RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WITH SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS

MODULE NO. 5
Title : Planning the Study

1. Steps by which a study or Research may be carried out

2. Types of Questions in the questionnaire
a. Structured Questions or Close Ended Questions
b. Unstructured questions or open ended questions
3. Features and characteristics of a good questionnaire

Overview

In planning the study or research in systematic manner, first of which is

the preparation of the questions in the questionnaire or interview. Next is the
evaluation of its clarity and validity by subjecting it to the pretest by 5 to 10 percent
of the desired sample size.

Study Guide

All students will be required to complete all activities/exercise to practice, assessment

and comprehensive exam that assesses the learning of all course objectives. This must be
weighted in a manner so that all of these requirements worth a minimum of

 Quizzes 20%
 Class activities/exercises 20%
 Assignment and Project 15%
 Attendance/Deportment 10%
 Major Examination 35%

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COURSE TITLE (Statistical Analysis with Software Applications) Y. P. Evangelista
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

General Course Requirements

Even we are on online classes, you have to :

1. Please keep all your work (assignments, quizzes etc.) for Portfolio requirements at
the end of the semester.
2. Make sure to put your First Name, Last Name Class Section, Time Schedule, Day
Schedule and Date on all activities and assignments.
3. Make sure if we have face to face during online classes your camera on.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module the students will be able to :

1. Know the steps to be carried in a study or research.
2. Enumerate the types of questions.
3. Identify the characteristics of a good questionnaire.

Topic Presentation

Steps by which a study may be carried out

1. Make an estimate of the number of items in the population.

2. Assess resources such as the time and money factors which are available
to pursue the research. When the amount of resources does not
warrant the study of the entire population, samples are used instead of
the population.
3. Determine the sample size needed by using the Table for Sample Size
presented below :

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COURSE TITLE (Statistical Analysis with Software Applications) Y. P. Evangelista
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

TABLE 1
SAMPLE SIZE FOR SPECIFIED MARGINS OF ERROR
Margin
Populatio Sampl
Size (n) of (e) of (e) of
n  1% e Size
(N)  2%
3% Error  −5%  − 10%
4%
500 222 83
1500 638 441 316 94
2500 1250 769 500 345 96
3000 1364 811 517 353 97
4000 1538 870 541 364 98
5000 1667 909 556 370 98

4. Pick the types or samples by using the appropriate sampling technique

from among those that we have discussed.
5. Prepare the questions to be asked in the interview or in questionnaire. In
case a questionnaire is used, it is best to evaluate its clarity and validity
by subjecting it to a pretest by 5 to 10 percent of the desired sample
size.

In the indirect or questionnaire method of collecting data we have to

consider the following:

1. TYPES OF QUESTIONS
a. Structured question
This is a type of question that leaves only one way or few
alternative ways of answering it. Here are some examples
of this type of question.

Example 1 Are the articles below essential to your household?

Please check.

Golf set . . . ( ) YES ( ) NO

Perfume. . . ( ) YES ( ) NO
Wrist watch. . . ( ) YES ( ) NO
Example 2 What is your civil status?
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COURSE TITLE (Statistical Analysis with Software Applications) Y. P. Evangelista
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

( ) Single
( ) Married
( ) Widow/Widower

Example 3 Please check the appliances you currently posses?

( ) Refrigerator
( ) Air Condition
( ) Electric Fan
( ) T,. V. Set

Notice that the aforementioned questions do not admit ambiguity.

The questions are clear, simple and objective. All that the respondent
has to do is to check the appropriate answer. Structured questions
are easy to tabulate.

b. Unstructured or open-ended questions

As the name suggests, there are questions which can be answered in many
ways. Probing questions or questions that want to elicit reasons are
normally of this type. Here are some examples of this type of question.

Example 1 Do you want to engage in business?

( ) Yes ( ) No
Why do you want/not want to engage in business?
Please state your reasons.

Example 2 In your opinion; do the training programs of your

company help you to be more productive in your
work?
( ) Yes ( ) No
Why?

2. FEATURES OF A GOOD QUESTIONNAIRE

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COURSE TITLE (Statistical Analysis with Software Applications) Y. P. Evangelista
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

a. Make the questions short and clear. It is to the advantage of the

interviewer that questions are clear so that the answer obtained
will be short and clear. Later, the process of tabulating these
answers will also be an easier task. When an interviewee constantly
asks the interviewer, “What do you mean?” it may be an indication
that the questions are not clear. Good questions stimulate a
greater degree of precision answers.

Phrase the questions and the instructions as unambiguously as

possible. Questions like, “Do you drink much?” have several
meanings. A person can drink water, wine soft drinks, etc.

b. Avoid leading questions. A questionnaire should be as objective as

possible. Questions should be phrased in such a way as not to
put the answers into the informant’s mouth, For example:

Wrong : Why do you like “Dial” soap best?

Correct: Which brand of soap do you like best?
Why do you prefer it?

c. Always state the precise units in which you require the answer
in order to facilitate tabulation later on. For example. The question
“How much rice did you eat last month?” is too vague. It is not
clear whether the respondent should state the amount in kilos or
sacks of rice in other units. However, don’t ask irritating questions
that involve an unnecessarily high degree of accuracy. Such
questions will unnecessarily impose on the respondent to compute,
a task many respondents feel undue imposition

The following gives us an example for a better structured question:

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COURSE TITLE (Statistical Analysis with Software Applications) Y. P. Evangelista
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

CASH INCOME
Cash Income Weekly Bi-Monthly Monthly
1. From
Occupation
2. Assistance in
Cash
a) Government
b) Friends
c) Charitable
institutions
3. Interest
Dividends
4. Variable
Business
5. Sidelines

Numerous possible sources of cash income are also enumerated.

Retirement/Disability pensions
Real estate
Commissions
Gambling
Bonuses
Others

d. As much as possible ask questions which can be answered by

just checking slots or stating simple names and brands. Answers
should be objective and capable of lending themselves to
tabulation

Example 1
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COURSE TITLE (Statistical Analysis with Software Applications) Y. P. Evangelista
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

Appliances Brand No. Of

No. of Burners
s Units
( ) Owns LPG stove 1 2 3 4
( ) Does not own
( ) Owns Gas range
( ) Does not own

e. Limit questions to essential information. All questions must

Have a reason for being included in the questionnaire. Irrelevant
questions should be avoided.

Example
Household Data
POSITION IN
AG EDUCATIONAL WORKIN
NAME HOUSEHOL SEX
E ATTAINMENT G
D
YES NO

f. Arrangement of question should be carefully planned. Questions

should be asked in correct sequence so that answers obtained will have
a logical flow of thought. Often this can be done by asking the easier
questions before the more difficult ones.
Example
1. Do you own a TV set? ( ) Yes ( ) No
If yes,

2. What is the brand of your TV set? ______________________________

Size? ( ) 12 inches
( ) 24 inches
( ) 48 inches
( ) 72 inches

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COURSE TITLE (Statistical Analysis with Software Applications) Y. P. Evangelista