Dissertation Questionnaire Help: How to Design a Survey for a UK Dissertation Guide
Last updated: November 2026 · Reviewed by the HND Assignment Help tutoring team
Quick answer
A dissertation questionnaire is a structured survey you design to collect primary data that answers your research questions. You build it from your literature review, pilot it, gain ethics approval and explain every design choice in your methodology chapter. Marks come from alignment with research questions, sound measurement, sampling, ethics and honest limitations.
Dissertation questionnaire at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who this is for | UK undergraduate (Level 6) and master's (Level 7) students, and HND or CIPD learners running a research project |
| Where it appears | Designed in the methodology chapter; the full questionnaire goes in an appendix |
| Typical length | Often 10 to 25 questions, taking under 10 minutes. Your supervisor and ethics form may set limits. |
| Approvals needed | University or centre ethics approval before you collect any data; organisational permission if surveying staff |
| Common tools | Microsoft Forms, Qualtrics, JISC Online Surveys or Google Forms: check which your university approves for personal data |
| Where the marks are | Justification, alignment with research questions, sound measurement, piloting, ethics and honest limitations |
Step-by-step approach
Step 1: Start from your research questions, not from questions you find interesting
Write each research question at the top of a page. Under it, list the concepts you need to measure and where each concept comes from in your literature review. Every survey item should map to one concept. If an item does not map to anything, delete it. This mapping table is also strong evidence for your methodology chapter.
| Research question | Concept | Source in literature | Item numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| RQ1: How satisfied are staff with hybrid working? | Job satisfaction | An established, published satisfaction scale | Q5 to Q9 |
| RQ2: Does satisfaction differ by role? | Role type | Demographic variable | Q3 |
Step 2: Choose question types deliberately
| Type | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Likert scale (for example 1 to 5) | Attitudes and agreement | Keep the same direction and labels throughout |
| Multiple choice | Categories such as department | Options must be exhaustive and not overlap |
| Ranking | Priorities | Keep lists short, five items or fewer |
| Open text | Explanations and examples | Few of them; they take time to analyse |
Where possible, adapt an existing validated scale rather than inventing your own, and cite it. Adapting a scale means you can compare your results with published studies and argue for validity.
Step 3: Write clear, neutral items
- One idea per question: avoid double-barrelled items such as "Is your manager supportive and approachable?"
- No leading wording such as "How much do you enjoy the new system?"
- Plain English, short sentences, no jargon
- Age and income as bands, with a "prefer not to say" option
- Sensitive questions placed later, never first
Step 4: Sampling and response rate
State your target population, your sampling method (random, stratified, convenience or snowball) and why. Be honest: most student surveys use convenience sampling, which limits generalisation. Say so, and explain how you reduced bias, for example by sending reminders and sharing the link through several channels.
Worked method example (not an answer): imagine an invented study of 240 staff at a regional college. You send the survey to all 240 and receive 96 complete responses. Report it as a 40% response rate (96 / 240 x 100), compare the profile of respondents with the whole staff group, and note any group that is under-represented. That paragraph shows the assessor you understand non-response bias.
Step 5: Pilot, then revise
Test the questionnaire with three to five people similar to your sample. Ask how long it took, which items were unclear and whether any options were missing. Record the changes you made; a short pilot table in the methodology chapter is an easy way to show rigour.
Step 6: Ethics and data protection
Include a participant information sheet and a consent question at the start. Explain anonymity, how data will be stored and deleted, and the right to withdraw before submission. Do not collect names or email addresses unless your ethics approval allows it. UK GDPR applies to any personal data you hold.
Step 7: Plan the analysis before you launch
Decide how each item will be analysed before the survey goes live. Likert items are usually reported with frequencies, percentages and medians; if you combine several items into a scale score, check internal consistency, for example with Cronbach’s alpha, and cite why the items belong together. If you want to compare groups, make sure you collect the grouping variable and that each group is likely to have enough responses. Open-text answers can be coded into themes and used to explain patterns in the numbers. Writing a short analysis plan now, with the item, the statistic and the chart you will use, saves time later and gives you a ready-made paragraph for the methodology chapter. Share the plan with your supervisor at the same time as the draft questionnaire so both can be agreed together.
Common mistake: building the questionnaire before the literature review is finished. The result is a list of interesting questions that do not measure your concepts, which makes the analysis and discussion chapters hard to write and easy for markers to criticise.
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How markers judge a dissertation questionnaire
| Criterion | Weak | Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Alignment | Items not linked to research questions | Mapping table from RQ to concept to item |
| Measurement | Home-made scales with no justification | Adapted, cited scales and consistent response formats |
| Sampling | Sample not described | Population, method, response rate and bias discussed |
| Rigour | No pilot | Pilot reported with changes made |
| Ethics | Consent mentioned in one line | Information sheet, consent, anonymity, storage, withdrawal |
| Limitations | Ignored | Acknowledged with their effect on findings |
Pre-submission checklist
- Every item maps to a research question and a concept
- Scales cited and adapted wording explained
- Response options exhaustive and non-overlapping
- Pilot completed and changes recorded
- Ethics approval number or reference noted in the methodology
- Full questionnaire and information sheet in the appendix
- Response rate calculated and sample profile described
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Dissertation questionnaire answer hints and sample structure
A questionnaire copied from another dissertation will not fit your research questions, and markers notice. Use this structure for the survey itself and for the methodology section that explains it.
| Questionnaire section | Content | Typical number of items |
|---|---|---|
| A. Information and consent | Purpose, anonymity, withdrawal, consent tick box | 1 to 2 |
| B. Screening and profile | Eligibility and key demographics in bands | 3 to 5 |
| C. Core measures | Scales for each concept, grouped by research question | 8 to 15 |
| D. Open comments | One or two explanation questions | 1 to 2 |
| E. Thank you | Contact for questions, support links if relevant | 0 |
In the methodology chapter, the questionnaire section often takes 15 to 25% of the chapter: design rationale, item sources, sampling, pilot, ethics and limitations.
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Frequently asked questions
How many questions should a dissertation questionnaire have?
There is no fixed number. Many student surveys use 10 to 25 items and take under 10 minutes, but your research questions, supervisor and ethics approval should decide.
Can I use Google Forms for my dissertation survey?
Check your university's data protection guidance. Many UK universities prefer Microsoft Forms, Qualtrics or JISC Online Surveys for personal data.
Do I need ethics approval for a questionnaire?
Yes. UK universities and colleges require ethics approval before you collect data from people, even for anonymous surveys.
Should I use a Likert scale?
Likert scales suit attitudes and agreement. Keep the labels and direction consistent and say whether you treat the data as ordinal in your analysis.
What is a good response rate?
It depends on the population and method. Report your rate honestly, compare respondents with the population and discuss possible non-response bias.
Can I adapt a questionnaire from a published study?
Yes, adapting validated scales is good practice. Cite the original source, explain any wording changes and check permissions where required.
Can you write my questionnaire for me?
We do not produce work for submission. A tutor can review your draft questionnaire, give feedback and help you justify your design.
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Academic integrity note: This guide explains how to approach the task. It is not an answer to copy or submit. HND Assignment Help offers tutoring, feedback and proofreading only, in line with the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022. Always follow your centre or university rules on referencing and the use of AI tools.