Understanding Research Instruments: Schedules, Questionnaires, and Data Collection Methods

Development of Development of Schedule & Schedule & Questionnaire Questionnaire

Schedule It is a proforma of one or more pages containing a group of questions, which are put to a person directly by the researcher or investigator and filled by the interviewer.

Schedule Advantages Interviewer can observe and study the situation Interviewer has to explain questions to respondents Schedules can be used for illiterates Disadvantages Costly & time consuming Sometimes bias creep in Problem of language

Questionnaire It is a proforma to be filled up by the respondent himself by furnishing factual information.

Questionnaire Advantages Relatively less expensive Saving of time Respondent answer at his convenience Free of interviewer bias Disadvantages Poor response (30-60 %) Cannot be used for illiterates Misunderstanding of the question Incomplete entries

Points to be considered while preparing questionnaire Size of questionnaire should be smaller than schedule Better appearance in terms of paper printing, layout etc. Clarify questions & language should be clear to the respondents Sequence: very logical, clear, lucid or ordered in systematic way

Method of collecting data Interview schedule Mailed questionnaire Email / online Distributed questionnaire Group interview Case studies Observation method Participant / Non-Participant

Selection of method depends on Objectives of the study The type of device that could be used to gather the data Type of respondents from whom you need to get the data Available resources: Money, Time and Personnel and Merits and demerits of each methods

Types of questions in the schedule/ questionnaire Closed end questions (Fixed alternatives) Open end questions

Closed end questions: These offer a choice among two or more alternatives. Dichotomous questions: Commonly used form of questions i.e. Yes or No, Agree/ Disagree and so on. Some time, a third alternative Don t know or undecided is added. Ex: Karnataka hybrid tomato is more profitable compared to local tomato Yes / No / don t know

Closed end questions: These offer a choice among two or more alternatives. Multiple choice questions: Here a direct question is asked followed by a number of alternatives. the respondent has to choose any alternative among possible choices. Ex: Whom do you consult to get agricultural information? A) AAO B) AO C) ADA D) JDA E) SMS

Criteria for a good schedule A good schedule is one, which is brief and contains only those questions, which are related to the objectives of the study It should be attractive, clear and free from spelling mistakes Questions should be arranged according to some pre-determined categories The questions should be in line with objectives and should not contain any leading suggestions, which may affect the response Simple questions, which do not require much thinking, should be placed first and thereafter-complicated questions may be placed

Criteria for a good schedule Only those information which cannot be obtained through village, revenue records or office records should be attempted through schedule Schedule should be neatly printed There should be clear-cut instructions regarding how each item in the schedule should be filled up The tendency of putting many ideas in one question should be avoided Clearly define Difficult words Schedule should be free from delicate and embarrassing questions.

Develop an Interview Schedule to Collect information from Farmers on Identified topic

Development of Schedule using Google Form