The purpose, design and administration of a questionnaire for data collection

This paper considers the use of questionnaires as a data collection tool. A range of issues will be discussed, including whether previously validated questionnaires already exist for utilisation, the advantages and disadvantages of employing questionnaires, optimum design features including the wording and language used and the ordering of questions, distribution methods, ways of maximizing response rates and managing non-responses, reliability and validity, the benefits of piloting the questionnaire and approval before the questionnaire is used. Questionnaire-based research is increasing evident within the NHS and elsewhere and from this presentation it is clear that a range of issues must be taken into account so that collected data can be gathered effectively in a format that can be appropriately used.