ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a detailed discussion on how to develop a survey research project. Researchers use two different approaches when gathering primary data in quantitative research studies: they collect data by observing and counting overt acts of behavior and they use a questionnaire to generate responses to specific questions. The chapter discusses the process of questionnaire preparation, including the nature, limitations, and wide variety of ways to write survey questions. Seven steps should be followed in questionnaire construction: establish what information is needed, specify the data-gathering method, specify procedures for analyzing the data, select the question type and structure, select the best wording for each question, organize the question in a logical order, and pretest and revise the questionnaire, if necessary. Open-ended questions can be divided into two broad types, completely unstructured response and projective techniques. Unstructured response questions are entirely the participant's own responses to a question. Projective techniques allow individuals to respond to some stimuli in their words.
