Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation, 6e (Malhotra)

Chapter 10 Questionnaire and Form Design

54) According to your test, SurveySite recruited 87 American and Canadian Web sites to
participate in a study to determine what design features and experiences make visitors return to a
site. The results of the survey found that ________ was the most important factor in determining
whether or not a site would receive repeat visit visitors.
A) whether or not the respondent found the site visit enjoyable
B) content
C) quality of the organization of the site and its degree of uniqueness
D) frivolous content
Answer: B
55) Typically, a questionnaire is only one element of a data-collection package that might also
include all of the following except ________.
A) some reward
B) communication aids
C) a data code book
D) fieldwork procedures
Answer: C
56) Which of the following is not an objective of a questionnaire?
A) A questionnaire must translate the information needed into a set of specific questions that the
respondents can and will answer.
B) A questionnaire must be easy to use.
C) A questionnaire must uplift, motivate, and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview, to cooperate, and to complete the interview.
D) A questionnaire should minimize response error.
Answer: B
57) Which of the following is not a part of the questionnaire design process?
A) Specify the type of interviewing method.
B) Arrange questions in proper order.
C) Reproduce the questionnaire.
D) Develop sampling plan.
Answer: D
58) The great weakness of questionnaire design is lack of ________.
A) precision
B) accuracy
C) theory
D) consensus
Answer: C
59) The first step in the questionnaire design process is ________.
A) specify the type of interview method
B) identify the form and layout
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C) specify the information needed

D) determine the content of individual questions
Answer: C
60) When developing a questionnaire, to ensure that the information obtained fully addresses all
components of the problem, the researcher should ________.
A) review components of the problem and the approach
B) prepare a set of dummy tables
C) have a clear idea of the target population
D) all of the above
Answer: D
61) A ________ describes how the analysis will be structured once the data have been collected.
A) dummy table
B) analysis table
C) dummy plan
D) none of the above
Answer: A
62) The type of method influences questionnaire design. Considering how the questionnaire is
administered under each method, which method is most appropriate if lengthy, complex, and
varied questions need to be asked?
A) mail questionnaire
B) telephone interview
C) personal interview
D) Internet questionnaire
Answer: C
63) If you are deciding between personal interviews or computer-assisted interviewing, you are
at which step of the questionnaire design process?
A) Specify the type of interviewing method.
B) Determine the content of individual questions.
C) Arrange the questions in proper order.
D) Eliminate bugs by pretesting.
Answer: A
64) Deciding if a question is necessary or if several questions are needed rather than one are
decisions involved with ________.
A) determining the order of scales
B) choosing question wording
C) choosing question structure
D) individual question content
Answer: D
65) "Do you think Coca-Cola is a tasty and refreshing soft drink?" is an example of a ________.
A) structured question
B) dichotomous question
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C) double-barreled question
D) branching question
Answer: C
66) A ________ is a single question that attempts to cover two issues.
A) structured question
B) dichotomous question
C) double-barreled question
D) branching question
Answer: C
67) When determining if a question is necessary, in some situations it may be necessary to ask
questions that are not directly related to the information that is needed. Which of the reasons
stated below were given in your text as reasons why questions not related to the information
needed might be included in the questionnaire?
A) to establish involvement and rapport
B) to disguise the purpose or sponsorship of the project
C) to generate client support for the project
D) all of the above
Answer: D
68) Most "why" questions about the use of a product or choice alternative involve two aspects:
________ and ________.
A) attributes of the product; influences leading to knowledge of the product
B) attributes of the product; how the product is used
C) how the product is used; influences leading to knowledge of the product
D) none of the above
Answer: A
69) ________ that measure familiarity, product use, and past experience should be asked before
questions about the topics themselves.
A) Branching questions
B) Filler questions
C) Dichotomous questions
D) Filter questions
Answer: D
70) "Is the respondent informed?", "Can the respondent remember?", and "Can the respondent
articulate?", are all questions asked in the ________ stage of the questionnaire design process.
A) overcoming unwillingness to answer
B) specify the type of interviewing method
C) overcoming inability to answer
D) choosing question wording
Answer: C

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71) Respondents' inability to remember leads to three types of error. Which of the errors listed
below is not mentioned in the text as one of the types of errors created by respondents?
A) telescoping
B) creation error
C) recall error
D) omission error
Answer: C
72) The respondents' ability to remember an event is influenced by all of the following
except________.
A) the event itself
B) the time elapsed since the event
C) the presence or absence of events that would aid memory
D) where you were when the event occurred
Answer: D
73) Which of the following is not a reason why a respondent might be unwilling to answer a
particular question?
A) The respondent may not be informed.
B) Too much effort is required.
C) The situation or context may not seem appropriate for disclosure.
D) No legitimate purpose or need for the information requested is apparent.
Answer: A
74) When trying to overcome respondents' unwillingness to answer, the researcher might list the
possible responses a respondent might make. More specifically, the list is an effort by the
researcher to ________.
A) increasing the unwillingness of respondents
B) obtain sensitive information
C) put the information request in context
D) reduce the effort required of the respondents
Answer: D
75) Sally was reluctant to answer questions about her personal hygiene until she saw that the
survey was sponsored by the American Medical Association. Sally's understanding of who
sponsored the survey helped with which aspect of "overcoming the respondent's unwillingness to
answer"?
A) legitimate purpose
B) context
C) sensitive information
D) increasing the willingness of the respondent
Answer: A
76) All of the statements below are ways in which the researcher can encourage respondents to
provide information they are unwilling to give except ________.
A) preface the question with a statement that the behavior of interest is common
B) provide response categories rather than asking for specific figures
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C) use randomized techniques

D) all of the above
Answer: D
77) ________ refer to open-ended questions that respondents answer in their own words.
A) Dichotomous questions
B) Structured questions
C) Unstructured questions
D) Branching questions
Answer: C
78) "Describe your college experience" and "What is your occupation?" are ________ questions.
A) dichotomous
B) filter
C) structured
D) unstructured
Answer: D
79) Which of the following statements is not an advantage of unstructured questions?
A) Unstructured questions are good as first questions on a topic.
B) Implicitly, unstructured questions give extra weight to respondents who are more articulate.
C) Unstructured questions have a much less biasing influence on response than structured
questions.
D) Unstructured questions are useful in exploratory research.
Answer: B
80) Which of the following statements is not a disadvantage of unstructured questions?
A) Unstructured questions are not suitable for self-administered questionnaires.
B) Coding of responses is costly and time consuming.
C) Unstructured questions have a much less biasing influence on response than structured
questions.
D) Implicitly, unstructured questions give extra weight to respondents who are more articulate.
Answer: C
81) Which of the following statements is not true about unstructured questions?
A) Open-ended questions are useful in exploratory research.
B) Precoding can overcome some of the disadvantages of unstructured questions.
C) Open-ended questions are useful as opening questions.
D) Unstructured questions can suffer from order or position bias.
Answer: D
82) ________ specify the set of response alternatives and the response format.
A) Filter questions
B) Structured questions
C) Unstructured questions
D) Branching questions
Answer: B
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83) Which of the following is not a type of structured question?

A) multiple choice
B) dichotomous
C) scale
D) none of the above
Answer: D
84) When developing questionnaire questions, if you are considering order position bias and the
set of all possible response alternatives, you are developing ________ questions.
A) multiple choice
B) dichotomous
C) scale
D) branching
Answer: A
85) Which of the following statements is not a disadvantage of structured questions?
A) Coding and processing of data are much less costly and time consuming.
B) Considerable effort is required to design effective multiple choice questions.
C) Showing respondents the list of possible answers produces biased responses.
D) It is difficult to obtain information on alternatives not listed.
Answer: A
86) What is the one acute problem of dichotomous questions?
A) There is potential for position bias.
B) It is difficult to obtain information on alternatives not listed.
C) The response can be influenced by the wording of the question.
D) none of the above
Answer: C
87) ________ is the translation of the desired question content and structure into words that
respondents can clearly and easily understand.
A) The questionnaire design process
B) Question wording
C) Overcoming inability to answer
D) Determining the content of individual questions
Answer: B
88) When developing a questionnaire, the following guidelines: (1) use positive and negative
statements, (2) avoid implicit alternatives, and (3) avoid leading questions, are used when
________.
A) arranging questions in proper order
B) choosing question wording
C) designing questions to overcome the respondent's inability to answer
D) determining the content of individual questions
Answer: B

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89) When developing a questionnaire, the six Ws (who, what, when, where, why, and way) are
used when ________.
A) defining the issue
B) choosing question wording
C) avoiding generalizations and estimates
D) determining the content of individual questions
Answer: A
90) Choosing between the questions "Do you think the distribution of soft drinks is adequate?"
(Incorrect) and "Do you think soft drinks are readily available when you want to buy them?"
(Correct) are examples of situations that pertain to ________.
A) avoiding leading questions
B) avoiding ambiguous words
C) using positive and negative statements
D) using ordinary words
Answer: D
91) Which of the words below is an ambiguous word?
A) once
B) never
C) often
D) none of the above
Answer: C
92) When developing a questionnaire, if the researcher is asking him/herself if the word means
what he/she intended; if it has any other meanings; if the word has more than one pronunciation;
or if a simpler phrase is suggested, then he/she is probably concerned with ________.
A) avoiding leading questions
B) avoiding ambiguous words
C) using defining the issue
D) using ordinary words
Answer: B
93) A ________ is a question that gives the respondent a clue as to what answer is desired or
leads the respondent to answer in a certain way.
A) leading question
B) implicit alternative
C) filter question
D) structured question
Answer: A
94) Which of the following statements is correct about implicit alternatives?
A) Making an implied alternative explicit may increase the percentage of people selecting that
alternative.
B) When alternatives are close in preference or large in number, the alternatives at the end of the
list have a greater chance of being selected.
C) The split ballot technique should be used to rotate the order in which a list of alternatives
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appear.
D) All of the above are correct.
Answer: D
95) "Do you like to fly when traveling short distances?" is an example of a(n) ________.
A) implicit assumption
B) implicit alternative
C) generalization
D) All of the above are correct.
Answer: B
96) "Are you in favor of a balanced budget?" is an example of a(n) ________.
A) implicit assumption
B) implicit alternative
C) generalization
D) All of the above are correct.
Answer: A
97) The statement "Questions should be specific, not general." pertains to the ________ aspect of
questionnaire development.
A) avoid implicit assumptions
B) avoid implicit alternatives
C) avoid generalizations and estimates
D) use unambiguous words
Answer: C
98) The information that is of the most importance to the research project and should be obtained
first is ________.
A) qualifying information
B) identification information
C) basic information
D) classification information
Answer: C
99) ________ is information that relates directly to the research problem.
A) Qualifying information
B) Identification information
C) Basic information
D) Classification information
Answer: C
100) ________ is socioeconomic and demographic characteristics used to classify respondents.
A) Qualifying information
B) Identification information
C) Basic information
D) Classification information
Answer: D
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101) ________ is a type of information obtained in a questionnaire that includes name, address,
and phone number.
A) Qualifying information
B) Identification information
C) Basic information
D) Classification information
Answer: B
102) Which of the following statements is true about difficult questions?
A) Difficult questions should be placed at the end of the section on basic information.
B) Difficult questions should be placed at the end of the identification section.
C) Difficult questions should be placed at the end of the classification section.
D) All of the statements are correct.
Answer: D
103) Which statement is correct concerning the effect on subsequent questions?
A) As a rule of thumb, general questions should precede specific questions to prevent specific
questions from biasing responses to general questions.
B) The inverted funnel approach is useful when respondents have no strong feelings or have not
formulated a point of view.
C) The inverted funnel approach is particularly useful when information has to be obtained about
respondents' general choice behavior and their evaluations of specific products.
D) All are correct.
Answer: D
104) ________ are questions used to guide an interviewer through a survey by directing the
interviewer to different spots on the questionnaire depending on the answers given.
A) Leading questions
B) Branching questions
C) Opening questions
D) Multiple choice questions
Answer: B
105) Experiments on mail questionnaires for census of population revealed what about
questionnaire form and layout?
A) Questions at the top of the page received more attention than those placed at the bottom.
B) Sensitive information placed at the end of the questionnaire was answered more frequently
than sensitive information placed elsewhere.
C) Instructions printed in red made little difference except that they made the questionnaire
appear more complicated to the respondents.
D) Both A and C are correct.
Answer: D
106) Which of the following practices should be avoided when reproducing the questionnaire?
A) If the printed questionnaire runs to several pages, it should take the form of a booklet.
B) Sideways formatting and splitting should be done to conserve space.
C) Directions or instructions should be placed as close to the questions as possible.
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D) Surveys directed at different respondent groups can be reproduced on different colored paper.
Answer: B
107) ________ is the testing of the questionnaire on a small sample of respondents for the
purpose of improving the questionnaire by identifying and eliminating potential problems.
A) Funneling
B) Telescoping
C) Posttesting
D) Pretesting
Answer: D
108) Which statement is not true about pretests?
A) To the extent possible, a pretest should involve administering the questionnaire in an
environment and context similar to that of the actual survey.
B) A variety of interviewers should be used for pretests.
C) The project director, the researcher who developed the questionnaire, and other key members
of the research team should conduct some pretest interviews.
D) It is a good practice to employ only experienced interviewers to conduct pretests.
Answer: D
109) Observational forms should specify the who, what, and when of the behavior to be
observed. The forms should also specify all of the items below except
A) where
B) whether
C) why
D) way
Answer: B
110) Which of the following statements are true concerning questionnaire design for
international marketing research?
A) The questionnaire may have to be suitable for administration by more than one method.
B) It is desirable to have two or more simple questions rather than a single complex question.
C) Unstructured or open-ended questions should be used with caution in countries with high
illiteracy rates.
D) All of the above statements are true.
Answer: D
111) According to the guidelines of the Professional Marketing Research Society of Canada, with
the exception of ________, questionnaires that take more than ________ minutes to complete are
generally considered "overly" long.
A) in-home personal interviews; 60
B) computer-assisted personal interviews; 60
C) in-home personal interviews; 30
D) computer-assisted personal interviews; 30
Answer: C

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