Requisties of good question and Question to be avoided

Requisites of the good question.

No hard and fast rules can be given for the nature of the question because if all depends on upon the individual nature of the study types of respondents. The quality of field worker etc. However, some guides areas.

1. The question should be few , short, clearly worded simply and easy to reply.
2. The question should be within the information scope of the respondent I,e the respondent is in the position to reply.
3. They should have direct bearing with objectives of the investigation/ research problem.
4. Units of technical terms used in the schedules should be kept as far as possible the same as have been in some previous enquiries unless otherwise required.
5. The question should be inter-related with each other so that the sequence may be maintained and checking can be made possible.
6. Cross checking question may be given to avoid any manipulation by the respondents.
7. As far as possible only impersonal questions are to be included .
8. The question should be so framed that there is a minimum of writing works.
9. The question should be free from ambiguity.
10. Tabulation plan must be kept in mind while framing a question.
11. In question dealing with the degree of intensity of feeling or conviction, the words why, what, when. How question should also be included.

Question to be avoided.

Question to be avoided in questioner is that the questions which do not follow the requisite of a good question are bad questions and they should be avoided for collecting information. For example. The question to be avoided is those whose are.

1. If the question presents in the questioner os too long.
2. If the question presents in the questioner is complexes should be avoided.
3. If the question present in the questioner is personal, ambiguous, leading, not relevant, embarrassing, when the answer can be otherwise procured, resulting in inaccurate responses and about universally accepted forms.

Words to be avoided.

A great precaution is necessary for wording the questions proper wording and proper language is absolutely essential. The words should be simple, clear, and unambiguous. Following are some example of words that have to be avoided in questions.

Some of the words are as discussed as below.

1. Technical terms unless the survey is about the technical subjects.
2. Native and unused words.
3. Words carrying emotional connectives.
4. Subjective or quantitative words.
5. Ambiguous words.

The sequence of a question.

The arrangement of a question in a questionnaire/schedule must not be done haphazardly. Following are the general procedures of sequencing the question.

1. The simple and uncontroversial question should be given first. The general rule is to proceed from simple to complex and general to specific.
2. The change from one topic to another should be very smooth.
3. Each question and each group should appear in a chain and should not appear as scattered-stray cases.
4. Subject matter sequence should be maintained. All questions regarding one topic should be grouped in one place. If there is a clash between time sequence and subject matter sequence, later should be given priority.

Other types of question.

Hypothesis question.

Hypothesis question is that type of question in which question asked to test reflection of the respondent if certain things happen., It is used to predict the future behaviour of the respondent. In such hypothesis question, the conditional statement is necessary for such question.

An example of such question includes as.

1. Would you buy a television set, if the price is lowered by 50%?
2. Would you continue subscribing to “Reader Digest” even if the price goes up?

These type of question are used to see the activities of the respondent if something happens.

Personalised question.

Question dealing with the personal action of the respondent is known as the personalised question. Usually, respondents may have expressed some views about group action, but they themselves might not practice the views they hold.

For example

The respondent may say that it is good to have everyone chest regularly checked by X-ray but to the question Have you ever had your chest Checked?’ he may say ‘no’.

Behaviour question.

The type of question in which the question that is applied when information about the regular behaviour of the respondents such as their newspaper reading, radio,listening, television watching is needed for social researchers.

The type of question dealing with the regular behaviour of the respondents is called as the behaviour question.

Example.

1. When did you last go for swimming?
2. How often do you go to a cinema?

Behaviour question is that in which the above question are designed to determine the cinema going behaviour or swimming habit. But the answer to above question may differ from each other. It is found that often the respondent ‘s answer might simply be an average of the estimate of their average cinema going than the actual figure.

Memory question.

The question which needs the recalling of facts or information is called memory question.

Two factors of primary importance in memory recalling are [I] the length of time since the event took place and [II} events importance to the respondents.

Therefore, for question dealing with the past, serious attention should be given to the respondent’s ability to recall the required information accurately and to ways of which they can be helped to do.

Example-When did you buy your television.

Through the answer to above question is simple, it is difficult to extract correct information unless the respondent is aided by clues. Or criteria. Clues for the answer of above question may be (I) was it before or after last Dashain festival? Or (II) was it before or after NTV (Nepal Television) started working in Nepal.

Embarrassing question.

The question in which whose answer are related to a private life of a respondent and it is embarrassing to answer is embarrassing to answer is called the embarrassing question.

Or.

The embarrassing question is those in which in social survey’s sometimes facts about private affairs of the respondents are to be collected. But the respondents will not be willing to discuss the matter in public. In such cases, the best method is to ask the respondents about the views of others.

Example.

Some women who use this cleaning find a lot of faults with it. I wonder if you can guess that they are objective to it.

Example: I wish that doctor.s………………………

Reference.

Kerlinger, F.N. Foundation of Behavioural Research. New Delhi: Surjeet Publication, 2000.

Kothari, C.R. Research Methodology. India: Vishwa Prakashan, 1990.

Singh, M.L. and J.M Singh. Understanding Research Methodology. 1998.

Singh, Mrigendra Lal. Understanding Research Methodology. Nepal: National Book centre, 2013.