Collection of Data — Economics STD 11 Commerce — Question

Even after the researcher has proceeded along the lines suggested, the draft questionnaire is a product evolved by one or two minds only. Until it has actually been used in interviews and with respondents, it is impossible to say whether it is going to achieve the desired results. For this reason it is necessary to pre-test the questionnaire before it is used in a full-scale survey, to identify any mistakes that need correcting.The purpose of pre-testing the questionnaire is to determine:

• Whether the questions as they are worded will achieve the desired results.
• Whether the questions have been placed in the best order.
• Whether the questions are understood by all classes of respondent.
• Whether additional or specifying questions are needed or whether some questions should be eliminated’.
• Whether the instructions to interviewers are adequate. Usually a small number of respondents are selected for the pre-test. The respondents selected for the pilot survey should be broadly representative of the type of respondent to be interviewed in the main survey.

If the questionnaire has been subjected to a thorough pilot test, the final form of the questions and questionnaire will have evolved into its final form. All that remains to be done is the mechanical process of lay out and setting up the questionnaire in its final form. This will involve grouping and sequencing questions into an appropriate order, numbering questions, and inserting interviewer instructions.