How to design a dissertation questionnaire

Map questions to objectives first

Before writing a single question, list your objectives and decide what variable each one requires. If an objective is 'to assess student attitudes towards online assessment', you need attitude items, not just usage-frequency items.

Group the questionnaire into sections that mirror this logic: demographics, then one block per objective, ending with any open comment box. This also makes the analysis chapter easier to structure later.

Choose wording carefully

Avoid double-barrelled questions ('Was the module well organised and clearly assessed?' — two questions in one), leading questions ('Don't you agree that...'), and jargon your sample may not share.

Use plain, specific wording: 'In the last semester, how often did you use the online discussion board?' is answerable; 'Do you engage with digital learning?' is not.

Picking a scale

A 5- or 7-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) works well for attitude items and is easy to analyse descriptively or with non-parametric tests. Frequency scales (never/rarely/sometimes/often/always) suit behaviour questions.

Keep the scale consistent within a section so respondents are not switching logic every item, and always label every point rather than only the ends, which reduces ambiguity.

• Likert (agreement): attitudes, opinions, perceived usefulness.
• Frequency: behaviours, how often something happens.
• Ranking: relative priority between a short list of options.
• Open text: reasons, explanations — use sparingly, they are hard to analyse at scale.

Piloting and distribution

Pilot with 8-10 people from your target population if possible. Ask them to complete it and then tell you which questions were confusing or took too long — this is more useful than just checking spelling.

Keep it short: response rates fall sharply past 10-15 minutes. State an estimated completion time on the opening screen so respondents can commit realistically.

Students also ask

How do I design a good dissertation questionnaire?

Start from your research objectives and decide what variable each requires, then write plain, single-idea questions grouped into sections that mirror your objectives, choose a consistent scale, and pilot with 8-10 people from your target population before distributing it widely.

What is a double-barrelled question and why avoid it?

A double-barrelled question asks about two things at once, such as 'Was the module well organised and clearly assessed?' A respondent who agrees with one part but not the other cannot answer accurately, which makes the data uninterpretable.

How long should a dissertation questionnaire take to complete?

Aim for 10-15 minutes. Response rates and data quality both fall sharply beyond that, and stating an estimated completion time upfront helps respondents commit realistically.