Introduction

The survey is the most common method of collecting primary information. Almost 90% of all sociological data are obtained with its help. In each case, the survey involves an appeal to a direct participant and is aimed at those aspects of the process that are little or not amenable to direct observation at all. That is why the survey is indispensable when it comes to the study of those meaningful characteristics of social, group and interpersonal relations that are hidden from the outside eye and make themselves felt only in certain conditions and situations. There are two main types of sociological survey: questionnaires and interviews.

Questioning is one of the main types of survey carried out through indirect communication between the sociologist and the respondent. There are the following types of surveys:

a) according to the method of communication between the researcher and the respondent --- press (the questionnaire is printed in a newspaper, magazine); postal (questionnaires are sent by mail) and distribution (questionnaire distributes them to a group of respondents). In the first two cases (distance survey) there is no direct contact with the respondent. In the third case (face-to-face questioning), the questionnaire acts as an instructor in filling out questionnaires, a distributor of questionnaires, however, the questionnaire is filled in by the respondent independently;

b) at the venue --- questioning at the place of residence and at the place of work or study. In the latter case, it can be group (or classroom);

c) by the level of standardization --- fully or partially standardized. This type of survey is determined by the nature of the questions (closed or semi-closed).

Questioning has both advantages (efficiency, saving money and time, etc.) and disadvantages associated with the subjectivity of the information received, its reliability, etc. Therefore, questioning must be combined with other methods of collecting primary information.

The research that the sociologist is striving for involves a survey of certain individuals, and it is necessary that these individuals, if possible, firstly, participate in the survey, and secondly, answer sincerely, carefully, independently, in detail. In this regard, the West German researcher N. Noel speaks of a special "drama of the survey", including, in particular, the disclosure of the sociologist's ability to produce on

respondents a good impression, arouse their interest, gain confidence, confirm their self-confidence, keep them from getting bored and thus make them answer sincerely and with pleasure. This problem is not only purely methodological, but also ethical. The sociologist has to think both about his own research program and about what topics respondents will be more willing to discuss, what might interest them more. Therefore, the questionnaire, according to N. Noel, should be polite, not selfish. And this means that the questionnaire should carry out not only scientific and educational, but also communicative functions.

Thus, not only a list of questions arranged in a logical sequence, united by a single topic, but a list that will be provided with a preamble, instruction, and appeal should be ordered. In addition, it will include not only questions directly aimed at obtaining the desired answers or controlling them, but also questions that allow you to establish contact with the respondents, create a cooperative attitude among them, help relieve tension, boredom and fatigue, uncertainty, etc. In other words, a questionnaire is a list of questions offered to all respondents in an identical form and adapted to the conditions of mass asymmetric purposeful mediated communication.

The process of adapting the questions addressed to the respondents to the necessary communication will be called the design of the questionnaire. The design tasks include: creating and maintaining a cooperative attitude among the respondents; instill confidence in respondents in their ability to answer all the questions; establish trusting relationships, create the impression of the possibility of giving any, the most unexpected and frank answers; release respondents' answers from the impact of previous questions and answers to them; maintain a constant interest in working with the questionnaire.

It is easy to see that the solution of many problems is also achieved through special work

§one. Questionnaire method

Questionnaire method - study of individual psychological characteristics of the personality of a subordinate based on content analysis their written responses to a pre-prepared list of questions ;

Questionnaire , like observation, is one of the most common research methods in psychology. Questionnaires are usually conducted using observational data, which (along with data obtained using other research methods) are used in the design of questionnaires.

There are three main types of questionnaires used in psychology:

These are questionnaires made up of direct questions and aimed at identifying

perceived qualities of the subjects. For example, in a questionnaire aimed at

revealing the emotional attitude of schoolchildren to their age, used

such a question: "Do you prefer to become an adult now, right away, or do you want

remain a child and why?";

these are questionnaires of a selective type, where the subjects for each question of the questionnaire

several ready-made answers are offered; The subject's task is to choose

the most appropriate answer. For example, to determine a student's attitude towards

different academic subjects, you can use the following question: "Which of

subjects - the most interesting?". And as possible answers, you can

propose a list of subjects: "algebra", "chemistry", "geography",

"physics", etc.;

these are scale questionnaires; when answering the questions of questionnaires-scales, the subject should not

just choose the most correct of the ready-made answers, and scale

(evaluate in points) the correctness of the proposed answers. For example,

instead of answering "yes" or "no", subjects can be offered a five-point scale

5 - sure yes;

4 - more yes than no;

3 - not sure, don't know;

2 - no more than yes;

1 - definitely not.

There are no fundamental differences between these three types of questionnaires, they are all

are just different modifications of the survey method. However, if

the use of questionnaires containing direct (and even more so indirect) questions,

requires a preliminary qualitative analysis of the responses, which significantly

makes it difficult to use quantitative methods of processing and analysis

received data, the scale questionnaires are the most formalized type

questionnaires, as they allow more accurate quantitative analysis

survey data.

The indisputable advantage of the questionnaire method is the quick receipt

mass material, which allows us to trace a number of general changes in

depending on the nature of the educational process, etc. disadvantage

method of questioning is that it allows you to open, as a rule,

only the topmost layer of factors: materials, with the help of questionnaires and questionnaires

(composed of direct questions to the subjects), cannot give the researcher

ideas about many regularities and causal dependencies related to

to psychology. Questioning is a means of first orientation, a means

preliminary reconnaissance. To compensate for the shortcomings noted

questionnaires, the use of this method should be combined with the use of

questionnaires, masking the true objectives of the surveys from the subjects, etc.

His written responses to a pre-prepared list of questions;

The method of questioning has long been successfully used in various areas of zoological research. This method is of particular value when collecting information on rare species. It can be used along with standard survey and accounting methods, without requiring large material and time costs. The result of the survey may be additional, often unique,

information about the places of finds of rare species, their way of life, the state of the food supply, the attitude of the local population, existing limiting factors, etc., has not been recorded anywhere before. On the other side

The preliminary survey data can be used for further planning of measures to survey a particular part of the range of a species of interest, to search for an answer to a particular question.

The practice of using the questionnaire method in the study of hunting and commercial species of mammals and birds is well known (Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, 1963; Isakov, 1963; Yurgenson, 1963, etc.), as well as rare species, such as the snow leopard.

The form of the questionnaire, with external conciseness, has a large information capacity. The simplicity and clarity of the questions posed makes it possible to use it among the general population with different educational levels. The questionnaire is easily translated into various languages. The respondents themselves choose the language of presentation. In some cases, depending on the desire of the respondents, the survey may be anonymous.

Our own experience of questioning, carried out within the framework of projects in 2001 and 2003, made it possible to identify both the undeniable advantages of this method and its shortcomings. The advantages include:

Obtaining unique information from the population and employees of protected areas.

Standardization that allows correct generalization of information.

One of the main tasks in the course of a psychological workshop is the independent development and conduct of a survey. The main theoretical questions presented in this section will help to understand the basic principles of conducting a survey.

General characteristics of the method

Questionnaire(from French enkuete - a list of questions) - a system of questions united by a single research plan aimed at identifying the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the object and subject of analysis.

Questionnaire is a structurally organized set of questions, each of which is logically related to the central task of the study. Questionnaire questions may relate to professional orientation (motives, interests, hobbies), moral and psychological qualities of the individual, style of communication and behavior, character traits, etc.

Questionnaire - a research method that provides written answers to a system of questions, each of which is associated with the central task of the study.

This method has the following virtues:

high efficiency of obtaining information;

the possibility of organizing mass surveys;

relatively low labor intensity of the procedures for preparing and conducting research, processing their results;

the lack of influence of the personality and behavior of the interviewer on the work of the respondents;

the lack of expression in the researcher of the relationship of subjective predilection for any of the respondents.

However, questionnaires are also characterized by limitations:

the lack of personal contact does not allow changing the order and wording of questions depending on the answers or behavior of the respondents, as, for example, in a conversation;

the reliability of such “self-reports” is not always sufficient, the results of which are influenced by unconscious attitudes and motives of respondents or their desire to look in a more favorable light, deliberately embellishing the real state of affairs.

In modern psychology, questioning is considered an auxiliary research method, in such sciences as sociology or demography - one of the main ones.

Varieties of the survey method

There are several types of questionnaires.

Questionnaires based on self-assessment by the respondents of their properties and qualities. The form of the answer is an assessment in points of the degree of severity of one or another personal property, character traits (initiativity, sociability, anxiety, independence, etc.). When using this method, it is necessary to take into account its significant drawback; a high degree of subjectivity of answers due to the desire of a person to show himself from the best side and hide shortcomings. Using closed-ended questions with multiple choice answers (for example, ranked according to the degree of agreement: “No, it’s not at all true”, “Probably so”, “True”, “Absolutely true”), you can increase the informative value of the answers.

Assessment of socio-psychological, personal qualities can be carried out by a group of experts. The advantage of this method of questioning lies in the greater objectivity of the data obtained, since the group of experts includes people who have known a person for a long time and from different angles. However, interviewing several people is time-consuming and sometimes it is difficult to determine the competence of experts.

Another type of survey method is questionnaires, the questions of which are aimed at assessing the respondents of their actions in specific life situations. As a result of data processing, the psychologist draws a conclusion about the presence and level of development of the respondent's individual personality traits.

The types of questionnaires are determined by the form of the content of the questions, and checking their validity and reliability is one of the difficulties. The selection of questions should be truthful in relation to the problem and logically related to the objectives of the study. The phrases of the questions should be short, unambiguous, clear.

Questions in the questionnaire are classified according to the following criteria:

about the facts of consciousness (aimed at identifying opinions, plans for the future, motives, expectations, value judgments of the respondents);

about the facts of behavior (revealing real actions, actions and results of people's activities);

about the identity of the respondent (relating to his gender, age, education, profession, marital status, etc.). Their presence allows further processing of the results of the survey within a particular group of people, if necessary, comparing similar information with other groups.

form :

closed;

semi-closed;

open.

Closed - this is a form of questions to which pre-formulated answers are given in the questionnaire. Such a question provides a full set of answers, from which the subject will only have to choose. The researcher has the opportunity not only to find out the content of judgments, but also to measure the intensity of assessments, scaling them for each option. The advantages of closed questions are: the ability to exclude misunderstanding of the questions, the comparability of answers, a relatively easier form of filling out answers and processing the data obtained. It is advisable to use this variant of constructing questions when studying certain groups of the population (for example, soldiers (sailors)), and also when the researcher clearly imagines what answers to the proposed question can be.

There are several ways to present answer options for a closed question:

a) a dichotomous form, suggesting opposite, mutually exclusive answers (such as "yes - no", "agree - disagree", etc.);

b) polyvariant form, providing several answers. For example: “What lectures did you attend this week?

Psychology, - sociology, - philosophy, - aesthetics”;

c) a scale form used in cases where it is necessary to express the intensity of an attitude, experience, etc. Answers might look like this:

Completely agree - I don't know - Completely disagree;

d) tabular form. For example:

When processing data from large contingents of respondents, coding of responses to closed questions is used. In this case, all answers are accompanied by three-digit numbers, in which the first digits indicate the serial number of questions, and the third indicates the serial number of the answer.

The use of closed questions in the questionnaire allows you to effectively compare the results of the respondents. However, they lack the expression of individual assessments.

semi-closed the question is used either when the researcher does not know all the possible answers, or when he intends to more fully find out the individual opinions of the subjects. In addition to ready-made options, the list of answers contains the column "other answers" and a certain number of empty lines.

An open question implies that the respondent freely answers the proposed question without any restrictions, for example, when filling out a biographical questionnaire. An open question allows the subject to build his answer both in form and in content. The advantages of open questions are that they do not contain hints, do not impose someone else's opinion, and make it possible to collect more complete information. This form of questions is preferable when the psychologist does not know what the assessment of the phenomenon under study may be, wants to get frank independent answers. When using open-ended questions, comparability of answers is difficult. Therefore, such questions are used either in the early stages of the questionnaire, or when there is a need to express all the individual opinions in the group. Such questions are inappropriate in anonymous questionnaires.

Formulation method:

• indirect.

AT direct The question provides for an answer that should be understood in the sense in which the respondent understands it. A direct question is aimed at direct, open receipt of information from the respondent.

However, sometimes when it is required to give a critical answer about themselves or others, many respondents tend to limit themselves to socially desirable and approved answers. In such cases, it is advisable to use indirect questions.

Indirect the question usually involves the use of some imaginary situation that masks real information. Indirect questions involve a transfer to something else; the answer to it involves deciphering in a different sense, hidden from the subject. For example, instead of asking a student: “Why do you miss lectures so often?”, you can ask the question: “It's no secret that some of the students in your course rarely attend lectures. Why do you think?

By function :

informational (basic);

questions-filters and control (not basic or clarifying).

Main questions are aimed at collecting information about the content of the phenomenon under study from each respondent.

Filter Questions are used when information is needed only from a part of the total population of respondents. This is a kind of "questionnaire in the questionnaire." The start and end of a filter are usually clearly marked.

For example:

“The next two questions are for psychology students only.

What is the quality of practical classes in the psychology of communication?

How can the acquired knowledge help you in your work in the specialty? Attention! Questions for everyone.

The presence of filter questions that limit the range of respondents allows you to prevent distortion of information that may arise from the answers of insufficiently competent persons.

Control questions provide an opportunity to clarify the correctness and reliability of the information provided by the respondents.

Control questions are of two types. The first is a repetition of informational questions, only in other words. If the answers to the main and control questions are diametrically opposed, then they are excluded from further analysis. Other control questions serve to identify individuals who tend to give socially approved answers. They offer many answers where in practice there can only be a single answer.

For example:

“Have you ever been naughty as a child?

Have you ever lied to people in the past?”

The likelihood of getting an honest, but not widespread answer to such questions is very small.

There are several requirements for improving the effectiveness of control when compiling questions in the questionnaire:

Questionnaire main and control questions should not be placed side by side, otherwise their relationship will be noticed;

Answers to direct questions are better controlled by indirect ones;

It is necessary to control only the most significant questions of the questionnaire;

The need for control, as a rule, decreases if a significant part of the questions allows for avoidance of answers, expressions of uncertainty of opinion (such as “I don’t know”, “when how”, etc.).

Plan.

Introduction

Relevance of the issue
Target
Work tasks
Analytical review

Special part:

I. General characteristics of the survey method
II. Basic rules for compiling questionnaires

2.1 Development of the questionnaire
2.2 Verification of the questionnaire.
2.3 Processing of material and presentation of conclusions

Conclusion
References

Introduction

At the current stage of its formation as a science, psychology makes extensive use of research methods characteristic of sociology and general psychology (for example, questionnaires and interviews, public opinion polls, the study of documents and observation in test situations). A method of research is a method, a way of obtaining the necessary information about socio-psychological processes. There are basic and non-basic research methods.

Relevance of the issue This study is due to the fact that modern ideas about the work of a psychologist are associated with conducting surveys of the population on various topical issues. Since the survey, as a method of selecting verbal information, is the most common research method, with the help of which 90% of the data is obtained, it is very important for the future psychologist to master both general knowledge about the method of questioning and the practical ability to compose questionnaires, which requires a detailed study of the rules for compiling questionnaires. . For quite a long time (according to the literature, almost the entire "Soviet" period), questioning was the most popular method of questioning. As you can see, this method is still relevant today.

Target: The purpose of this work is to study the method of questioning.

Work tasks: 1. Get acquainted with the general characteristics of the survey method; 2. Consider the basic rules for compiling questionnaires, dwelling in detail on the development of questionnaires, checking questionnaires, processing material and drawing conclusions

Analytical review: Questioning is one of the most common research methods in psychology (Great Explanatory Dictionary of Psychology, 2003). The questionnaire is a structurally organized set of questions, each of which is logically connected with the central task of the study (Nikandrov V.V., 2002). When compiling a questionnaire, it is necessary to follow the rules and principles of its design, as well as to know the features of different types of questions, be able to correctly formulate them and rationally arrange them in order to obtain a more complete and accurate description of the object under study (Novikova S., 1993; Sheregi F.E., Verevkin L.P., 1985)

I. General characteristics of the survey method

Questioning (from French enquete, literally - investigation), one of the main technical means of a specific social research; used in psychological, sociological, socio-psychological, economic, demographic and other studies.

Questioning is one of the most common research methods in psychology. Questionnaires are usually conducted using observational data, which (along with data obtained using other research methods) are used in the design of questionnaires.

During the survey, each person from the group selected for the survey is invited to answer in writing the questions posed in the form of a questionnaire.

A questionnaire is a structurally organized set of questions, each of which is logically related to the central task of the study. Questionnaire questions may relate to professional orientation (motives, interests, hobbies), moral and psychological qualities of the individual, style of communication and behavior, character traits, etc.

According to the form, the questions of the questionnaire are divided into:

• open (free response, for example: "What do you think to do after military service?")
• closed - the answer consists in choosing from several statements offered in the questionnaire.

Open questions - when the respondent freely answers the proposed question without any restrictions, for example, a biographical questionnaire. This form of questions is preferable when the psychologist does not know what the assessment of the phenomenon under study may be, wants to get advice on any matter, an in-depth socio-psychological description of the serviceman, frank independent answers.

Closed - this is a form of questions for which pre-formulated answers are given in the questionnaire. The advantages of closed questions are the ability to exclude misunderstanding of the questions, the comparability of answers, a relatively easier form of filling out answers and processing the data received. It is advisable to use this variant of constructing questions when studying soldiers (sailors), and also when the researcher clearly imagines what answers to the proposed question can be.

Open-ended questions provide deeper insightsbut with a large number of questionnaires, they lead to significant difficulties in processing due to non-standard answers.

• objective (about the education, age, salary, etc. of the interviewee (respondent); in this case, subjective distortions should be taken into account when answering);
• subjective, which reveal the socio-psychological attitude of the respondent, his attitude to the conditions of his life and certain events.

Questions are usually answered anonymously.

The survey can be conducted in several ways:

• the questionnaire is filled out in the presence of the collector individually;
• group filling in the presence of the collector;
• Respondents fill in the questionnaires on their own and, in order to maintain anonymity, submit questionnaires at the same time;
• "mail" questionnaire, when the questionnaire is distributed or sent to the house, and then returned to the respondents by mail.

In order to increase the effectiveness of the survey, before mass questioning, as a rule, pilot surveys (50-100 questionnaires) are conducted to filter out unsuccessful ("non-working") questions.

There are several types of questionnaires. Questionnaires based on self-assessment by the respondents of their properties and qualities. The form of the answer is an assessment in points of the degree of severity of one or another personal property, character traits (initiativity, sociability, anxiety, independence, etc.). We note three main types of questionnaires (Fig. 1) used in psychology:

• these are questionnaires made up of direct questions and aimed at identifying the perceived qualities of the subjects. For example, in a questionnaire aimed at identifying the emotional attitude of schoolchildren to their age, the following question was used: "Do you prefer to become an adult now, immediately, or do you want to remain a child and why?";
• these are questionnaires of a selective type, where the subjects are offered several ready-made answers for each question of the questionnaire; The task of the subjects is to choose the most appropriate answer. For example, to determine the student's attitude to various subjects, you can use the following question: "Which of the subjects is the most interesting?". And as possible answers, we can offer a list of subjects: "algebra", "chemistry", "geography", "physics", etc.;
• these are questionnaires - scales; when answering the questions of questionnaires-scales, the subject must not only choose the most correct of the ready-made answers, but scale (evaluate in points) the correctness of the proposed answers. So, for example, instead of answering "yes" or "no", subjects can be offered a five-point scale of answers:

5 - confidently yes;
4 - more yes than no;
3 - not sure, don't know;
2 - no more than yes;
1 - definitely not.

Rice. 1. Types of questionnaires used in psychology.

There are no fundamental differences between these three types of questionnaires; they are all just different modifications of the questionnaire method. However, if the use of questionnaires containing direct (and even more so indirect) questions requires a preliminary qualitative analysis of the answers, which greatly complicates the use of quantitative methods for processing and analyzing the data obtained, then scale questionnaires are the most formalized type of questionnaires, since they allow more accurate quantitative analysis of survey data.

When using this method, it is necessary to take into account such a significant drawback of it: a high degree of subjectivity of answers due to the desire of a person to show himself from the best side and hide shortcomings. Using closed-ended questions with multiple choice answers (for example, ranked by degree of agreement: “No, it’s not at all,” “Probably so,” “True,” “Absolutely”), you can increase the informative value of answers.

Assessment of socio-psychological, personal qualities can be carried out by a group of experts. The advantage of this method of questioning lies in the greater objectivity of the data obtained, since the group of experts includes people who have known a person for a long time and from different angles. However, interviewing several people is laborious and sometimes it is difficult to determine the competence of experts.

Questioning is a means of first orientation, a means of preliminary intelligence. To compensate for the noted shortcomings of the survey, the use of this method should be combined with the use of more meaningful research methods, as well as repeated surveys, masking the true objectives of the surveys from the subjects, etc.

Another type of survey method is questionnaires, the questions of which are aimed at assessing the respondents of their actions in specific life situations. As a result of data processing, the psychologist draws a conclusion about the presence and level of development of the respondent's individual personality traits.

The essence of another method, face-to-face questioning, is that the questionnaires are filled in by an expert in the presence of the questioner. The disadvantage of this method is the possibility of the interviewer's influence on the answers of the expert, which can occur almost involuntarily under the influence of the personality of the psychologist or other officer conducting the survey.

II. Basic rules for compiling questionnaires

The process of creating a questionnaire can be compared to playing a musical instrument. Only an ordered specific range of sounds will give a harmonious melody. When compiling a questionnaire, it is necessary to follow the rules and principles of its design, as well as to know the features of different types of questions, be able to formulate them correctly and arrange them rationally in order to obtain a more complete and accurate description of the object under study.

2.1 Development of the questionnaire

In existing dictionaries, a questionnaire means an ordered list of questions. But instructions on how to order them are not given everywhere. So let's take a closer look at this issue.

The questionnaire should consist of three parts:

1. Introduction.
2. The main part.
3. Passport.

Introductory part. The main function of the introductory part is to arouse the desire of the respondent to answer the questions of the questionnaire. The introductory part begins with an appeal to the respondent and contains:

1. Appeal (dear student, resident, citizen, etc.).
2. Data of the organization (institution) conducting the survey.
3. The purpose and objectives of the study, as well as the practical significance of solving these problems.
4. The significance of the role of the respondent for solving these problems.
5. A guarantee of anonymity (the main thing here is not that the respondent's surname will or will not be recorded, but that the information received from the respondent will not become public property of others without his consent to this).
6. An indication of the technique for filling out the questionnaire (often these instructions are also located directly in the text of the questions or in the margins of the questionnaire).
7. Expression of gratitude in advance to the respondent, which encourages him to complete the questionnaire.

The introductory part should not be very long, but it must be clear and understandable for any respondent, motivating him to participate in the survey. Although this part is small in scope, it is very important. The attitude to the questionnaire of the respondent depends on how the appeal is composed.

Main part. This is the most important part of the questionnaire. The so-called "contact questions" usually come first, the main purpose of which is to interest the respondent, to facilitate the process of getting involved in the problem. These questions should be formulated simply, that is, assume easy answers. It is thanks to the formulation of such simpler questions at the beginning of the questionnaire that the respondent prepares for the most important ones. The transition from simple to complex questions is called the "Funnel Rule". Its use helps respondents gradually develop the skills necessary to complete the questionnaire.

After the contact questions, the main ones are put. These are the most important and difficult. Answers to them provide basic information on the problem of interest to the researcher. The content of the questions should correspond to the purpose and objectives of the study.

For each individual task, it is better to develop its own specific block of questions. Questions of one block can follow one after another, and can be located between questions of other blocks. The most difficult block of questions should be placed in the middle of the content part of the questionnaire.

In last place are the final questions, the main function of which is to relieve the psychological stress of the respondents, to make them feel that a great and necessary work has been done. Due to the respondent's possible fatigue, these should be the simplest questions, the answers to which do not require a strong memory strain, attention, etc.

Passport. The passport includes questions that reveal the following content: gender, age of the respondent, education, profession, social and marital status. Depending on the purpose and objectives of the study, the number of questions can be reduced or increased. It is not so easy to draw up a passport correctly. It is impossible to transfer its structure from one questionnaire to another.

Passport can be located both at the beginning and at the end of the questionnaire. Although there are still different opinions on this issue. Some experts believe that if it is located at the beginning of the questionnaire, then the respondent will have doubts that the survey is anonymous, especially if the questionnaire is about clarifying the internal state or knowledge of the respondent. They believe that starting a questionnaire with a passport is not only unethical, but also inappropriate, since these questions may alert the respondent, which will affect the reliability of the information or even push them away from filling out the questionnaire.

But, on the other hand, starting a conversation without introducing yourself is also not accepted. First, a person says a few words about himself (that is, fills out a passport), and then he moves on to other serious issues. And how to "remove" the respondent's alertness? Simply by offering him, at his own discretion (providing once again that this is not necessary), fill in the line "Last name, first name, patronymic" or instead put a certain code (a combination of various letters and numbers) that only the respondent himself will know.

Any polite person at the end of the communication, which took place on his initiative and satisfied his personal interests, expresses gratitude. Therefore, at the end of the questionnaire, it is advisable to thank the respondents for participating in the survey. These can be statements of various types: "Thank you for participating in the study", "Thank you for your help", "Thank you for finding the time and opportunity to answer the questions of our questionnaire, despite being busy," etc.

At the end of the questionnaire, you can ask about the usefulness of the survey. For example: "How important do you think it is to conduct this survey?" And also offer to participate in subsequent surveys.

2.2 Verification of the questionnaire.

After the questionnaire is drawn up, it must be checked. The questionnaire must meet certain rules. Let's take a look at some of them.

Checking the wording of questions:

• Avoid ambiguous wording, special terms. If there are, they should be explained or replaced.
• The system of categories used should be clear to all respondents.
• Questions should not contain settings. Example: "What do you dislike about monotonous work, probably because it doesn't make you think...".
• If the question is related to an assessment of behavior or activity that is not approved in society, it is necessary to make it clear to the respondent that the answer will not cause condemnation. To do this, use something like this beginning of the question: "Some believe that ... Others believe that ... What do you think?"
• The design of the question should not be allowed to incline the respondent to the answer. "You don't think?.." - "No, I don't think...", "Don't you want to?.." - "Yes, I do...".
• If there are many answers to one question, then they need to be divided into thematic blocks and instead of one, ask several.
• When answering, the respondent's attention is usually fixed on the first and last answer options (with a preponderance to the first), and most of all positive answers are on the first one. Therefore, if possible, arrange the options not sequentially, but in random order.
• To increase the reliability of answers, it is necessary to provide the respondent with the opportunity to evade them if he has such a need. Use the answer option: "Difficult to answer."
• Check closed questions (that is, with a specific list of answers). It is advisable to turn them into semi-closed ones, giving the respondent the opportunity to add his own version.
• Questions should not hurt the pride, dignity of the respondent, some of his prestigious ideas. "Why do you not like the job ... (the specific state or public body or person is indicated further)?" These types of questions should not be used. The respondent may react negatively to such a question, and his further opinion will be distorted. Ask him to evaluate the work of several organizations, for example, on a 5-point scale. Of course, the respondent should have an idea about their activities.

Questions must be spelled and stylistically correct. To do this, ask someone from the elders to check the compiled text.

Checking the composition of the questionnaire It is necessary to check not only individual questions, but the entire composition of the questionnaire and its graphic design. Here are the basic requirements:

• It is necessary to check whether the technique of answering questions is clearly explained to the respondent.
• Questions at the beginning of the questionnaire should be the most simple ("contact"), in the middle - the most complex and meaningful, and at the end - again simple.
• To move from one block of questions to another, you need to use transitional questions.
• It is better not to place the main and control questions one after another. If the respondent realizes that he is not trusted and is being tested, then this may affect the reliability of subsequent information.
• If there is a suspicion that not all respondents may be competent enough in something, or that they will not all belong to the group for which the question is intended, then a filter question should be posed.
• The filter question should have a transition pointer for different groups of respondents. For example: "Only pensioners answer the following question."
• Questions should not be asked that exceed the respondent's memory capacity. These may be events that happened a long time ago, or which, although they took place recently, did not play a fundamental role for the respondent and therefore were forgotten. For example, the question "Write the name of the deputy of your district" can confuse many respondents, not only younger ones. At the same time, this question, asked after the elections, to a certain extent reveals the activity of the electorate.
• Accumulation of questions of the same type (a number of alternative, closed, open questions or tabular questions, etc.) should not be allowed. This leads to the respondent's fatigue, causing a feeling of monotony. In this case, it is necessary to make wider use of the whole variety of possible questions.
• There is a concept of competence of public opinion. For example, one should not ask about the draft of this or that law if it has not been published, or about those phenomena that the respondent has not encountered.

Checking the graphic design of the questionnaire:

• The font of the text should not be "blind", that is, hard to read (otherwise, many respondents, primarily visually impaired, will not answer the questionnaire).
• It is better to print the text of the question and the possible answers to it in different fonts, highlighting the text of the question in a larger or bold font, and the answer options in italics, that is, in italics or just smaller.
• It is also better to type explanations for semantic questions in a special font so that the respondent can pay attention to them.
• There should be enough blank lines to answer open and semi-closed questions. It is not worth saving paper on this, the respondent may not have enough space for an answer.
• Questions in tabular form are recommended to be lined so that respondents do not get confused when answering them. This will make it easier to process the answers to these questions.
• The answers are also affected by the length of the options, so they need to be graphically balanced, put down a series of dots.
• Half of the answers to a question should not be allowed to be transferred to another page.

In addition, it is also necessary to take into account such a number of rules that determine the features of creating any type of questionnaires:

• before developing a questionnaire to improve its predictability, it is necessary to clearly understand the purpose and objectives of the upcoming study;
• Questionnaire questions should correspond to the level of development and life experience of the respondents (age, education, social origin, national characteristics, etc.);
• the questionnaire should not be monotonous and stereotypical. The number of answer options in the questions presented, as a rule, should not be more than 5-6, and the estimated time for filling out the questionnaire should not exceed 30 minutes. When developing the questionnaire, closed or open questions are used.

Attention! In order to finally assess the quality of the compiled questionnaire, it is necessary to conduct a pilot (or pilot) study. For this purpose, it is enough to interview a small group of people. Conducting a pilot study helps to clarify the clarity of the wording and content of the questions, the completeness of the set of answer options, as well as the sequence of their location.

The check allows not only to identify and exclude unnecessary questions that are well known or not directly related to the problem under study, but also to determine which questions will be the most difficult for respondents and try to make them more accessible. Remember that a well-designed questionnaire is a necessary condition for the successful conduct of sociological research.

2.3 Processing of material and presentation of conclusions

One of the problems of processing the material is to determine the necessary and sufficient size of the sample. Research practice proves that the use of the apparatus of mathematical statistics can reduce uncertainty, but not solve the problem.

The following requirements should be taken as a rule: "the sample size should provide at least 100 observations for each primary and at least 20-50 observations for each secondary classification component." The primary classification components correspond to the most critical, and the secondary components correspond to the least critical cells of the cross-classification adopted in this study.

It is necessary to determine who and how many should be interviewed so that the results of the survey are suitable for analysis. However, it must be borne in mind that the statement: the more people are interviewed, the better the results, is not entirely true. The accuracy and reliability of the results depend, first of all, not on the size of the sample, but on its composition or structure. The composition (structure) of the sample is determined by the method of its formation. The method of formation is a much more significant characteristic of the sample than the volume.

The material obtained during the survey must be processed, that is, the content of the answers should be systematized in accordance with the research program. If manual processing of information is carried out, then it is necessary to prepare in advance auxiliary tables and matrices, the use of which greatly speeds up and facilitates the process of processing primary materials. For example, to process data "passports" (sections "Gender" and "Age group"), you can use the following table.

Table 1. - Data on gender and age of respondents

	up to 12	13-17	18-25	26-35	36-50	51-60	61-70	71-80	81	Total
Husband.
Female
Total

Other breakdowns by age are also possible.

If there are many open questions in the questionnaire,then you should first write out the answers received in a column, and then systematize them, counting the number of answers that are approximately the same in content. Usually, the answers for each item of the questionnaire are summarized and their percentage of the number of respondents is calculated. Interest is calculated from at least 100 people, tenths of a percent - from 1000 or more.

In the case when you want to study the opinions of different categories of respondents, preparing for the survey and processing the results is more difficult, it is better to do it on a computer. If a computer is supposed to be used to process the materials of the questionnaires, you must first compile or purchase a special program that systematizes the data entered into the computer according to specified criteria. In the case of using computer technology, an appropriate form of the questionnaire is required, in which the respondent will mark his answers. This makes it easier to encode information and enter it into a computer database.

One should not, having interviewed a small group of people, generalize the results, believing that the opinion of the entire population has been revealed. However, you have gained an idea of ​​what the respondents think, and you can use the data obtained. For example, you send a letter to some authority and, as an argument, note that 2/3 of the three hundred citizens you interviewed believe the following ...

At the stage of drawing conclusions, the processed and systematized data are presented in the form of various documents, reports, tables, etc. This method of design allows you to analyze the generalized materials and draw the correct conclusions. In addition, the materials received after processing can be reflected in articles, memorandums to the relevant committee of the local administration or other departments.

When sending survey data to various authorities, using them during negotiations, be sure to indicate how many people were interviewed and how the answers were distributed (as a percentage of the number of respondents). It is very important to supplement the assessments of residents obtained with the help of questionnaires or interviews with objective information.

Conclusion

In this control work, the topic was considered: "Questioning". In the course of the work, the general characteristics of the survey method were considered. In conclusion of this paragraph, it should be noted that the indisputable advantage of the questionnaire method is the rapid receipt of mass material, which makes it possible to trace a number of general changes, for example, depending on the nature of the educational process, etc. The disadvantage of the questionnaire method is that it allows revealing, as a rule, only the uppermost layer of factors: materials, using questionnaires and questionnaires (composed of direct questions to the subjects), cannot give the researcher an idea of ​​many patterns and causal dependencies related to psychology (Fig. 2).

Fig.2 Advantages and disadvantages of the survey method.

The second paragraph of the special part was devoted to the basic rules for compiling questionnaires. It should be noted that in order to develop a high-quality questionnaire, the Specialist must have theoretical knowledge, work experience and abilities. Ways to solve the problem of developing questionnaires are described in sufficient detail in the literature, which needs to be found and mastered. But theoretical knowledge in no way compensates for a lack or lack of experience.

Most questions can be answered, but the real issue is whether they will mean anything. In order not to get useless answers, it is necessary to ask the respondent those questions that make sense to him.

According to the foregoing, the basic rules for constructing a questionnaire are as follows: a logical sequence of topics covered by questions; the interest of the respondent should grow from question to question; the absence of too complex or intimate questions; compliance of the wording of questions with the educational level of the surveyed group; in closed questions, all possible answers should be provided; the total number of questions should not be too large - the survey should not tire or annoy the respondent.

References

1. Large explanatory psychological dictionary: In 2 volumes, volume 1: A - P / Translation from English Reber A., ​​- M .: "Sphere", 2003, - 559 pages.
2. Grushin B. A., Opinions about the world and the world of opinions, M., 1997;
3. Melnikov V.M., Yampolsky L.T. Introduction to experimental psychology of personality. - M .: Education, 1985.
4. Nikandrov V.V. Verbal and communicative methods in psychology (conversation and survey). - M .: "Speech" - 2002
5. Novikova S. Methodology for compiling a questionnaire. - M.: MPA, 1993. - 58 p.
6. Reader for the course introduction to psychology. Textbook for students of faculties of psychology of higher educational institutions / Ed.-sost. E.E.Sokolova. - M.: Russian Psychological Society, 1999.
7. Sheregi F.E., Verevkin L.P. Preparation and conduct of research. (Toolkit). - Ashkhabad, 1985. - 127 p.
   

Questioning as a research method is increasingly used in the modern world. It helps to collect the necessary information.

This article will tell you what the goals of this type of research are, how questionnaires and questionnaires are created, what should be avoided when compiling them, and how to analyze the results.

Questioning in sociology - a general concept, goals and objectives

Social surveys are a useful tool for getting information from people. That is, the main goal is to collect data.

How is a survey different from testing? Testing is a test of people for a certain level of knowledge, skills or general intellectual development.

So, testing has a different purpose than a survey. Testing is most often used in pedagogy.

An interviewer is a person who conducts a survey; respondent (or informant) - the one who fills out the questionnaire.

There are several different tasks that face the survey:

1. Learn new theoretical information.
2. Learn more about the target audience. Questionnaires that determine what consumers want, need, and like will come in handy when segmenting lists based on these factors. The narrower and more specific the listings are, the higher the chances of a successful conversion rate.
3. Get feedback on a recent event, product or service: If the audience gives their opinion, it will help to achieve great success in future endeavors.
4. Check knowledge. Interviewing can be used (but more rarely) to determine the level of knowledge. For this, testing is often used.
5. Refine your point of view. Questionnaires used as an explanation go a long way in reducing misunderstandings and therefore more effective communication later on.
6. Establish positive relationships: when lines of communication are opened, it shows respondents that their opinion is valued.

Types of survey

Depending on the number of respondents, the survey is:

• individual- conducted with one participant;
• group Questionnaires are distributed to a small number of people who are in the same room and go through the points of the questionnaire.

Depending on the method of distribution, the questionnaires are divided into the following categories:

1. Computer questionnaire Participants are asked to complete a questionnaire sent by mail. The advantages of this type include their low price, time saving, the respondent does not feel pressure, so he can answer when he has time, giving more accurate answers. However, the main disadvantage is that sometimes informants do not bother to answer and may simply ignore the survey.
2. telephone questionnaire— the researcher can call potential participants to ask them to answer questions. The advantage of the telephone questionnaire is that it can be completed in a short amount of time. The main disadvantage is that most people do not feel comfortable passing information over the phone.
3. Internal survey- this type suggests that the researcher visits informants in their homes or workplaces. The advantage of an internal survey is that people can pay more attention to all blocks of the questionnaire. However, in-house surveys also have a number of disadvantages, which include being time-consuming and costly, and respondents may not want to invite an interviewer to their home or workplace for various reasons.
4. Postal questionnaire Questionnaires of this kind involve the researcher mailing the psychological questionnaire to the respondent, often with a pre-paid envelope attached. Postal questionnaires have the advantage of providing a more accurate answer because participants can respond in their own time. The disadvantages are that this method is expensive, time consuming, and sometimes emails end up in the trash.

Separately, a two-round survey is distinguished. In the first round, a regular survey of several participants is conducted. And in the second round, participants exchange questionnaires and analyze each other's results.

Questionnaire and its structure

The questionnaire is a structured form consisting of a formalized set of questions designed to collect information on specific topics from one or more respondents.

In other words, it is a data collection technique in which informants are asked to provide some information. Regardless of the form (written or printed), the survey has a certain structure.

Introduction

In this part, it is important to guarantee the anonymity and security of the data, and you also need to thank the respondent in advance. The introductory template is shown below.

Passport

This is a block in which the participant talks about himself: age, gender, social class, profession, occupation and other demographic data. Passport can be placed both at the beginning and at the end of the questionnaire. An example is shown below.

Main part

This is the largest part of the survey, which consists of blocks of questions of various shapes and complexity. An example of the main body is shown below.

Types of questions for the questionnaire

Questionnaires may include the following types:

How to write a questionnaire for a sociological survey

It is advisable to avoid certain types of questions, such as:

1. Hypothetical. Words that are misleading by assumptions and fantasies should be avoided. Options:
   • wrong: “How should our support service work?”;
   • correct: “What do you not like about our support service?”;
2. Embarrassing. Respondents should not be made to feel uncomfortable by asking for details about personal problems, which in turn can lead to a loss of confidence. If it is necessary to include such a clause, then it is important to show the participant that he will not be judged for his answer. Examples:
   • wrong: "Do you help poor people?";
   • correctly: “Some people believe that it is not necessary to provide financial assistance to the able-bodied poor. What do you think?”;
3. Extremely positive/negative. Wording must be carefully considered to avoid harsh positive or negative connotations. Examples:
   • wrong: “Are you not satisfied with your work?”;
   • Correct: Are you satisfied with your job?

Questionnaire rules

Questionnaire development is a multi-stage process requiring attention to detail at each stage.

The following rules will help simplify this process:

1. Decide what to cover in the questionnaire. A clear definition of a theme is of paramount importance as it is a major development step.
2. Don't change words. It is important that the words or phrases that are used are formulated as simply as possible. If items are not clear, informants may simply select any options, resulting in inaccurate data.
3. Ask only one question at a time. Options, when two questions are asked at once, will not give an exact result, because different answers may result.
4. Correctly formulate the points of the questionnaire with multiple choice answers: when designing, the questionnaire should be flexible in terms of “choosing an option”. Sometimes respondents do not necessarily want to choose one of the response options provided by the survey creator, in such a situation it is useful to have an "other" option.
5. Open or closed question is a difficult choice: the interviewer may find themselves in a situation where they need to make a clear choice between open or closed view. But the decision in this case must be made deliberately.
6. It is important to know the audience: As a rule, the researcher should know his target audience. For example, if the target audience is Russians, then sending a questionnaire in a foreign language will not give the desired results.
7. Sensitive questions in the middle of a survey may result in participants not completing the survey. The best thing blocks of personal and demographic data should be placed at the end.

How to submit survey results

The design of the survey results involves the visualization of data. To do this, use different types of diagrams depending on the types of questionnaires.

If questions offer two options (for example, "yes" and "no"), a pie chart is the easiest way to present data.

If you want to compare the response rates of multiple groups, a histogram is a better choice. A bunch of aligned bars is much easier to compare than multiple pie charts. It is important to label each column with a percentage for clarity.

In questions with a rating scale, participants are offered a range of possible answers. A 100% split bar chart is the easiest option to visualize the collected data.

In addition to other survey results, you can use demographic survey results as part of your analysis. By including factors such as age, gender, income level, and even geographic location, you can get an interesting infographic.

Visualizing survey data on a map is a fun way to include a demographic component in an infographic.

Histograms, on the other hand, can be used to show the age distribution of a particular population.

Processing the results of open questions is a bit of a problem. To visualize the totals, you need to somehow group the responses using common keywords or other factors.

Word clouds, although some visualization experts frown upon their use, can contribute to summary data.

Otherwise, you will have to do more intensive manual analysis: review open responses and create categories. You can then present the results in a bar chart like this one that shows the percentage of comments that fall into each category.

Pros and cons of a survey

Advantages:

1. Questionnaires are one of the most cost-effective and affordable ways to collect quantitative data. Especially online and mobile surveys have very low cost and generous coverage.
2. They are practical. In addition to being inexpensive and flexible, questionnaires are also a practical way to collect data. They can be targeted to groups of particular choice and managed in a variety of ways.
3. Scalability. Questionnaires allow you to collect information from a large audience.
4. Scientific analysis and forecasts. The more data that can be collected, the clearer the picture becomes. All this information gives marketers the ability to create new strategies and follow audience trends. Report analysis can be used to generate forecasts and even benchmarks for subsequent questionnaires.
5. Anonymity. Sociological surveys do not need to indicate the identity. But to ensure a sense of precise confidentiality, it is better to use computer-based questionnaires. Anonymous computer interviewing gives the most accurate results.
6. Easy standardization. The researcher can be sure that all participants in the sample respond to the same items.

Conducting a survey has the following disadvantages:

1. Using mail questionnaires, the researcher can never be sure that the person to whom the psychological questionnaire was sent will actually complete it.
2. The researcher cannot be completely sure that the questions being asked mean the same to all informants as they do to the researcher.
3. Dishonesty. People cannot be completely truthful in their answers. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including social desirability bias and attempts to protect privacy.
4. Some data is difficult to analyze. Questionnaires provide a lot of data. Open-ended questions allow for individual responses that cannot be quantified and must be considered by a human.
5. Missed items. When using questionnaires, there is a chance that some items will be ignored.

Questionnaire- this is a written type of survey, in which the contact between the researcher and the interviewee (respondent) is carried out using a questionnaire. Questioning can be electronic - if a computer is used. The questionnaire can be distributed through the press, by mail (with the prior consent of the respondent). However, the most effective is the so-called handout survey, when the questionnaire hands over the questionnaire and waits for it to be filled out: only in this case can the return of the questionnaire be guaranteed.

Questionnaire is a document in which questions are addressed to a certain set of people: it assumes that each person included in this set will give answers to them. Therefore, a questionnaire cannot be called any set of questions. The questionnaire is reproduced on a typewriter, printer or printed in a typographical way. Any questionnaire should include an introductory part, content and a final part.

In the introductory part contains all the information about who conducts the study, about the goals that stand before him, and about the rules for filling out the questionnaire (instruction). In addition, the introductory part usually includes a thank you for participating in the survey, as well as an indication that the data obtained will be used only for the declared purposes, that is, anonymity is guaranteed.

Content- this is the main component of the questionnaire, in which questions are formulated, arranged in a certain sequence. If in the process of filling out the questionnaire, the respondent may have difficulty, the content includes explanations and recommendations. When developing a questionnaire, it is necessary to strive to ensure that the respondent can answer all questions in 25-30 minutes; if it takes longer to complete the questionnaire, the results may be less productive due to fatigue and loss of interest in the survey. Usually the number of questions does not exceed 30-40.

Final part, or passport, contains the necessary information about the respondent: his age, nationality, marital status, status, education, etc. Typically, the passport includes questions about characteristics that may be relevant in terms of interpreting the results.

Since a survey always deals with people with both common and individual characteristics, sociology has formulated principles in accordance with which questionnaires should be drawn up. We present recommendations formulated by V.A. Yadov.

1. Questionnaires should be built taking into account the psychology of perception, and not in accordance with the logic of the study.

2. When constructing questionnaires, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the respondents (their cultural level, social experience).

3. When arranging questions, it is necessary to go from the particular to the general, and not in the opposite direction.

4. The semantic blocks into which the questionnaire is divided should be approximately the same size.

5. You should start the questionnaire with the simplest questions, gradually complicating them, then the complexity of the questions should decrease, and just before the completion of the questionnaire (before the passport) increase again. Thus, the most difficult questions should be placed in the middle of the questionnaire and almost at the very end, before the final part, which is easy to answer.

Questionnaires and interviews use a wide variety of questions that are asked for different purposes.

1. From the point of view of the objectives of the study, the following are distinguished:

■ main questions used by the researcher in order to obtain the necessary information.

■ test questions are designed to check the sincerity, consistency and consistency of the respondent's answers. Often in this case, other formulations of the question that has already been asked, or questions related to it in meaning, are used. For example, first the respondent is asked the question: “how do you feel about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship?”. Then, after a few questions, he is asked about his attitude towards the nationalization of property. If in the first and second cases the respondent speaks of a positive attitude, the researcher may assume that the answers are either insincere or inconsistent.

■ filter questions are entered to obtain additional information about the respondent - as a rule, about whether he is competent in a particular area. An example here is the question “how do you understand democracy?”

2. The questions of the questionnaire are prepared taking into account the psychological characteristics of the respondents. From this point of view, additional types of questions can be distinguished.

■ direct questions addressed directly to the respondent and aimed at revealing his personal opinion on a particular issue.

■ indirect questions are introduced when there is doubt that the respondent will want to give a direct answer to a question (for example, about his intimate life). In this case, the question is formulated in such a way that the respondent has the impression that he is answering on behalf of a social group or simply “objectively” evaluates the phenomenon.

■ buffer questions are introduced in order to prepare the respondent for the transition from one topic to another. The answers to these questions may not be taken into account in the analysis, since, by answering them, the respondent, as it were, “tunes in” to a new topic.

■ Contact questions aimed at establishing interest in the study, maintaining attention, disposition towards the researcher.

3. From the point of view of the freedom of the respondent in choosing an answer, the following questions are distinguished:

■ open questions suggest that the respondent constructs answers to them completely at his own discretion. An example would be the question: “Can you name reasons why you might change your preference in an election?”. As an answer to such a question, the questioner may indicate any reason that he considers important, and such a reason may not be the only one. Open-ended questions do not imply a preliminary categorization: they will be distributed into groups only at the stage of interpretation of the results.

■ closed questions assume that the answers to them are chosen by the respondent from predetermined options. Such questions are usually used if the researcher knows in advance what information he wants to receive and the opinion on which issues he is primarily interested in.

There are different types of closed questions. Dichotomous questions involve a choice between "yes" and "no", for example: "are there any reasons why you can change your preferences in the elections?".

Questions menu involve the choice of one option or any combination of options. For example, multiple answers may be given to the question “why you might change your preferences during the election process”: “the candidate’s misbehavior towards other candidates”, “obtaining information about the candidate’s crimes and misconduct”, “the influence of relatives or friends” , "do it yourself", etc.

Semi-closed questions- a type of questions that occupies an intermediate position between open and closed questions. In this case, the respondent is given several options for answers, but he has the right to answer in a free form if none of the options is suitable.

A fairly common form of sociological surveys is an interview, which is a kind of purposeful face-to-face conversation with the interviewee. Initially, the interview was used mainly in medicine as a clinical conversation with the patient as a means of obtaining reliable information about the patient. Subsequently, with the development of empirical research, along with questioning, it became one of the most common methods for obtaining sociological information about the object under study.