Towards a Better Response Rate for Questionnaires

Abstract

This study, through a questionnaire survey, examined the current questionnaire response rates of librarians in seven academic libraries in Southwest Nigeria. 58, out of the 80 questionnaires distributed were filled and returned. The study revealed that there was a high response rate to questionnaires among librarians (98%). Furthermore, the study showed that majority of the respondents (77.6%) indicated professional obligation and benefits of research as reasons for questionnaire completion. The study also found out that majority of the researchers who administered questionnaires to librarians were library and information science students and professionals. Length of questionnaires, request for very personal information, complex language, and poor questionnaire construction among others were identified as inhibitions to question completion among respondents. The paper concluded with recommendations that would help boost high response rate to questionnaires among librarians and other professionals.