![](https://www.achieveriasclasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/questionnaire-method-l-768x576.jpg)
- According to Goode and Hatt, “It is a device for securing answers to questions by using a form which the respondent fills in himself”.
- A questionnaire has pre-set questions in a pre-set order and is an organised activity of information gathering.
Close-ended and Open-ended Questions
- A close ended questionnaire and has limited responses which are generally provided as multiple options to equation.
- Open ended questionnaire requires descriptive answers and allows the respondent to present his or her own views as well.
Advantages
- Cheapest, fastest and relatively efficient method.
- Accessibility to widespread respondents.
- The information about certain personal, secret matters can be best obtained through questionnaire method.
- Questionnaire is comparatively an easier method to plan, construct and administer.
- Questionnaire ensures anonymity to its respondents.
- Questionnaire is the most flexible tool in collecting both quantitative and qualitative information.
Disadvantages
- Respondents may answer the questions in a way that researcher desires.
- The problem of social desirability bias (the respondent projecting himself as morally or socially correct while answering the questions).
- If a large section of respondents refuse to answer questionnaire, the survey will be biased in favour of those who chose to answer the questionnaire.
- Postal questionnaires have poor return rate.
- Different members of different social groups may attach different values to the content of the questions.
- The target group could be illiterate and they may be misdirected by the person who guides them.