Research Instrument
What is a Research Instrument?
A Research Instrument is a tool used to collect, measure, and analyze data related to your research
interests. These tools are most used in health sciences, social sciences, and education to assess patients,
clients, students, teachers, staff, etc. A research instrument can include interviews, tests, surveys, or
checklists.
The Research Instrument is usually determined by researcher and is tied to the study methodology.
Characteristics of a Good Research Instrument
Valid and reliable
Must gather data suitable for and relevant to the research topic
Able to test hypothesis and/or answer proposed research questions under investigation
Free of bias and appropriate for the context, culture, and diversity of the study site
Contains clear and definite instructions to use the instrument
Types of Research Instruments
1. Interviews
Interviews or the interaction where verbal questions are posed by an interviewer to elicit verbal
responses from an interviewee.
Structured Interview: A formal set of questions posed to each interviewee and recorded using a
standardized procedure.
Unstructured Interview: A less formal set of questions; the interviewer modifies the sequence and
wording of questions.
Focus Group Interview: A group of selected participants are asked about their opinion or perceptions
concerning a particular topic.
History, stories and life tells: This is a social science technique where an individual lets us know
directly or indirectly about his life, surrounding, environment, education, work, social status, religion,
believes, history and personal social factors related to his life.
2. Observations
Observation (watching what people do) is a type of correlational (non-experimental) method where
researchers observe ongoing behavior.
Structured Observations: Research conducted at a specific place, time, where participants are
observed in a standardised procedure. Rather than writing a detailed description of all behaviors
observed, researchers code observed behaviors according to a previously agreed upon scale.
3. The Dichotomous Question
It is a type of question that belongs to close-ended question and ones that only offer two possible
answers, which are typically presented to survey takers in the following format – Yes or No, True or
False, Agree or Disagree and Fair or Unfair.
Do you drink liquor?
___ Yes
___ No
4. Multiple Choice
It is a type of questionnaire/survey question that provides respondents with multiple answer options.
What kind of e-shopping application you used:
____ Tiktok Other:Please Specify:_______
____ Shopee
____ Lazada
____ Shein
____ Amazon
____ Alibaba
____ Zalora
5. Rank Order Scaling
Rank order scaling questions allow a certain set of brands or products to be ranked based upon a
specific attribute or characteristic.
Rank the following shampoo brand:
____ Palmolive
____ Clear
____ Sunsilk
____ Dove
____ L’oreal
6. Rating Scale
Rating scale is defined as a closed-ended survey question used to represent respondent feedback
in a comparative form for specific particular features/products/services.
7. Likert scale
It is an orderly scale from which respondents choose the option that best supports their opinion.
It can be used to measure someone's attitude by measuring the extent to which they agree or
disagree with a particular question or statement.
8. Survey
Questionnaire surveys
are techniques for gathering
statistical information about the
attributes, attitudes, or actions of a
population by a structured set of
questions.
9. Checklist
A checklist also known as ticklist or chart works as an inventory of behaviors or skills where the
researcher checks indicators that are being observed (Hodder Education & Hachette UK
Company, 2017).
