Qualitative Research Questionnaire Example

Let’s quickly look at how we can formulate a questionnaire like this when conducting qualitative research.

Interview Protocol

Actually, in qualitative research, we do not refer to the set of questions we intend to ask our participants as questionnaires.

When conducting qualitative research, the questions we come up with to ask our participants can be referred to as interview guide or an interview protocol.

This is because most of the time in qualitative research, we need to conduct semi structured interviews.

Semi structured interviews differ from structured interviews in that semi structured interviews allow participants to express themselves clearly with fewer limitations.

 In contrast, if we are conducting a quantitative study, we need to use questionnaires.

Questionnaires have structured questions where the participant is not allowed to express themselves freely, but is normally given a limited number of choices to choose from such as yes or no answers.

A Sample Questionnaire

 In this article, I’m going to show you how we can come up with an effective interview guide or protocol that we can use to conduct semi structured interviews for qualitative research.

 The first thing that we should consider when designing an interview guide or an interview protocol or what some would call a questionnaire in qualitative research is the research questions or objectives.

This means that the research questions and the research objectives will inform the questions that we are going to ask our interviewees.

Let’s have an example of a study evaluating the importance of parental engagement in a large English primary school. For this study, these are the objectives:

Study Objectives

Now, with this study objectives, evaluating the importance of parental engagement in a large English primary school.

How would we develop an interview guide protocol, or what some people call a questionnaire, which should not be the case. As I have said earlier, we should call it an interview guide or a protocol.

I’m going to use the voice typing tool in Google Docs so that I can come up with an interview guide.

Let’s have our interview guide protocol.

Now, the first thing that I’m going to do is to ask the participants questions related to their demographic information.

Remember, our study is about evaluating the importance of parental engagement in a large English primary school.

 That means we are interviewing teachers. So, our demographic information will be collecting the teachers’ information.

Below is the demographic information.

Questions about Demographic Information

Having come up with the demographic information, we can now have the main questions.

Now, the main questions will be based on the objectives of our study. Let’s look at the objectives to determine what parental engagement means to teachers.

The first objective is this one.

Study Objective 1

Let’s assume we are asking the teachers a question. How would the question be based on that objective?

This question would be to determine what parental engagement means to teachers. So, I would ask the teachers,

What does parental engagement mean to you?

What does parental engagement mean to you is the first question we should ask our participants and then leave a space for them to answer.

Question 1 in the Interview Protocol

Let’s go to question number two.

If you look at the second objective, to highlight the most effective forms of parental engagement.

Study Objective 2

Before we get there, we can ask the teachers, what are some examples of parental engagement that you have witnessed? In your career as a teacher.

Question 2 in the Interview Protocol

This is another question we can ask them, okay? Remember, I’m basing most of these questions on my research objectives.

That’s how we know how to develop questions for qualitative research, okay?

 Again, we can have question number three. Leave a space for them to answer. Question number three. In your opinion, what do you think are the most effective forms of parental engagement?

Question 3 in the Interview Protocol

Again, that question is based on the objective to highlight the most effective forms of parental engagement.

Let’s look at another objective and set questions, or have questions for it, to determine whether the teacher has prioritized parental engagement.

Study Objective 3

As a teacher, are you normally concerned about improving parental engagement?

Then, for this question, we can have a follow up question. In this sense, do you think that parental engagement is a priority for you?

Question 4 in the Interview Protocol

That’s another question. Let’s have question number five.

Based on the objectives, to evaluate the benefits of strong parental engagement in schools.

Study Objective 4

In your opinion, what do you think are the benefits of improved parental engagement in primary schools.

Question 5 in the Interview Protocol

You can see what I’m doing. I’m setting the questions based on my objectives. I’m asking follow up questions. I’m leaving spaces because this is where I’m going to put the answers that I receive from my participants.

 Let’s set another question.

 To evaluate the challenges associated with strong parental engagement in schools.

Study Objective 5

What do you think are the challenges that inhibit strong parental engagement in primary schools?

Question 6 in the Interview Protocol

You can see what I’m trying to do. In my questions, I’m trying to be more explicit or open or use simple language in a way that my interviewees will understand what I’m trying to find out and they will provide accurate responses.

 Let’s have another question. Question number seven.

To evaluate the challenges associated with strong parental engagement in schools.

Study Objective 6

Are there any forms of challenges that are associated with strong parental engagement in primary schools?

Question 7 in the Interview Protocol

So that’s another question I have set. Now, let’s look at another objective.

To highlight examples of training and guidance teachers have received in relation to parental engagement.

Study Objective 7

As a teacher, have you ever received any form of training and guidance on how to effectively engage parents?

Question 8 in the Interview Protocol

You, see? These are examples of questions we might ask.

This is an example of an interview guide, protocol, or what some people call questionnaire that we can use in a qualitative study.

The Interview Protocol