Step 4:. Notify each participant ahead of time that he or she will be receiving a questionnaire, explaining its main purpose and importance.

Respondents will be more receptive to a questionnaire if they know what to expect. Thus, they should be notified ahead of time about when and how they will receive the questionnaire and what its main purpose is. If the evaluation team has regular face-to-face contact with participants, they can be notified verbally. If there is little contact with participants, a personalized letter should be sent by the same delivery medium as will be used for the questionnaire. This letter should be brief and include the following information:

• The approximate date on which the questionnaire will be arriving.
  
• The main purpose of the questionnaire.
  
• Why it is important for the participant to respond (e.g., "your feedback will help us improve the training course").
  
• The approximate time it will take to complete the questionnaire (e.g., "about 30 minutes of your time").
  
• A statement of thanks.
  
• The organization sponsoring the questionnaire (a letterhead may convey this information).

An example of a notification letter appears in the Scenario section of this module.