"Happines" On-line Quesstionnaire

1. Do you think these data collection tools are valid scientific tools? Why or Why not?
2. Do you think your results would be if you took the on-line questionnaire at a different time, on a different day? Why or why not?
3. Which of the two tools is better to do with a large group of people to discover patterns of happiness in a given population? Why do you think that one is better suited?

On-line questionnaires became a popular way of collecting information. It is a great tool that helps scientists and researchers to approach their big or wide spread samples. For example, e-businesses and e-services including psychological ones are rapidly increasing. They continuously apply online assessments and evaluations.

In order to guarantee the results of this new procedure, it is necessary to have reliable and valid assessment tools. A reliable questionnaire is the one that would give the same results if it used repeatedly with the same group. Statisticians have created tests of reliability for questionnaires. These tests help to know whether the results are meaningful. If the questionnaire is not reliable then it is not valid. In addition reliable questionnaire may not be valid if it is employed in situations it was not designed for.

The reasons why someone would use on-line questionnaires are because of their ability to be easily corrected and their flexibility to display the contents with graphics, help screens or menus. In addition, it is cost effective and time saving because its feedback data will be automatically gathered and analyzed. On the other hand, this tool has disadvantages like: if the targeted sample can’t access the internet, don’t receipt the online questionnaires or don’t know how to use it.

The design of the questionnaire affects the quality of the data gathered through it. Other factors, like sample size, questionnaire’s ability to control different response patterns or ability to detect collusion, also affect the quality and the reliability of the results

Credible questionnaire should consider several important factors like the objectives of gathering the data, the avoidance of biased information and false conclusions. In addition, it should begin with short introduction to explain why the questionnaire is taking place and what the information will be used for, be simple and understandable and should be tested before being launched. Moreover, it should provide concise instructions to clarify any complex options. Open-ended questions are recommended to be included in online questionnaires that ask for feelings, likes, dislikes, opinions and memory recall. To avoid untrusted answers, questions should be logically sequenced and answers should have consistent and similar rating scales throughout the questionnaire. In addition answers should include neutral answers like “I don’t know” to help the participants to feel confidence if they don’t have answers. Moreover, to provide better quality of data and avoid reluctant participants, channels for distributing the questionnaire (emails, ads, bulletin boards or specified sites) should be chose carefully to help attracting the targeted sample.

Regarding the questionnaire of “Happiness”, I don’t think it is credible because it doesn’t include what I have mentioned up. The options of the answers were organized in a way that lead the participant to choose his/her results “happy or unhappy”. The firs choices always for unhappy person and the last choices are for happy results. In my opinion this is a kind of questionnaire that is not able to detect collusion (answering the questionnaire to make the results come out a particular way). It can be used for fun but not for scientific survey. To study the pattern of happiness in large society I think we need other methods because happiness is affected by different factors that influence mood, personality and attitude. However, credible on-line questionnaires can be successfully applied for students and young people.