HIPSYS Handbook

Wording of Questionnaires

You will need to ensure that statements in the questionnaires you develop are not ambiguous or double-barrelled, otherwise it may be difficult to interpret the results. Having said that, however, it is usually not a serious problem because, when the groups get together to discuss their responses, they will usually clarify how they interpreted the questions. (See Chapter Five.)

In the HIP Edit program, negative statements/questions are indicated by a cross in the negative box. (See Negative Questions/Statements on Page 42.) In the Assist display mode an "N" alongside the question number indicates that the question/statement is negative. Negative questions are not indicated in the questionnaires that go out to respondents.

In wording questions where the three image perspectives are Self Image, Projected Image and Perceived Image, care needs to be taken to ensure that the wording will reflect the particular image perspective. For example: -

Self Image is what you think about yourself:

"I know what is expected of me as a member of the team."

Projected Image is your behaviour, or what you believe you do or have done: -

Perceived Image is your actual impact, or what others think of you: -

"I believe he/she knows what his/her fellow team-members expect of him/her as a member of the team."

If questions have been written in HIP Edit using the %SEX(He,She)% format (see Chapter Three, page 41 and pages 89 – 90 of this chapter and Chapter Nine), then questionnaires can be printed out in the masculine or feminine genders, or generic as those shown immediately above, or personalised by name as required. (See Printing Questionnaires in Chapter Three.)

Another example would be: -

Self Image : "I am a patient person."

Projected Image : "In most trying situations I have displayed patience."

Perceived Image : "He/She is a patient person."

And another: -

Self Image : "I do not feel it is my subordinates' place to criticise me."

Projected Image : "I have told my subordinates I do not feel it is their place to criticise me."

Perceived Image : "He/She does not feel it is his/her subordinates' place to criticise him/her."

An example of wording in the case of an organization is:

Self : "As an organization, we care about the environment."

In other applications it may be necessary to write first image perspective statements in the first person and second and third image perspectives in the third person; for example: