25-23
Making survey and discussion questions specific—not general
The Browns point out the need to be very specific when asking people questions.
Do not ask big, general questions that may be difficult to answer. Ask people
questions about themselves. The Browns give the following examples:
LESS APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS
Do the people in your
village raise small
animals?
What foods are usually
given to little children?
At what age do children
stop getting their
mother’s milk?
What does your family
usually eat?
MORE APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS
How many chickens does your
family have this year?
How many goats?
How many rabbits?
What foods do you give your child?
What did your child eat today?
At whal age did your child
stop getting your milk?
(If the mother doesn’t know,
ask more questions:
Did the child have teeth then?
Could the child walk?)
What did you eat since this
hour yesterday?
What did your husband eat?
What did your little children eat?
What did your older children eat?
LESS APPROPRIATE
MORE APPROPRIATE
Making questions specific helps people give answers
that are closer to their day-to-day reality.