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Interviewees and survey audiences always have limited time; therefore, when developing instruments ask precise questions that yield information relevant to the research. Make sure the questions developed cannot be answered with existing secondary data.

1. Create the primary research instrument for your proposal study (survey, questionnaire, or interview).

2. Develop only 6-12 questions. For surveys and questionnaires, provide forced answer choice responses.

3. Check questions to make sure no ambiguity is present; do not ask multiple questions within one question.

By law, all research that involves human subjects must include an informed consent signed by the researcher and the subject(s). This document acts as a legal contract between both parities. The form gives the researcher permission to use the subject's responses, behavior, or activities, and data derived thereof, within the specified research project. This form must also include the delineators involved within the study and the researcher's future plans for the data. It must state "if" anonymity is provided to the subject. When creating written content for an informed consent, the researcher must be careful not to reveal too much information about the study, or his or her anticipated results will sway. Skewed results of any kind, invalidates the research.