Self-Completion Questionnaires: Advantages and Disadvantages

This assignment explores the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of self-completion questionnaires, comparing them to structured interviews and highlighting their differences from postal questionnaires. The assignment examines how self-completion questionnaires are used, including the role of closed questions and why they are preferred in these questionnaires. It also discusses the implications of these methods on the research process and the benefits they offer to researchers. The assignment also touches on the limitations of self-completion questionnaires, such as lower response rates and the potential for respondent fatigue. This assignment provides a clear understanding of how these different research methods are applied and the implications of their use.

Running head: CHAPTER NINE
Chapter Nine
Student Name
Institution Name

CHAPTER NINE 2
Chapter Nine
1. What is the difference between self-completion and postal questionnaires?
The main difference between self-completion and postal questionnaires is the mode of
delivery to the respondents. The postal questionnaire is a type of self-completion
questionnaires delivered to the respondents through the post. Moreover, the respondents send
the filled surveys to the researcher through the post. As outlined in this chapter, with self-
completion questionnaires, the respondents answer the questions by completing the
questionnaires themselves. In this respect, a postal questionnaire is one out the different types
of self-completing questionnaires that researchers utilize. However, it is differentiated from
the self-completion ones based on the mode of delivery to the respondents.
2. What are pros and cons of the self-completion questionnaire in comparison to
the structured interview?
The self-completion questionnaires are cheaper and quicker to administer than the
structured interview. Moreover, they eliminate the interviewer effects present in the
structured interview method. Unlike the structured interview, the self-completion
questionnaires are convenient to the respondents as they are allowed to complete the
questions at their desired pace. Unlike structured interviews, self –completion questionnaires
have low response rates, lacks someone to guide the respondents in answering the questions
and limits the ability of the respondents to elaborate on their response. Additionally, it is
difficult to monitor if the right person answered questions in the case of self-completion
questionnaires.
3. Why self-completion questionnaires are usually made up mainly of closed
questions?

CHAPTER NINE 3
Self-completion questionnaires are mainly made of closed questions since they are easy to
answer. With closed questions, the respondents cannot stray from the focus of the survey.
The self-completion questionnaires are filled in the absence of the researchers. In this respect,
the closed questions serve as a guide for restraining the respondents from deviating from the
study focus. Furthermore, the closed questions limit the risk of respondents’ fatigue. The
closed questions restrict the respondents from answering the questionnaires with long
sentences with can cause exhaustion. The closed questions also serve to increase the response
rate as they are easy to answer.