Information by Design
Lifestyle Survey Toolkit

• In most cases, the information contained in the questionnaire will need to be entered into a computer package which allows it to be analysed.
• Commonly used packages include Excel, Access, SPSS, SAS, and SNAP.
• Some of these packages are simple to use, but have limitations in terms of statistical analysis unless you can use more complicated programming.
• Many statisticians use SPSS or SAS. 
• Before the questionnaire is entered into the package, it will need a data template designing so that each questionnaire is entered in the same way.  Also, a coding frame will need to be developed which gives the rules for data entry.  
• During the design of the questionnaire, the processing and analysis need to be considered, to help them run more smoothly.
• There are different ways of assisting this process, depending on the data collection method (telephone/face-to-face/web-based/postal).

How to Avoid Common Problems

There are many issues in the design and administration of questionnaires which can be avoided. Some of the common problems and their solutions are given below.

Use ID Numbers

Each questionnaire is given an ID number so that it can be easily identified and filed. It is helpful to leave a place on the questionnaire so that this can be added in the same place for each questionnaire.

Format of the Data and Data Validation

Some packages require the format to be pre-set e.g. Access, SPSS, although others allow us to enter data without setting the format - e.g. Excel. For example the data may be:

• Date
• Numeric
• Alphabetic
• Alphanumeric
• Large amounts of text

It is also possible to set ‘validation’ on some packages – this means that the package only allows data is within the correct range (for example, that an answer to a question is either 1, 2, or 3, and not allowing any other answer to be input). Setting the format can therefore assist us in reducing data entry error and keeping data consistent. However,iIf validation is set on certain variables, it must allow for missing or data, or incorrect responses. Care should also be taken with some packages - for example if numeric data is entered as text and sorted in SPSS, it will sort as 1,100,2,200 - giving us real problems with analysis.

Show Codes on the Questionnaire

Each question on the questionnaire will need a code for each possible response, and where possible this should be shown on the questionnaire particularly for telephone/face-to-face/internet questionnaires. However, for postal questionnaires it can be distracting for the respondent and so codes should be shown in a small font if used. An example is given below.

Be consistent with the use of codes

Codes should be consistent in all questions – for example Yes=1, No=2, Don’t know=3. This is particularly important when using scales – for example if 1= very satisfied & 5 = very dissatisfied for one question it should be the same for all questions about satisfaction where this is appropriate.

Leave space for coding open questions on the questionnaire

Space for coding should be left on the questionnaire for open questions in case these questions need to be post-coded (see survey dictionary).

Take care with administration

When administering a questionnaire, for example when posting out questionnaires, care must be taken so that:

• In large questionnaires all pages are included and are in the right order – some printing processes make this possible so it is useful to check a percentage of questionnaires to ensure that they are correct.
• All documents are included in any mailouts – for example, ensuring that both the letter, any accompanying documentation, the questionnaire and a reply paid envelope are included in the pack

Check returned questionnaires

particularly on self completion questionnaires - include questions being completed incorrectly, being missed (either accidentally or deliberately), or not following routing properly. Where possible, either the interviewer can check the missing or incorrect information, or the respondent can be asked directly if this is possible. If it is not possible to correct the missing information, the coding frame should include instructions of how to handle these types of problems.