Page 9 - LESSION 14.pmd

Methods of Child Study

of questions to elicit information about the feelings, beliefs, experiences,
perceptions, or attitudes on a selected topic. The questionnaire may be self-
administered or group-administered. Notes

14.4.1 Types of Questionnaire

The questionnaire may be closed ended and open ended. Let us study about
theses as follows:
14.4.1.1 Closed ended Questionnaire: It consists of a list of pre-decided
questions with forced choices. The respondent is required to choose one of
choices from the set of multiple options provided.
14.4.1.2 Open Ended Questionnaire: It consists of list of pre decided
questions where there is a scope to provide descriptive and subjective
responses.

14.4.2 Advantages of Questionnaire

1. Administering questionnaires involves low cost and is less time-consuming.
2. Information can be collected from a large number of individuals in a
relatively short period of time

3. Each respondent receives the same set of questions phrased in exactly the
same way. Questionnaires may, therefore, yield data more comparable than
information obtained through an interview.

14.4.3 Disadvantages of Questionnaire

1. It can only be conducted with literate respondents.

2. There is no scope to clarify meanings or explain the questions and the
responses.
3. There is no scope for follow-up questions.

4. It has a low return rate i.e. the respondent may not return the filled in
questionnaire.
5. There is a possibility that the respondent may not answer all the questions.

Factors to be kept in mind while preparing a questionnaire
1. Wording, sequence of questions and instructions have to be carefully
prepared

2. Confidentiality must be ensured
3. Sufficient blank space must be provided in case of open ended
questionnaire.
4. The questionnaire may be provided to the respondents in their local
language.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 87