How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Questionnaire?
Published by at August 7th, 2024 , Revised On August 7, 2024
Do you know the first questionnaire was developed in 1838? It was designed to collect responses from individuals to understand their behaviour towards various stimuli. Since then, scientists have been using questionnaires to collect statistical data. The invention of the questionnaire gave birth to subjects like Sociology and Statistics.
Nowadays, sociology or psychology students also collect statistical data and information using questionnaires to understand individuals’ behaviour. Excellent questionnaires help produce high-quality research results.
This blog comprehensively discusses what a thesis or dissertation questionnaire is and the steps involved in writing one. Learn how to write a questionnaire and optimise your research process.
What is a Thesis or Dissertation Questionnaire?
A questionnaire is a set of specific questions that are particularly designed to assess the preferences, intentions, experiences, opinions, and behaviour of the individuals. In a thesis or dissertation, students use questionnaires to collect qualitative or quantitative data relevant to their subjects.
However, using questionnaires to collect data and information is a very tiresome and hectic task because researchers have to wait for the respondents to answer all the questions.
Importance of Thesis & Dissertation Questionnaire
Imagine you want to ask one or two questions from an individual. You can easily ask him/her those questions. What would you do when you have to record their thorough response to multiple questions? In that case, the questionnaire is the best option for collecting individual responses.
A thesis or dissertation questionnaire does not specify precisely whether it is used for simple research or a survey. In the case of a survey, there would always be a questionnaire. Here are the reasons why a thesis or dissertation questionnaire is important during the research process:
- Questionnaires help researchers collect data in an organised and systematic manner.
- With questionnaires, data can be efficiently analysed and quick conclusions can be drawn.
- There are no extensive costs involved in to design research questionnaires. It is a cost-effective method to collect data.
- Researchers can ask multiple questions to record the response about a specific topic thoroughly.
Several formalities are involved in collecting data through a questionnaire. One basic consideration is the dissertation questionnaire consent form.
Dissertation Questionnaire Consent Form
The questionnaire consent form is the document the participants sign to indicate their consent to participate in the research process. It is crucial to ask for their consent because data and information are used for research purposes. Also, inform them about the topic so they can decide efficiently.
The questionnaire consent form is usually presented on the first page of the thesis or dissertation questionnaire. It contains the participant’s personal and contact information.
Online Dissertation Questionnaire
As you know, in this digital age, everything is shifting to digital platforms. There was a time when researchers had to wait for the individuals to fill out the questionnaire paper. No doubt, it was a tiresome task. Now, researchers send the thesis or dissertation questionnaires to digital platforms such as email, inbox, and social media.
Online dissertation questionnaire tools such as Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, and SurveyPlanet have made data analysis and collection much more convenient and reliable.
Components of an Excellent Dissertation Questionnaire
These are the components of an excellent thesis or dissertation questionnaire:
It has a Structured Design
The best property of a good dissertation questionnaire is its structured design. When questions and their categories are efficiently structured in a questionnaire, it provides an eye-catching look. This helps the participants to fill out the questionnaire more proficiently.
It Contains Unique and Exploratory Questions
An outstanding questionnaire always has unique and well-researched questions rather than overly used typical ones. Every question can provide a sufficient response. It contains exploratory questions to explore even minor information about the participants thoroughly.
It has Likert Scales
Likert scales are a measurement method in research to assess attitudes, opinions, and perceptions. They are widely used in the questionnaires to generate responses accurately. When a questionnaire has Likert scales, it makes it easy for the researchers to derive results from that.
It has Consistency of Questions
Another sign of an excellent question is its consistency. It contains perfectly categorised questions that make sense to the participants from start to end. Every question follows an appropriate question systematically.
Difference Between Questionnaire and Survey
| Questionnaire | Survey |
| A questionnaire is a set of questions that helps to collect information, experiences, and opinions of the individuals. | A survey is the whole research process, including data collection and calculation of the final results. |
| It is a fast process. | It is a time-consuming process. |
| A questionnaire cannot be a part of a survey. | A survey always contains a questionnaire. |
| It has close-ended questions. | It has both open-ended and close-ended questions. |
| The data is objective. | The data is both objective and subjective. |
Steps Involved in Writing a Dissertation Questionnaire
Writing a thesis or dissertation questionnaire requires different methods. These methods can be modified accordingly to make your questionnaire relevant to your research objectives. However, the essential steps involved in writing a dissertation questionnaire are given as follows:
Step 1: Establish Your Research Objectives To Ese Your Research Process
The first step in writing a thesis or dissertation question is establishing the research objectives. You have to be clear about your research goals. The research is usually done to fill an already-present gap in the data. It is done to find significant solutions to specific problems. It is crucial to have the goals to solve a problem.
Step 2: Assess the Requirements to Ensure They Are Achievable
It is also important to assess the research requirements. Requirements will help you know what you need and what you don’t need to write your research questionnaire. It is easy to start a research process when all the requirements are easily achievable. Also, the time and money spent on the questionnaire should be considered.
Step 3: Choose the Right Data Collection Method To Derive Authentic Results
There are many data collection methods, such as in-person, telephone, email, direct mail, and online platforms. It is essential to choose the proper data collection method that can be easily used to deliver authentic results. You should also design your questionnaire according to the collection method.
Methodology
Methodology is the collection of particular techniques for collecting and processing data. Create an efficient research methodology to collect data accurately. It will help you optimise and streamline your research process.
Step 4: Develop the Unique and Logical Questions for Data Collection
After selecting an appropriate data collection method, it is time to develop unique questionnaire questions. The questions should be logical and follow a series of numbers. Close-ended questions are used in the writing of dissertation or thesis questionnaires.
Step 5: Set the Perfect Scaling According to Your Questions
Scaling is used to calculate the response of the participants. Researchers should set the perfect scaling according to the nature of the questions. The Likert scale is the most widely used in questionnaires. It allows researchers to generate responses of participants from the right extreme to the left extreme.
Step 6: Creatively Design the Questionnaire to Enhance Its Visual Appeal
The next step is designing the layout of the questionnaire. It is crucial to enhance the visual appeal of the questionnaire. The design and colour of the questionnaire should be selected according to the theme of the topic. Moreover, a graphically appealing questionnaire also enhances the engagement of readers.
Step 7: Analysing & Evaluation the Questionnaire To Remove Discrepancies
The most important step after designing is analysing and evaluating. This step will allow you to fill gaps if there are any. Check the alignment of the questions and scaling. The numbering should be perfect. The colouring and design should also be on point. This step proceeds with the testing.
Step 8: Pretest With a Small Population and Collect Necessary Feedback
After completing the questionnaire, prepare to pretest it with a small population. Check the responses of the participants thoroughly. Be open to feedback and criticism. It will help you consider revisions and alterations and improve your questionnaire.
Step 9: Revise to Make Changes To Enhance the Quality
If there are any changes required in the questionnaire, make them immediately. Revise your questionnaire again and again to illuminate even a minor mistake. Also, take feedback from your peers to further enhance the quality of your questionnaire.
Step 10: Finalising the Questionnaire and Launching it for the Research
When all the required changes and revisions are made, it’s time to finalise the questionnaire. Again, go through all its important obligations and ensure everything is in perfect shape. When everything is done from your side, it’s time to finalise and launch it for the actual research.
Dissertation Questionnaire Examples
Here, we’ll discuss the sample and template of the dissertation questionnaire to understand how it looks. This will significantly help us create our dissertation questionnaire.
Dissertation Questionnaire Template
Here is a template of the dissertation questionnaire:
[Introduction of the Researcher with all the key objectives briefly explained.]
[Questionnaire consent Form]
Questions:
| No. of Questions | Strongly Disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly Agree |
| Q1. | |||||
| Q2. | |||||
| Q3. | |||||
| Q4. |
Dissertation Questionnaire Example
Introduction: Hello. My name is ……….. I am currently studying at………………. and doing my …………………………. I am conducting this research to [agenda of the study].This research will help me to provide solutions to all these problems:
[Problems and solutions]
This questionnaire contains XX questions. It will just take 15 minutes to complete it. All your personal information and responses will be kept anonymous from other participants. There are both open-ended and close-ended questions. Answer them honestly. Thank you.
Part 1: Multiple Choice Questions
- Are you a male or a female?
| Male | Female | Other | Prefer not to say |
- Have you completed your bachelor’s degree?
| Yes | No |
- Did you study your major according to your passion?
| Yes | No |
- Are you doing a job related to your degree?
| Yes | No |
- Are you satisfied with your current job?
| Yes | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
The length of your questionnaire should be according to your objectives. There is no fixed number of questions in a questionnaire. Some questionnaires are basic, some are exploratory, and some are in-depth. However, an ideal questionnaire should be completed in 25 to 30 minutes without losing the participant’s interest.
It’s entirely up to you to add as many questions as you want. Remember that you should add enough questions to complete your research objectives. Avoid adding excessive questions, as they can be boring for participants.
These are the necessary tips to analyse a questionnaire for a dissertation:
- Pile up all the responses
- Analyse all the questions
- Visualise the collected data
- Interpretation of results
