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A questionnaire is a research instrument that consists of a set of questions (or other types of prompts) for the purpose of gathering information from respondents through survey or statistical study. A research questionnaire is typically a mix of close-ended questions and open-ended questions.
By asking a sample of potential-respondents about their interpretation of the questions and use of the questionnaire, a researcher can; carrying out a small pretest of the questionnaire, using a small subset of target respondents. Results can inform a researcher of errors such as missing questions, or logical and procedural errors.
Informally, in attempting to estimate the causal effect of some variable X ("covariate" or "explanatory variable") on another Y ("dependent variable"), an instrument is a third variable Z which affects Y only through its effect on X. For example, suppose a researcher wishes to estimate the causal effect of smoking (X) on general health (Y). [5]
Survey methodology is "the study of survey methods". [1] As a field of applied statistics concentrating on human-research surveys, survey methodology studies the sampling of individual units from a population and associated techniques of survey data collection, such as questionnaire construction and methods for improving the number and accuracy of responses to surveys.
For example if an interview is used to investigate sixth grade students' attitudes toward smoking, the scores could be compared with a questionnaire of former sixth graders' attitudes toward smoking. Results of self-report studies have been confirmed by other methods.
The interviewer is considered a part of the measurement instrument and has to be well trained in how to respond to any contingency. Compared to a mail questionnaire, interviews are a more personal form of research method because the interviewer works directly with the interviewee, has the opportunity to probe, and can follow up on responses.
A measurement instrument may be insensitive if it contains items measuring outcomes which the program couldn't possibly effect, or if the instrument was originally developed for applications to individuals (for example standardized psychological measures) rather than to a group setting (Rossi et al., 2004). [8]
For a great example of disguised research, see the Rosenhan experiment in which several researchers seek admission to twelve different mental hospitals to observe patient-staff interactions and patient diagnosing and releasing procedures. There are several benefits to doing participant observation.