Common Problems with Questions Problem Example Solution Example Loaded questions you support Tone it down Do you feel that ‘Do laws for bicycle bicycle helmet helmets to save legislation is required lives?’ to reduce injuries from bicycle crashes or collisions? Compound satisfied it down How satisfied were ‘How you with the time of were you with the questions the sessions? How time and location satisfied were you of the sessions?’ with the location of the sessions? you Do you breastfeed? If Double-barrelled Ask in stages ‘Do breastfeed to yes, why? questions save money?’ you agree or Do you agree or Double negatives Remove a ‘Do disagree with the disagree with the negative! following following statement: Measles statement: “Lack of measles immunisation is a immunisations is problem in Ontario not a problem in Ontario”.’ Leading questions doctors Get rid of the Do you agree or ‘Most believe that lack disagree with the bias of exercise to following statement? heart disease. Do Lack of exercise you agree?’ leads to heart disease. Jargon or Say what you Factors which Determinants of technical terms affect your health mean in health everyday language Foreign Raison d'être Explain what Purpose phrases or you mean Acronyms and PHN Spell it out Public Health Nurse abbreviations From: Porteous et al. Ottawa-Carleton Health Program Evaluation Toolkit. Department, 1997.
Common Problems with Questions Problem Example Solution Example Loaded questions ‘Do you support laws for bicycle helmets to save lives?’ Tone it down Do you feel that bicycle helmet legislation is required to reduce injuries from bicycle crashes or collisions? Compound questions ‘How satisfied were you with the time and location of the sessions?’ it down How satisfied were you with the time of the sessions? How satisfied were you with the location of the sessions? Double-barrelled questions ‘Do you breastfeed to save money?’ Ask in stages Do you breastfeed? If yes, why? Double negatives ‘Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Lack of measles immunisations is not a problem in Ontario”.’ Remove a negative! Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Measles immunisation is a problem in Ontario Leading questions ‘Most doctors believe that lack of exercise to heart disease. Do you agree?’ Get rid of the bias Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Lack of exercise leads to heart disease. Jargon or technical terms Determinants of health Say what you mean in everyday language Factors which affect your health Foreign phrases or Raison d'être Explain what you mean Purpose Acronyms and abbreviations PHN Spell it out Public Health Nurse From: Porteous et al. Program Evaluation Toolkit. Ottawa-Carleton Health Department, 1997.