A New Questionnaire Design

A description with diagrammatic illustrations of the use of a semi-mechanical questionaire embodying some unique design characteristics. While it requires more than usual preliminary planning, its advantages are seen as increased accuracy of reporting, improved field efficiency, mechanical processing, & reduced costs in printing, mailing & handling. The design involves the use of a book-form unit in which both questions & answer sheets are closely associated & instructions are associated directly with each question in a single binder. In use, the interviewer removes an answer sheet from the pocket of the binder & places it upon the positioning pegs behind all of the question pages. Thus, questions & specific instructions relating to them are always directly associated with the space provided for entry of response in each answer sheet. When the interview is completed, the filled-in answer sheet is returned to the pocket in the front of the book, & there is no likelihood of losing or misplacing individual sheets, & it is virtually impossible for the interviewer to miss a ? through oversight. The interviewer's entry may be either in the form of a code, completing the column data for the keypunch operator, or as write-in of responses for subsequent coding by clerks. 'The likelihood of forgetting procedures explained in separate instructions is reduced to 0 since memory is not required at all & the instructions can be read in relation to the specific element to which they apply at the precise moment of use.' P. Widem.