Tips for creating a good survey or questionnaire

Many surveys aren’t thoroughly thought out before they are constructed, this may lead to a poor response rate and it may not gather all of the information that it was required to. Below I have set out a bullet pointed list to show some key tips for creating a good survey or questionnaire.
• Include instructions on how to complete the survey- To ensure you collect the data you need correctly you need to make sure the recipient knows exactly how to fill out the questionnaire. What may seem obvious to you may not seem obvious to someone else.
• Keep the questions short and concise- The easier it is for the recipient to answer the questionnaire the more likely it is that the answers you receive will be honest and genuine.
• Don’t ask for personal information unless you need it- By asking individuals to provide sensitive data may irritate some respondents and prevent them from completing the questionnaires. If you need to ask personal information it is best to place them at the end of the questionnaire.
• Make sure the questions are unbiased- All questions in the questionnaire must be unbiased to prevent the recipient from giving a bias answer. If the questions are bias the results you receive will also be bias.
• Present the questions in a clean and organised layout- A simple layout will make it easier for people to respond to the questions and for you to collect the data you need.
• Clearly state your intentions with your research- Some people are hesitant to answer questions about themselves until they know exactly what they are answering questions for. To gain the best responses it is therefore important to clearly state your intentions on the questionnaire.
Hopefully the above points will help when looking at how to make a good questionnaire.
References:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Soc_survey.shtml