method of data collection

1. UNIT-6
METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

2.  DATA – facts and other relevant materials, past and
present, serving as basis for study & analysis
 DATA COLLECTION METHOD – the strategy and system
used to gather information on elements of the research
 DATA SOURCE – the individual or institution from which the
evaluation data are collected (e.g., participants, parents, records,
etc.) – (primary or secondary)
 QUANTITATIVE DATA – numeric information that is
subject to statistical analysis
 QUALITATIVE DATA – text-based information that provides
descriptive details, often collected from interviews, focus
groups, or observations

3. TYPES OF DATA
 Data relating to human beings/Personal data-
› Demographic and socio economic characteristics of individuals:
age, gender, race, caste, social class, religion, marital status,
education, occupation, income, family size etc.
› Behavioural variables: attitudes, opinions, awareness,
knowledge, practice, intentions etc..
 Organizational data: Origin, Ownership, Objectives, resources
functions, performance, growth etc..
 Territorial data: population, occupational pattern, infrastructure,
degree of development, villages, cities, state,….

4. IMPORTANCE OF DATA
 Basis for analysis
 Relevance, adequacy and reliability of data determine quality
of findings
 Basis for testing hypotheses
 Required for constructing measurement scales and tables for
analysis.

5. SOURCES OF DATA
 Primary sources : original sources directly
collected by researcher, not collected earlier.
Methods- observation, interviewing, questionnaire
etc..
 Secondary sources: readily available, complied
statistical statements and reports.
Eg: Census reports, annual reports, government
reports.. Published and unpublished data.

6. FEATURES OF SECONDARY DATA
 Readymade and readily available do not require
any processing
 Researcher has no control over content of data
colleted and form of classification. (can limit the
research value)
 Not limited by time & space – researcher need not
have been present when and where they were
gathered.

7. Uses of secondary data
Reference purpose
A bench marks against which findings of a research may be
tested.
Used as the sole source of information for a research project.
Advantages of Secondary data:
secured quickly and cheaply
Can cover wider geographical area and longer reference
period without extra cost.
Broadens the data base, useful for generalizations.
Enables verification of findings of primary data.

8. Limitations of secondary data
 Available data may not meet our specific needs
 Data may not be accurate and reliable
 Data is not up-to-date or outdated
 Information about the whereabouts (location)of sources
may not be available .

9. Primary Data Collection
Methods
Observation,
interviewing,
experiments,
planning and conducting research,
panel method,
mail survey,
simulation

10. OBSERVATION
 Observation as a method includes seeing , hearing and
perceiving.
 Observation is a classic method of scientific enquiry
 Meaning
Observation is a systematic viewing of a specific phenomenon
in its proper setting for the specific purpose of gathering data
for a particular study

11.  Observation becomes scientific when
a) Serves a formulated research purpose
b) Is planned deliberately
c) Recorded systematically
d) Is subject to checks and controls on validity and
reliability

12. Observation - features
 Both Physical & mental activity
 Selective
 Purposive and not casual
 Captures the natural social context in which the person’s
behaviour occurs
 Obseravtion Should be exact and based on tools of research

13.  OBSERVATIONAL METHODS ARE:
1. Direct observation
2. Indirect observation
3. Participant observation
4. Non participant observation
5. Controlled observation
6. Uncontrolled observation

14.  Direct observation
In personal observation, a researcher observes actual behaviour
as it occurs. The observer may or may not normally attempt to
control or manipulate the phenomenon being observed. The
observer merely records what takes place.
 Indirect observation
This does not involve the physical presence of the observer, and
the recordings is done by mechanical, photographic or electronic
device

15.  Non-participant
The observer does not normally question or communicate with
the people being observed. He or she does not participate.
 Participant
In this observation, the observer is a part of the phenomenon or
group which is observed and he acts as both an observer and a
participant

16. Controlled & Uncontrolled observation
 Controlled observation is carried out in a
laboratory or in a field. It is structured as to what,
how and when to observe, exercising control over
external and internal variables by adopting
experimental design.
 Uncontrolled observation does not involve
control over variables. Used for descriptive
research.

17. OBSERVATION TOOLS
 Schedules – constructed on the basis of objectives,
hypotheses, data requirements of the study
 Field observation log- form of diary or cards. Rough notes
are later transferred to full log. Flexible, allows
rearrangement.
 Mechanical devices- cameras, tape recorders, videotape,
etc..permanent record of events

18. Advantages of observation
 First hand information collected by researcher directly
 Data collected in a natural setting
 Suitable to study subjects who are unable to formulate
meaningfully
 Less demanding on the subjects
 Mechanical devices may be used to collect accurate data,
and for long periods.

19. LIMITATIONS
 Cannot study past events or activities
 Not suitable for studying opinions and attitudes
 Difficulty in obtaining a representative sample
 Cannot be used at the convenience of the researcher. He
has to wait for the event to take place.
 Slow & expensive process.

20. Interviewing
 Defined as a two - way systematic conversation between an
investigator and an informant, initiated for obtaining
information relevant to a specific study.
 Involves not only conversation but also learning from the
respondents gestures, facial expressions and his/ her
environment

21. Importance of interviewing
 Suitable to gather information from illiterates.
 Collection of wide range of data:
a) Covers demographic data
b) Personal and intimate information – person’s
opinions, attitudes, values, past experiences etc…
 Helps investigator to seek clarification

22. Advantages of interview
 Depth and detail of information
 Interviewer can control as well as improve the percentage
and quality of responses
 Can gather supplementary information such as economic
level, motives and feelings
 Can use special scoring devices, visual material to improve
the quality of interviewing
 Flexible and adaptable

23. Disadvantages
 Costly both in money and time
 Skill of the interviewer
 Respondent’s bias
 Geographical limitations

24. Requirements of interviewing
 Data availability
 Role perception
 Respondents motivation

25. Types of interview
1. Structured / directive interview
 Carried out with a detailed standardized schedule
 Same questions are put to all respondents and in the same
order, which also promotes reliability
 Used in large scale formalized surveys

26. 2. Unstructured / Non-directive interview
 Also called in-depth interview
 Detailed pre-planned schedule is not used
 Interviewer encourages the respondent to talk freely
 Questions are not standardized

27. 3. Focused interview
 Semi structured interview
 Attempts to focus the discussion on the actual effect of a
given experience to which the respondents have been
exposed.
 Interview is focused on the subjective experiences of the
respondent

28. 4. Clinical interview
 Its concerned with broad feelings or motivations or
with the course of the individual’s life experiences
 Eg:- personal history interview in social case works
,prisons , psychiatric clinics
 Respondents are encouraged to talk freely about them

29. 5. Telephone interviewing
 Non- personal method of data collection
 Helpful when
1. Population is listed in phone directory
2. Responses to few simple questions
3. Respondents are scattered

30. Interviewing process
 Preparation
 Introduction
 Developing rapport
 Carrying the interview forward
 Recording the interview
 Closing the interview

31. EXPERIMENTATION
 An experiment is a trial or special observation made to
confirm or disprove something
 It aims at studying the effect of a independent variable on
a dependent variable.
 Experimentation is a research process used to study the
casual relationships between variables
 Application/Types:
› Laboratory experiment
› Field experiment

32. PLANNING AND CONDUCTING RESEARCH
 Determine the hypothesis to be tested and the independent and
dependent variables involved
 Identify their measurable dimensions
 Make experimental conditions as nearly as real life conditions

33. Advantages
 Determine casual relationship between variables
 The element of human errors is reduced to the minimum
 It generally yields exact measurements and can be repeated
for verifying results

34. Disadvantages
 Artificiality
 Not helpful in determining opinions, motives and intensions
of persons
 Experimentation with human beings is extremely limited
 Cost of experimentation can overweigh the available
resources
 Applied only to studies of present and not past.

35. Panel method
 Data is collected from the same sample
respondents at intervals either by mail or by
personal interview.
 The period over which the panel members are
contacted for information may spread over several
months or years

36. Advantages of panel
 Accuracy
 Before – after designs for field – based studies
 Its possible to study trends in events, behaviour or
attitudes
 It provides evidence on casual relationship between
variables
 Facilitates depth interviewing

37. Disadvantages
 Very expensive
 Difficult to set up a representative panel
 Panel conditioning
 Quality can decline due to decreasing interest

38. Mail survey
 Involves sending questionnaire to the respondents
with a request to complete them and return them
by post
 Can be used in case of educated respondents only
 It should preferably contain closed- end and
multiple choice questions

39. Advantages
 Less costly than personal interviews
 Can cover extensive geographical areas
 Contacting various sets of people
 The respondent can complete the questionnaire at
their convenience
 Provides more anonymity
 Free from interview bias
 Personal and economic data may be given more
accurately

40. disadvantages
 Scope is less in countries were literacy rate is low
 Response rate is low
 The cause for non - response is not known
 Information on Personal characteristics and
environment of the respondent cannot be secured
 incomplete responses

41. Simulation
 Form of observational method
 Simulation is a theoretical model of the element, relation
and processes which symbolize some referent system
 Abelson defines simulation as “ the exercise of a flexible
limitation of process and outcomes for the purpose of
clarifying or explaining the mechanism involved.”