research methadolgy data

1. P R I M A R Y D A T A C O L L E C T I O N M E T H O D S
P R I M A R Y D A T A R E F E R S T O D A T A C O L L E C T E D F R O M F I R S T -
H A N D E X P E R I E N C E D I R E C T LY F R O M T H E M A I N S O U R C E . I T
R E F E R S T O D A T A T H A T H A S N E V E R B E E N U S E D I N T H E
P A S T. T H E D A T A G A T H E R E D B Y P R I M A R Y D A T A C O L L E C T I O N
M E T H O D S A R E G E N E R A L L Y R E G A R D E D A S T H E B E S T K I N D O F
D A T A I N R E S E A R C H .
1 . I N T E R V I E W S
I N T E R V I E W S A R E A D I R E C T M E T H O D O F D A T A C O L L E C T I O N .
I T I S S I M P LY A P R O C E S S I N W H I C H T H E I N T E R V I E W E R A S K S
Q U E S T I O N S A N D T H E I N T E R V I E W E E R E S P O N D S T O T H E M . I T
P R O V I D E S A H I G H D E G R E E O F F L E X I B I L I T Y B E C A U S E
Q U E S T I O N S C A N B E A D J U S T E D A N D C H A N G E D A N Y T I M E
A C C O R D I N G T O T H E S I T U A T I O N .

2. 2. Observations
In this method, researchers observe a situation around them and record
the findings. It can be used to evaluate the behaviour of different people
in controlled (everyone knows they are being observed) and uncontrolled
(no one knows they are being observed) situations. This method is highly
effective because it is straightforward and not directly dependent on
other participants.
For example, a person looks at random people that walk their pets on a
busy street, and then uses this data to decide whether or not to open a
pet food store in that area.
3. Surveys and Questionnaires
Surveys and questionnaires provide a broad perspective from large
groups of people. They can be conducted face-to-face, mailed, or even
posted on the Internet to get respondents from anywhere in the world.
The answers can be yes or no, true or false, multiple choice, and even
open-ended questions. However, a drawback of surveys and
questionnaires is delayed response and the possibility of ambiguous
answers.

3. 4. Focus Groups
A focus group is similar to an interview, but it is conducted with a group
of people who all have something in common. The data collected is
similar to in-person interviews, but they offer a better understanding of
why a certain group of people thinks in a particular way. However, some
drawbacks of this method are lack of privacy and domination of the
interview by one or two participants. Focus groups can also be time-
consuming and challenging, but they help reveal some of the best
information for complex situations.
5. Oral Histories
Oral histories also involve asking questions like interviews and focus
groups. However, it is defined more precisely and the data collected is
linked to a single phenomenon. It involves collecting the opinions and
personal experiences of people in a particular event that they were
involved in. For example, it can help in studying the effect of a new
product in a particular community.

4. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), signed in 1947 by 23
countries, is a treaty minimizing barriers to international trade by eliminating
or reducing quotas, tariffs, and subsidies. It was intended to boost economic
recovery after World War II.1
GATT was expanded and refined over the years, leading to the creation in 1995
of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which absorbed the organization
created to implement GATT. By then, 125 nations were signatories to its
agreements, which covered about 90% of global trade.