Data collection methods

1. Data Collection 1: Quantitative
Methods

2. Surveys and Questionnaires
“comprise sets of questions that when answered
will enable the researcher to address his or her
research questions and/or hypothesis, typically
through statistical analysis” (Caulfield and Hill,
2014: 125)

3. Surveys and Questionnaires
• Predominantly Closed questions
• Pre-defined answers
• Standard, non-variable format
• Easy to code

4. Research Design
• Research design is essential
• Clarity of questions
• Ensure that they measure the concepts you
have set out to measure
“A badly designed questionnaire is likely to
result in useless data that cannot answer the
research questions” (Caulfield and Hill, 2014:
125)

5. Question Design
• Multiple Choice
• Demographic Info:
– How old are you?
• 15-19; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60+
• Yes/No:
– Have you ever committed a crime?
• Yes?
• No?

6. Multiple Choice (2)
• Have you ever done any of the following acts:
– Driven over the speed limit?
– Illegally downloaded music?
– Drunk alcohol whilst underage?
– Knowingly bought a drink for someone under 18?
– Bought a pirate film/game/CD?

7. Scales – Rating Scales
– On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being low and 10 being high,
what do you think the chances of you becoming a
victim of crime on campus are?
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
– How would you rate the decision to ban books from
being sent to prisoners in 2013?
• An excellent decision
• A good decision
• Neither a good nor bad decision
• A bad decision
• A terrible decision
• Don’t know

8. Focusing your questions
• Make sure that your questions are focused on
only asking one thing
• Ensure that the question being asked are
simple and clear to understand
• Ensure that your questions relate back to the
research topic
• Don’t ask two questions at once.

9. Data Collection 2: Qualitative
methods

10. Interviews
• In-depth/ detail/ specific topic/ little
structure/ researcher wants to know
more about the topicUnstructured
• Focused interviews/ series of open
ended questions/ freedom to follow a
line of enquiry
Semi
structured
• Respondents get the same questions/
tight structured/ questions posed/
phrased in order/ limited responsesStructured

11. Focus groups
• Traditionally, focus group research is “a way of
collecting qualitative data, which—
essentially—involves engaging a small number
of people in an informal group discussion (or
discussions), ‘focused’ around a particular
topic or set of issues” (Wilkinson, 2004, p.
177).

12. Focus groups
Groups rather
than
individuals
Collective
discussion-
understand
circumstances,
behaviour,
opinions
Greater insight may
be developed, due to
the group dynamic

13. Analysing Focus group data

14. Observations
• Observation may take place in natural settings and involve the
researcher taking lengthy and descriptive notes of what is happening.
• Limitations with observation include:
• Change in people's behaviour when they know they are being observed
• A 'snap shot' view of a whole situation
• Think Big Brother...
• The researcher may miss something while they are watching and taking notes
• The researcher may make judgements of make value statements or misunderstand what has been
observed
• Strengths of observation:
• Can offer a sense for what is happening
• Can give an insight into the wider picture
• Can demonstrate sub-groups/ individuals
• Can be used to assist in the design of the rest of the research

15. Ethnography
• Ethnographic research entails extensive fieldwork by the
researcher. Data collection includes:
• formal and informal interviews
• often interviewing an individual on several occasions
• participative observations
The researcher attempts to interpret data from the perspective of the
sample that was studied, i.e. to understand the subjects themselves
and the language and terminology they use, as well as the meanings
behind this the risk of using ethnographic research is that the
researcher may not fully understand or be familiar with the social
norms of those they are researching and therefore there is risk of
misinterpretation

16. Ethnographic research is
the observation of
groups of people or a
culture in the field or, in
other words, in a natural
setting.
Observations are the
main form of data
collection, but interviews
are often used to clarify
the researcher's
observations.
The researcher pays
attention to the
context, artifacts, and
environments of the
subjects in addition to
their interactions with
each other.
Ethnographies are long-
term studies. This allows
the researcher to
experience the regular
patterns and routines of
the community of study,
as well as seeing how it
responds to new or
different situations.