponsor were

given, it already introduced, with enough information and explanation, the college

E-zine.