within the past six weeks?" Then it would ask about the frequency of shampooing, brands purchased in the last three months, satisfaction and dissatisfaction with brands purchased, repurchase intent, characteristics of an "ideal" shampoo, respondent's hair characteristics and finally demographics.

Ask questions that require work in the middle of the data acquisition questionnaire. Initially, the respondent is only vaguely interested and understanding of the nature of the survey. As the interest-building questions transpire, the interview process builds momentum and commitment to the interview. The interes

Experienced marketing researchers are well aware that questionnaire development is the key to obtaining interviewer-interviewee rapport. The greater the rapport, the more likely the interviewer will obtain a completed interview. Also, the respondent's answers will probably be more carefully thought out and detailed. Researcher wisdom has developed the following general guidelines concerning questionnaire flow.

Use the screener questions to identify qualified respondents. Most data acquisition processes today employ some variation of quota sampling. Only qualified respondents are interviewed and specific minimum numbers (quotas) of various types of qualified respondents may be desired. A study on food for instance, generally has quotas of users of specific brands, a magazine study screens for readers, a cosmetic study screens for brand awareness and so forth. Screeners are questions designed to identify appropriate respondents. Screeners may be on the questionnaire or, in many cases, a screening questionnaire is provided. In this instance, a screener is filled out for everyone interviewed. Thus, any demographics obtained provide a basis for comparison against people who qualify for a full study. A long screener can significantly increase the cost of the data acquisition process, since interviewers are gathering more information from each respondent. Short screeners quickly eliminate unqualified people and eliminate unqualified people and enable the interviewer to move immediately to the next potential respondent. Most important, screeners provide a basis for estimating the costs of a survey.

After obtaining a qualified respondent, begin with a question that sparks a respondent's interest. After introductory comments and screens to find a qualified respondent, the initial questions should be simple, interesting and non-threatening. To open a questionnaire with an income or age question might be disastrous. These are considered threatening and immediately put the respondent on the defensive.

Ask general questions first. Once the interviewer proceeds beyond the opening warm-up questions, the questionnaire should proceed in a logical fashion. General questions are covered first to get the person thinking about a concept, company, or type of product and then to the specifics. For example, a data acquisition questionnaire on shampoo might begin with "Have you purchased a hair spray, hair conditioner, or hair shampoo within the past six weeks?" Then it would ask about the frequency of shampooing, brands purchased in the last three months, satisfaction and dissatisfaction with brands purchased, repurchase intent, characteristics of an "ideal" shampoo, respondent's hair characteristics and finally demographics.

Ask questions that require work in the middle of the data acquisition questionnaire. Initially, the respondent is only vaguely interested and understanding of the nature of the survey. As the interest-building questions transpire, the interview process builds momentum and commitment to the interview. The interest

minimum numbers (quotas) of various types of qualified respondents may be desired. A study on food for instance, generally has quotas of users of specific brands, a magazine study screens for readers, a cosmetic study screens for brand awareness and so forth. Screeners are questions designed to identify appropriate respondents. Screeners may be on the questionnaire or, in many cases, a screening questionnaire is provided. In this instance, a screener is filled out for everyone interviewed. Thus, any demographics obtained provide a basis for comparison against people who qualify for a full study. A long screener can significantly increase the cost of the data acquisition process, since interviewers are gathering more information from each respondent. Short screeners quickly eliminate unqualified people and eliminate unqualified people and enable the interviewer to move immediately to the next potential respondent. Most important, screeners provide a basis for estimating the costs of a survey.

After obtaining a qualified respondent, begin with a question that sparks a respondent's interest. After introductory comments and screens to find a qualified respondent, the initial questions should be simple, interesting and non-threatening. To open a questionnaire with an income or age question might be disastrous. These are considered threatening and immediately put the respondent on the defensive.

Ask general questions first. Once the interviewer proceeds beyond the opening warm-up questions, the questionnaire should proceed in a logical fashion. General questions are covered first to get the person thinking about a concept, company, or type of product and then to the specifics. For example, a data acquisition questionnaire on shampoo might begin with "Have you purchased a hair spray, hair conditioner, or hair shampoo within the past six weeks?" Then it would ask about the frequency of shampooing, brands purchased in the last three months, satisfaction and dissatisfaction with brands purchased, repurchase intent, characteristics of an "ideal" shampoo, respondent's hair characteristics and finally demographics.

Ask questions that require work in the middle of the data acquisition questionnaire. Initially, the respondent is only vaguely interested and understanding of the nature of the survey. As the interest-building questions transpire, the interview process builds momentum and commitment to the interview. The interes

er can significantly increase the cost of the data acquisition process, since interviewers are gathering more information from each respondent. Short screeners quickly eliminate unqualified people and eliminate unqualified people and enable the interviewer to move immediately to the next potential respondent. Most important, screeners provide a basis for estimating the costs of a survey.

After obtaining a qualified respondent, begin with a question that sparks a respondent's interest. After introductory comments and screens to find a qualified respondent, the initial questions should be simple, interesting and non-threatening. To open a questionnaire with an income or age question might be disastrous. These are considered threatening and immediately put the respondent on the defensive.

Ask general questions first. Once the interviewer proceeds beyond the opening warm-up questions, the questionnaire should proceed in a logical fashion. General questions are covered first to get the person thinking about a concept, company, or type of product and then to the specifics. For example, a data acquisition questionnaire on shampoo might begin with "Have you purchased a hair spray, hair conditioner, or hair shampoo within the past six weeks?" Then it would ask about the frequency of shampooing, brands purchased in the last three months, satisfaction and dissatisfaction with brands purchased, repurchase intent, characteristics of an "ideal" shampoo, respondent's hair characteristics and finally demographics.

Ask questions that require work in the middle of the data acquisition questionnaire. Initially, the respondent is only vaguely interested and understanding of the nature of the survey. As the interest-building questions transpire, the interview process builds momentum and commitment to the interview. The interes

and non-threatening. To open a questionnaire with an income or age question might be disastrous. These are considered threatening and immediately put the respondent on the defensive.

Ask general questions first. Once the interviewer proceeds beyond the opening warm-up questions, the questionnaire should proceed in a logical fashion. General questions are covered first to get the person thinking about a concept, company, or type of product and then to the specifics. For example, a data acquisition questionnaire on shampoo might begin with "Have you purchased a hair spray, hair conditioner, or hair shampoo within the past six weeks?" Then it would ask about the frequency of shampooing, brands purchased in the last three months, satisfaction and dissatisfaction with brands purchased, repurchase intent, characteristics of an "ideal" shampoo, respondent's hair characteristics and finally demographics.

Ask questions that require work in the middle of the data acquisition questionnaire. Initially, the respondent is only vaguely interested and understanding of the nature of the survey. As the interest-building questions transpire, the interview process builds momentum and commitment to the interview. The interes

within the past six weeks?" Then it would ask about the frequency of shampooing, brands purchased in the last three months, satisfaction and dissatisfaction with brands purchased, repurchase intent, characteristics of an "ideal" shampoo, respondent's hair characteristics and finally demographics.

Ask questions that require work in the middle of the data acquisition questionnaire. Initially, the respondent is only vaguely interested and understanding of the nature of the survey. As the interest-building questions transpire, the interview process builds momentum and commitment to the interview. The interest, commitment and rapport built up sustain the respondent in this part of the interview. Even if the self-administered method is used (do it yourself data acquisition questionnaire), the approach is the same: build interest and commitment early to motivate the respondent to finish the rest of the survey.

Insert prompters and strategic points. Good interviewers can sense when a respondent's interest and motivation sag and will attempt to build them back up. However, it is always worthwhile for the questionnaire designer to insert short encouragements at strategic locations in the questionnaire. These may be simple statements such as, "I only have a few more questions to go", or "This next section will be easier". They may also be inserted to introduce a new section or line of questioning.

Position sensitive, threatening questions and demographic questions at the end. As mentioned earlier, occasions sometimes arise when the objectives of the data acquisition process necessitate questions on topics about which respondents may feel uneasy. Embarrassing topics should be covered near the end of the questionnaire. Placing these questions at the end will ensure that most questions are answered before the respondent becomes defensive and breaks off the interview. Moreover, rapport has been established by this time, increasing the likelihood of a completed questionnaire.