Excellent!
You're now working on the Questionnaire Writing part of your academic writing paper — this is a scoring
section (usually 5–7 marks), and with the right structure, it's easy to ace.
Let’s break it down based on your given scenario about social media usage and its effects on interpersonal
relationships and communication skills of college students.
What is a Questionnaire?
A questionnaire is a set of well-structured questions designed to collect information or opinions from participants
about a specific topic.
Structure of a Questionnaire (for exams)
Section Description
Context/Purpose 1–2 lines on what the survey is about (to add clarity).
(Optional)
Close-ended These have fixed answer options. Help collect measurable data
Questions (quantitative).
Open-ended These let respondents express views in their own words. Help
Questions gather opinions or experiences (qualitative).
Tips to Score Full Marks
Use clear, neutral language (not leading or emotional)
Mix of question types (4 close-ended, 4 open-ended)
Keep close-ended answers consistent (Likert scale, Yes/No, frequency)
Focus all questions on the main theme (social media → relationships & communication)
EXAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE
Topic: Investigating the Effects of Social Media on Interpersonal Relationships and Communication Skills
Purpose:
This questionnaire aims to explore how social media usage influences college students' relationships and communication
habits.
Close-Ended Questions (with answer choices):
1. How many hours per day do you typically spend on social media? ☐ Less than 1 hour ☐ 1–3 hours ☐ 4–6
hours ☐ More than 6 hours
2. Has your face-to-face communication with friends decreased due to social media usage? ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐
Not sure
3. How would you rate your communication skills now compared to before heavy social media use? ☐
Improved significantly ☐ Slightly improved ☐ No change ☐ Worsened
4. Do you feel more connected or disconnected from people because of social media? ☐ More connected ☐
More disconnected ☐ No difference
Open-Ended Questions:
5. In what ways has social media affected your ability to communicate in real-life situations?
6. Can you describe a time when social media caused misunderstanding or conflict with someone?
7. What benefits do you experience from using social media for maintaining relationships?
8. What suggestions would you offer to reduce negative effects of social media on communication?
Final Tips:
Do Don’t
Keep questions focused and neutral Don’t ask yes/no for open-ended questions
Use complete, clear questions Don’t mix two questions into one
Use a variety of answer scales (Likert,
Don’t assume the respondent’s opinion
frequency)
Align all questions with the research Don’t drift into unrelated areas (like gaming
objective habits)
Would you like to practice designing one more questionnaire or get a checklist template for use in your test?
