Self-Administered Questionnaire

A self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) refers to a questionnaire that has been designed specifically to be completed by a respondent without intervention of the researchers (e.g. an interviewer) collecting the data. An SAQ is usually a stand-alone questionnaire though it can also be used in conjunction with other data collection modalities directed by a trained interviewer. Traditionally the SAQ has been distributed by mail or in person to large groups, but now SAQs are being used extensively for Web surveys. Because the SAQ is completed without ongoing feedback from a trained interviewer, special care must be taken in how the questions are worded as well as how the questionnaire is formatted in order to avoid measurement error.

A major criterion for a well-designed SAQ is proper wording and formatting of the instructions, the questions, and the answer categories. Don Dillman [Page 804]has succinctly stated that the goal of writing a survey question for self-administration is to develop a query that every potential respondent will interpret in the same way, be able to respond to accurately, and be willing to answer. Dillman also describes a variety of conditions that need to be considered when writing questions for an SAQ. Because respondents usually will have no one to ask for clarification, the SAQ must be completely self-explanatory. However, experience shows that respondent creativity knows no bounds for misunderstanding an SAQ. Thus, all types of alternative interpretations must be considered for each question in order to avoid item nonresponse due to confusion or, a more insidious problem, an improper response based on a misunderstanding of the instructions or question. The structure of the questions is also critical to collecting appropriate data. Closed-ended versus open-ended question structures, ordered versus unordered answer categories, and the anticipated respondent characteristics need to be assessed for their utility for each question.

Another critical criterion for high-quality SAQs is appropriate formatting of the questionnaire, including the size of the font, spacing, navigational aids, use of color, and other aspects. Regardless of how well the questions are worded, a poorly formatted SAQ will result in a variety of problems. A questionnaire should progress in a manner that makes sense to the respondents, not the researcher. Following general principles of conversation is recommended. Questions on similar issues are usually grouped together with topics most relevant to the respondent appearing before others. When topics change, the visual layout should reinforce the switch to a new subject. Consistent use of symbols and other graphics (text boxes, navigational arrows, etc.) can be very useful in helping the respondent follow skip patterns and other deviations from sequential administration. Even for computer-assisted interviewing, the layout of each screen can be as important as that of the printed page. Respondents often begin answering questions without reading instructions unless the layout makes reading those sentences seem particularly important.

The most common form of SAQ is the printed questionnaire delivered to the respondent, usually with a postage-paid envelope for returning the completed questionnaire. As the general public has become more familiar with using personal computers, the SAQ is increasingly being administered using computer programs running either on a stand-alone personal computer or on a Web site designed to present the questions and have respondents enter their answers directly into the database. Research has shown that respondents are more likely to report sensitive or illegal behavior when they are allowed to use a SAQ format rather than during a personal interview on the phone or in person. For this reason SAQs are commonly used to supplement face-to-face interviews when researchers are concerned about social desirability issues.

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