We present the results of four full-factorial randomized experiments that investigate the impact of the following factors: 1) order of response options; 2) user interface for rating questions 3) layout of question's options; and 4) size of answer boxes in open-ended questions.
Participants were also asked to evaluate various formats of the survey to determine the preferred order and layout of the questions.
This included providing incentives; questionnaire length and appearance, method of delivery, method for return, if any pre-warning/contact was given, the content and layout of the questions, through to the origin/sponsor of the questionnaire and how it was communicated.
As a strategy to reduce attrition, 24 25 careful attention was paid to the content and layout of the invitation email, the survey layout and the clarity of questions.
A pilot study involving 11 participants (academics, n=6; user-researchers, n=3; Patient Advisory Group members, n=2), to test the round 1 survey questionnaire, in which careful attention was paid to the content and layout of the invitation email, the survey layout and the clarity of questions.
The email survey design and layout included two pages of questions.
Patients were asked to comment on layout, structure, and clarity of questions.
Several aspects of the instrument and cover letter were explored, including the layout, format, attractivity, ordering of questions, respondent burden, and understanding of each question (appropriateness of vocabulary, background knowledge and of response categories).
We subgrouped trials of questionnaire strategies into length of questionnaire, clarity of meaning, order of questions and layout as follows.
COAs may have to be adapted for administration using electronic methods (for example by changing the question layout or reducing the number of questions per page), and subsequently there has been debate about the level of measurement equivalence of data collected using different administration modes.
