Questionnaire v Schedule Methods: Key Differences in Research Methodology
This article will explore key insights into the Questionnaire and Schedule Methods, providing a clear understanding of their roles in research.
Introduction
In research methodology, the choice of method in which the data will be collected plays a significant role in determining the quality and accuracy of the research findings. Hence, it is very important to figure out tools, which are efficient in social research and surveys, so that the data extracted from a wide audience are reliable. Amongst others, the ‘Questionnaire’ and ‘Schedule’ methods are two prominent methods, which are commonly used by researchers for data collection. While both methods are substantially different when it comes to applicability, design and administration, their objectives are common.
Therefore, a researcher must delve into the features, advantages, limitations, and differences between the Questionnaire and Schedule methods, before using them in any research.
What is the Questionnaire Method?
The Questionnaire Method of data collection is a method in which the Researcher provides a set of questions to the respondents in a uniform format, and the data collected from the responses of the respondents are analysed by the Researcher. This method does not have any direct involvement of the researcher and the questionnaires are answered by the respondents at their convenience.
Features of the Questionnaire Method
Following are the prominent features of the Questionnaire Method:
- Uniform Format: This method involves the same set of questions in a uniform format, which ensures uniform data collection making it easy for the researcher to analyse the patterns of responses received.
- Self-administered: This method involves minimum involvement of the Researcher, and the respondents provide their responses independently through physical forms, google forms, or emails.
- Choice of Questions: This method allows the Researcher to pose a variety of questions before the respondents which can either be close-ended or open-ended. While the close-ended questions involve specific and predefined responses, the open-ended questions allow the respondent to provide a detailed response to the questions asked, in a manner which the respondent deems fit.
- Anonymity: Since the role of the researcher is very limited in this method, it ensures absolute anonymity, which eventually leads to unbiased and honest responses.
Classification of Questionnaire Method
The Questionnaire Method can be classified into two types i.e., Structured and Unstructured Methods, which are detailed as under:
- Structured Questionnaire: The Structured Questionnaire method involves a pre-determined set of questions that are very specific and direct, which includes but are not limited to multiple-choice, Likert scale, yes/no questions etc.
- Unstructured Questionnaire: The Unstructured Questionnaire method allows undetermined responses thereby providing more flexibility, containing where the respondents can provide detailed answers in their own words.
Advantages of the Questionnaire Method
The advantages of Questionnaire Method are as follows:
- This method is very cost-effective, as it does not mandatorily require physical interaction between the researcher and respondents. The cost is further reduced when the questionnaires are circulated through electronic means such as Google Forms, emails etc.
- This method allows the researcher to circulate questionnaires to a larger audience simultaneously, thereby leading to faster collection of data.
- This method ensures wider geographic reach as the researcher can gather responses from the respondents based on other sub-continents through electronic means.
- This method involves a uniform set of questionnaires which makes it very easy for the researcher to gather consistent data and analyse the same efficiently.
Disadvantages of the Questionnaire Method
While the Questionnaire method has many advantages, it has certain disadvantages too, which are detailed as under:
- Since the respondents are allowed to respond by any means, the quality and rate of responses received are very poor, since the respondents are not motivated and they find the questions lengthy.
- Since this method does not require the researcher to be present while the responses are being recorded, the questions are often misinterpreted or avoided by the respondents for being difficult/confusing.
- This method does not provide much room to the respondents in structured questionnaires if they want to respond to the predetermined options.
What is the Schedule Method
The Schedule Method is another method of data collection, which includes the use of a formalized set of questions for collecting data, but unlike the questionnaire method, it involves the intervention of the researcher/trained enumerator in a face-to-face setting. This method involving personal interaction not only allows for instant questioning but also allows the respondent to seek clarification when necessary.
Features of the Schedule Method
Following are the prominent features of the Schedule Method:
- Administered Procedure: This method mandatorily involves the presence of the interviewer/researcher for not only asking the questions and recording the answers but to provide instant clarification, as and when required.
- Pre-designed Schedule: Just like the questionnaire method, the schedule method also contains a set of predetermined questions which guide the interview, and allow uniform data collection.
- Face-to-face Interaction: The schedule method allows the respondent to interact directly with the researcher/enumerator, thereby allowing the respondent to seek clarification of questions or additional probing.
- Detailed Responses: Since the respondents can seek clarifications, and the enumerator can clarify the same, respondents are more likely to provide complete and accurate answers.
Types of Schedules
The Schedule Method can also be classified into two types i.e., Structured and Unstructured, which are detailed as under:
- Structured Schedule: Similar to structured questionnaires discussed earlier, structured schedules also consist of closed-ended questions which are posed before the respondents in a specific order.
- Unstructured Schedule: Similar to unstructured questionnaires discussed earlier, the unstructured schedule allows for more open-ended questions where the interviewer has the flexibility to probe deeper into the respondent’s answers.
Advantages of the Schedule Method
The advantages of Questionnaire Method are as follows:
- Since this method involves Face-to-face interaction, it eventually encourages respondents to participate in the research process and provide comprehensive answers.
- This method allows the interviewer/researcher to explain difficult questions, thereby reducing the chances of misinterpretation by the respondents.
- Since this method involves direct interaction, it ensures that responses received from the respondent are more reliable, as interviewers can ask further follow-up questions and probe for deeper insights into the research.
- This method is specifically more useful for those respondents, who belong to illiterate or semi-literate populations, as they might struggle to undertake and complete a questionnaire process on their own, and might require a detailed explanation of the same.
Limitations of the Schedule Method
While the schedule method has many advantages, it has certain disadvantages too, which are detailed as under:
- Since the scheduled method involves face-to-face involvement of the researcher/interviewer, it not only involves additional costs but also requires more time for the collection of data.
- Since the researcher/interviewer is physically present during the data collection, it increases the probability of its influence on the responses received, thereby leading to a personal bias.
- Unlike questionnaires, schedules are less feasible for geographically dispersed populations due to the need for face-to-face interaction.
Differences Between Questionnaire and Schedule Method
The differences between the Questionnaire Method and the Schedule Method are tabulated as under:
| Aspect | Questionnaire Method | Schedule Method |
| Administration | It is self-administered by the Respondent throughout the research process. | Administered by the researcher or enumerator throughout the research process. |
| Cost | Cost Effective, and the cost is even lowered in online surveys. | Higher Cost, due to requirements for interviewers |
| Response Rate | Lower, as there is no personal engagement | Higher due to direct involvement and encouragement of the researcher. |
| Anonymity | High, since the respondents answer the questions independently. | Low, as the interviewer interacts directly with the respondent which lessens the anonymity. |
| Clarification | Not possible due to the absence of the researcher during the answering process, thereby leading to potential misunderstandings. | Possible, as the interviewer can explain the questions during the process itself. |
| Time Efficiency | It allows faster data collection, especially over large samples | It is time-consuming, particularly for large samples. |
| Bias | Less prone to interviewer bias, due to non-availability of the researcher during the process. | More prone to interviewer bias due to face-to-face interaction of researcher and respondent. |
| Flexibility in Responses | Limited, especially in structured formats | Greater flexibility as the interviewer can probe deeper |
It can be fairly concluded that while both the Questionnaire and Schedule methods have their unique strengths and limitations, making them suitable for different types of research, the Questionnaire method is slightly beneficial when a large pool of data is to be collected from a larger population, irrespective of geographic area, when the time and resources of the researcher are very limited.
However, the Questionnaire method should be avoided in situations where the research objective demands more accurate, detailed, and nuanced responses. In such cases, the Schedule method comes into play as it allows much more accurate and in-depth responses albeit with a high cost and time consumption.
Therefore, the Researchers must choose between the aforementioned methods after thoroughly analysing the nature of the research problem, the target population, the availability of resources, and the quality of data needed. If required, a researcher can also opt for a combination of both methods to maximize the benefits of each, thereby ensuring robust and reliable data collection.
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