Questionnaire: Definition
A questionnaire is defined a market research instrument that consists of questions or prompts to elicit and collect responses from a sample of respondents. A questionnaire is typically a mix of open-ended questions and close-ended questions; the latter allowing for respondents to enlist their views in detail.
A questionnaire can be used in both, qualitative market research as well as quantitative market research with the use of different types of questions.
LEARN ABOUT: Open-Ended Questions
Types of Questionnaires
We have learnt that a questionnaire could either be structured or free-flow. To explain this better:
- Structured Questionnaires: A structured questionnaires helps collect quantitative data. In this case, the questionnaire is designed in a way that it collects very specific type of information. It can be used to initiate a formal enquiry on collect data to prove or disprove a prior hypothesis.
- Unstructured Questionnaires: An unstructured questionnaire collects qualitative data. The questionnaire in this case has a basic structure and some branching questions but nothing that limits the responses of a respondent. The questions are more open-ended.
LEARN ABOUT: Structured Question
Types of Questions used in a Questionnaire
A questionnaire can consist of many types of questions. Some of the commonly and widely used question types though, are:
- Open-Ended Questions: One of the commonly used question type in questionnaire is an open-ended question. These questions help collect in-depth data from a respondent as there is a huge scope to respond in detail.
- Dichotomous Questions: The dichotomous question is a “yes/no” close-ended question. This question is generally used in case of the need of basic validation. It is the easiest question type in a questionnaire.
- Multiple-Choice Questions: An easy to administer and respond to, question type in a questionnaire is the multiple-choice question. These questions are close-ended questions with either a single select multiple choice question or a multiple select multiple choice question. Each multiple choice question consists of an incomplete stem (question), right answer or answers, close alternatives, distractors and incorrect answers. Depending on the objective of the research, a mix of the above option types can be used.
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) Question: Another commonly used question type in a questionnaire is the Net Promoter Score (NPS) Question where one single question collects data on the referencability of the research topic in question.
- Scaling Questions: Scaling questions are widely used in a questionnaire as they make responding to the questionnaire, very easy. These questions are based on the principles of the 4 measurement scales – nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio.
21 Questionnaire Templates: Examples and Samples
Questionnaires help enterprises collect valuable data to help them make well-informed business decisions. There are powerful tools available in the market that allows using multiple question types, ready to use survey templates, robust analytics, and many more features to conduct comprehensive market research.
LEARN ABOUT: course evaluation survey examples
For example, an enterprise wants to conduct market research to understand what pricing would be best for their new product to capture a higher market share. In such a case, a questionnaire for competitor analysis can be sent to the targeted audience using a powerful market research survey software which can help the enterprise conduct 360 market research that will enable them to make strategic business decisions.
Now that we have learned what a questionnaire is and its use in market research, some examples and samples of widely used questionnaire templates on the QuestionPro platform are as below:
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Customer Questionnaire Templates: Examples and Samples
QuestionPro specializes in end-to-end Customer Questionnaire Templates that can be used to evaluate a customer journey right from indulging with a brand to the continued use and referenceability of the brand. These templates form excellent samples to form your own questionnaire and begin testing your customer satisfaction and experience based on customer feedback.
LEARN ABOUT: Structured Questionnaire
- Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Questionnaire TemplateCustomer satisfaction (CSAT) questionnaire template is a complete 360 customer satisfaction evaluation and measurement questionnaire that consists of multiple question types like the Net Promoter Score (NPS) question, multiple-choice questions etc. to measure customer satisfaction and customer experience.
- Product Satisfaction Questionnaire TemplateThe product satisfaction questionnaire template provides questions for evaluating customer service experience, product use satisfaction, process evaluation etc. Using this template provides an extensive and in-depth review of the goodwill of the product to an organization.
- Retail Store Evaluation Questionnaire TemplateThe retail store evaluation questionnaire template helps collect feedback on every aspect of the retail store as well as the customer’s perception of the store. This sample questionnaire template includes critical store evaluation questions to consumers, such as location, inventory, customer service, merchandise pricing, value for money and overall customer satisfaction.
- Service Quality Evaluation Questionnaire TemplateThe service quality evaluation questionnaire template helps to evaluate and analyze the quality of service provided to customer and clients by representatives. This sample questionnaire template has a comprehensive list of questions to ask customers for feedback on their experience while interacting with a service representative.
- Value Propositions Questionnaire TemplateThis sample Voice of Customer (VOC) questionnaire template measures both the satisfaction of and the importance to your customers of your value propositions. This template can help understand what aspects of your business do your customers value and the aspects that need work.
- Motivation And Buying Experience Questionnaire TemplateThe motivation and buying experience questionnaire template aligns questions in a way to collect feedback from a respondent as to why they made a purchase and the psychology behind that purchasing decision. Using this questionnaire sample provides insight into the mind of the customer and helps align the brand to match this perception.
Employee & Human Resource (HR) Questionnaire Templates: Examples and Samples
QuestionPro has built a huge repository of employee questionnaires and HR questionnaires that can be readily deployed to collect feedback from the workforce on an organization on multiple parameters like employee satisfaction, benefits evaluation, manager evaluation, exit formalities etc. These templates provide a holistic overview of collecting actionable data from employees.
- Exit Interview Questionnaire TemplateThe exit interview survey questionnaire template helps collect data from all exiting employees of the organization. This template monitors all aspects of the work like work life balance, remuneration and benefits, coworkers and management etc.
- Employee Benefits Questionnaire TemplateThe employee benefits questionnaire template collects feedback from employees on their perception of their work in an organization. This feedback is on multiple parameters like annual pay, incentives, work-life balance, quality of workplace, external benefits, company goals, workplace flexibility, insurance policies and benefits etc.
- Job Evaluation Questionnaire TemplateThe job evaluation questionnaire template collects data on core workplace metrics like quality of work, management and organization directives, ease of communicating with managers and HR, workplace harassment etc. This sample template is extensive with the data it collects for each individual and this data can be used to increase the quality of work in an organization.
- Manager Evaluation Questionnaire TemplateManagers always evaluate their reportees but it isn’t very common to see this process reversed where employees can rate their managers. This manager evaluation questionnaire template enlists questions that can collect constructive and actionable feedback in identifying areas of improvement.
- Technical Support Evaluation Questionnaire TemplateThe technical support evaluation questionnaire template collects data on the technical support provided to customers. It helps measure metrics on the basis of solution provided, overall satisfaction measurement, time bound effectiveness etc
Community Questionnaire Templates: Examples and Samples
The QuestionPro repository of community questionnaires helps collect varied data on all community aspects. This template library includes popular questionnaires such as community service, demographic questionnaires, psychographic questionnaires, personal questionnaires and much more.
- Movie Rental Questionnaire TemplateThe movie rental questionnaire template helps to understand the in-depth trends of movie rentals, online streaming or downloads based on the demographic population. This sample questionnaire enlists multiple questions that aims to draw trends from the data that can help position content deployment.
- Association Member Questionnaire TemplateThe association member questionnaire template aims to understand the satisfaction quotient of members in a community on the basis of activities conducted. This questionnaire can be deployed to respondents to get an honest feedback about the functionality of an association and level of participation of its members.
- MEPS Recruiter Questionnaire TemplateMEPS recruiter questionnaire template by QuestionPro is a recruitment evaluation questionnaire template to understand the level of satisfaction of participants for the recruitment process of United States Military Entrance Processing Station on the basis of facilities, transport, food provided etc.
- Compatibility Test Questionnaire TemplateThe compatibility test questionnaire template helps evaluate the compatibility between two partners that are dating on the basis of maturity, understanding, willingness to resolve issues etc.
- General Shopping Demographics Questionnaire TemplateThe general shopping demographics questionnaire template was created with the view to understand the the demographics and shopping characteristics of consumers. This questionnaire collects basic demographic questions like age, sex, household income and advanced data as to certain purchasing decisions, time to purchase, factors behind purchase etc.
Academic Evaluation Questionnaire Templates: Examples and Samples
Another vastly used section of QuestionPro questionnaire templates are the academic evaluation questionnaires. These questionnaires are crafted to collect in-depth data about academic institutions and the quality of teaching provided, extra-curricular activities etc and also feedback about other educational activities.
- Seminar Feedback And Attendee Information Questionnaire TemplateThe seminar feedback and attendee information questionnaire template collects demographic data from attendee’s of a seminar and their perception of the seminar. The sample uses multiple questions that adjudge parameters such as quality of seminar, quality of the speakers, arrangements at the seminar, learning from it and other information like the quality and location of the hotel.
- Course Evaluation And Improvement Questionnaire TemplateThe course evaluation and imporvement questionnaire template is important as it collects data from each batch about their perception of the course for the year and if it is up-to-date and relevant to the students. Questions like real life applications, job prospects after the course, quality of teaching staff etc. make their way to this questionnaire sample.
- Teacher Evaluation & Student Course Evaluation Questionnaire TemplateCollecting feedback about a teacher is important as it ensures students enroll for the class. If either the teacher or the curriculum are not liked by the student, they provide feedback to upcoming batches who then drop out or completely ignore the course. The teacher evaluation & student course evaluation questionnaire template helps collect timely and actionable data from students about their teachers and the course.
- University Exit Questionnaire TemplateThe university exit questionnaire template collects feedback from students on the quality of course, teachers, coursework, student bodies, placement cells etc. It also collects data from the students on their perception of the course, it’s relevance and the scope to get a job or enroll for higher education programs after passing out of the university.
- Student School Violence Questionnaire TemplateThe student school violence questionnaire template by QuestionPro is designed to collect feedback from students going to school regarding the violence that you heard of, witnessed or experienced in the school environment in the last academic semester/year. Students are asked questions regarding their school environment and how safe they feel as well as their sentiments regarding their safety in their school campus. You can use single ease questions. A single-ease question is a straightforward query that elicits a concise and uncomplicated response.