Questionnaire design : how to plan, structure and write survey material for effective market research /

How would you rate the movie on a scale of 1-5? Do you plan to go on a vacation this summer? Which is better, the spicy or the mild chicken? Questions, questions, and more questions. As Brace (director of research methods, TNS UK) points out in this new edition (2nd edition, CH, Feb'05, 42-3520), "questionnaires are vital for the market researcher." Just as important as asking the right questions is knowing how to phrase them and in what order. Design is critical. Brace covers all aspects of conceiving and constructing questionnaires that can unearth what people are really thinking and provide market researchers with the valuable information they need. Among the topics addressed are writing clear questions, using rating scales, ordering the questions, gathering data, engaging respondents, and avoiding bias. Brace also discusses the actual look of the questionnaire, cultural differences that may arise in international surveys, and ethical matters. As readers will discover, good questionnaire design is both a science and an art. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division and graduate marketing students, faculty, and practitioners. P. G. Kishel Cypress College