This document discusses methods of collecting data and developing research instruments. It describes various primary and secondary methods of data collection, including observation, interviews, questionnaires, tests, and case studies. It emphasizes that the quality of the data collected depends on the quality of the instrument. The document provides steps for developing a high-quality instrument, such as identifying variables to measure, developing construct definitions, operationalizing definitions, choosing or creating instruments, and writing operational definitions. Developing a valid and reliable instrument requires thorough preparation, including reviewing literature and pilot testing before administering the instrument for an actual study.

1. Republic of the Philippines
State Universities and Colleges
GUIMARAS STATE COLLEGE
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Buenavista, Guimaras
EDUCATION 211 – METHODS OF RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
METHODS OF COLLECTING DATA AND DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
MELVIN A. VILLARUZ DR. CECILIA N. OBON
ME - 1A Professor
Data CollectionMethods
Data collectionisaprocessof collectinginformationfromall the relevantsourcestofindanswerstothe research
problem, test the hypothesis and evaluate the outcomes. Data collection methods can be divided into two categories:
primary methods of data collection and secondary methods of data collection.
A. Primary Data Collection Methods
Primary data collection methods can be divided into two groups: quantitative and qualitative.
1. Quantitative data collection methods are based in mathematical calculations in various formats. Methods of
quantitative data collection and analysis include questionnaires with closed-ended questions, methods of
correlation and regression, mean, mode and median and others.
Quantitative methodsare cheapertoapplyand theycan be appliedwithinshorterdurationof time comparedto
qualitative methods.Moreover,due toa highlevel of standardizationof quantitativemethods,itis easyto make
comparisons of findings.
2. Qualitative researchmethods,onthe contrary,do notinvolve numbersormathematical calculations.Qualitative
research is closely associated with words, sounds, feeling, emotions, colors and other elements that are non-
quantifiable.
Qualitative studiesaimtoensure greaterlevelof depthof understandingandqualitative datacollectionmethods
include interviews, questionnaires with open-ended questions, focusgroups, observation,game or role-playing,
case studies etc.
Your choice betweenquantitativeorqualitative methodsof datacollectiondependsonthe areaof yourresearchandthe
nature of research aims and objectives.
B. Secondary Data Collection Methods
Secondarydataisatype of datathathasalreadybeenpublishedinbooks,newspapers,magazines,journals,online
portalsetc. There isan abundance of dataavailable inthesesourcesaboutyourresearchareainbusinessstudies,almost
regardlessof the nature of the researcharea.Therefore,applicationof appropriate setof criteriatoselectsecondarydata
to be used in the study plays an important role in terms of increasing the levels of research validity and reliability.
These criteria include, but not limited to date of publication, credential of the author, reliability of the source,
quality of discussions, depth of analyses,the extent of contributionof the textto the development of the research area
etc.

2. Top 6 Methods of Data Collection
1. Observation
Observationmethodhasoccupiedanimportant place indescriptivesociological research.Itisthe mostsignificant
and common technique of datacollection.Analysisof questionnaire responsesisconcernedwithwhatpeople thinkand
doas revealedbywhattheyputonpaper.The responsesininterview are revealedbywhatpeople expressinconversation
withthe interviewer.Observationseekstoascertainwhatpeoplethinkanddobywatchingtheminactionastheyexpress
themselves in various situations and activities.
Observationisthe processinwhichone ormore personsobserve whatisoccurringinsome real-lifesituationand
they classify and record pertinent happenings according to some planned schemes. It is used to evaluate the overt
behavior of individuals in controlled or uncontrolled situation. It is a method of research which deals with the external
behavior of persons in appropriate situations.
According to P.V. Young, “Observation is a systematic and deliberate study through eye, of spontaneous
occurrences at the time they occur. The purpose of observation is to perceive the nature and extent of significant
interrelated elements within complex social phenomena, culture patterns or human conduct”.
Accordingto OxfordConcise Dictionary,“Observationmeansaccurate watching,knowingof phenomenaasthey
occur in nature with regard to cause and effect or mutual relations”.
This definition focuses on two important points:
Firstly, in observation the observer wants to explore the cause-effect relationships between facts of a
phenomenon.
Secondly, various facts are watched accurately, carefully and recorded by the observer.
2. Interview
Interview as a technique of data collection is very popular and extensively used in every field of social research.
The interview is, in a sense, an oral questionnaire.Instead of writing the response, the interviewee or subject gives the
needed information verbally in a face-to-face relationship. The dynamics of interviewing, however, involvesmuch more
than an oral questionnaire.
Interviewisnotasimple two-wayconversationbetweenaninterrogatorandinformant.AccordingtoP.V.Young,
“interview maybe regardedasasystematicmethodbywhichapersonentersmore or lessimaginativelyintothe lifeof a
comparative stranger”. It is a mutual interaction of each other.
The objectivesof the interviewerare to penetrate the outerand innerlife of personsand to collectinformation
pertainingtoawide range of theirexperiencesinwhichthe interviewee maywishtorehearsehispast,define hispresent
and canvasshis future possibilities.Theseanswersof the intervieweesmaynotbe onlya response toa questionbutalso
a stimulus to progressive series of other relevant statements about social and personal phenomena.
3. Schedule
Schedule isone of the verycommonlyusedtoolsof datacollectioninscientificinvestigation.P.V.Youngsays“The
schedule has been used for collection of personal preferences, social attitudes, beliefs, opinions, behaviour patterns,
group practicesand habits and much other data”. The increasinguse of schedule isprobablydue to increasedemphasis
by social scientists on quantitative measurement of uniformly accumulated data.
Schedule isverymuch similarto questionnaire andthere isverylittle difference betweenthe twoso far as their
constructionisconcerned.The maindifference betweenthesetwoisthatwhereasthe schedule isusedindirectinterview
on directobservationandinitthe questionsare askedandfilledbythe researcherhimself,the questionnaireisgenerally

3. mailedtothe respondent,whofillsitup and returnsit to the researcher.Thusthe main difference betweenthemliesin
the method of obtaining data.
The successof schedule largelydependsontheefficiencyandtactfulnessof the interviewerratherthanthequality
of questions posed. Because the interviewer himself asks all the questions and fills the answers all by himself, here the
quality of question has less significance.
4. Questionnaire
Questionnaire provides the most speedy and simple technique of gathering data about groups of individuals
scattered in a wide and extended field. In this method, a questionnaire form is sent usually by post to the persons
concerned, with a request to answer the questions and return the questionnaire.
According to Goode and Hatt “It is a device for securing answers to questions by using a form which the
respondent fills in himself. According to GA. Lundberg “Fundamentally the questionnaire is a set of stimuli to which
illiterate people are exposed in order to observe their verbal behaviour under these stimuli”.
A properly constructed and administered questionnaire may serve as a most appropriate and useful data
gathering device.
5. Projective Techniques
The psychologists and psychiatrists had first devised projective techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of
patients afflicted by emotional disorders. Such techniques are adopted to present a comprehensive profile of the
individual’spersonalitystructure,hisconflictsandcomplexesandhisemotional needs.Adoptionof suchtechniquesisnot
an easy affair. It requires intensive specialized training.
The stimuli applied in projective tests may arouse in the individuals,undergoing the tests, varieties of reaction.
Hence, in projective tests the individual’s responses to the stimulus situation are not considerate at their face value
because there are no ‘right’or ‘wrong’answers.Ratheremphasisislaidonhisperceptionorthe meaninghe attachesto
it and the way in which the endeavors to manipulate it or organizes it.
6. Case Study Method
According to Biesanz and Biesenz “the case study is a form of qualitative analysis involving the very careful and
complete observationof a person,a situationor an institution.”Inthe words of Goode and Hatt, “Case studyis a way of
organizingsocial data so as to preserve the unitarycharacter of the social objectbeingstudied.”P.V.youngdefinescase
study as a method of exploring and analyzing the life of a social unit, be that a person, a family, an institution, cultural
group or even entire community.”
Shaw and Clifford hold that “case study method emphasizes the total situation or combination of factors, the
description of the process or consequences of events inwhich behaviour occurs, the study of individual behaviour in its
total setting and the analysis and comparison of cases leading to formulation of hypothesis.”
Developing Research Instrument
When designing an instrument, keep in mind the following:
1. The conclusions drawn in a research study are only as good as the data that is collected.
2. The data that is collected is only as good as the instrument that collects the data.
3. A poorly designed instrument will lead to bad data, which will lead to bad conclusions.
4. Therefore,developingagoodinstrumentisthe mostimportantpartof conductinga highqualityresearchstudy.

4. Developinganinstrumenttakesalotof work and advancedpreparation.Itisveryimportantthat the instrument
hasbeenthoroughlycritiqued,evaluated,andpilottestedbythe student,supervisor,andothersbeforeitisadministered
forthe actual study.Once the instrumenthasbeenadministered,itcannotbe changed.Anyproblemswiththeinstrument
after it has been administered will require the student to completely redo the data collection process, wasting
considerable time and money. Therefore, researchers must take great thought and care when developing their
instrument.
There are many steps that must be done in developing an instrument, which will be described below.
Step 1: Identify Other Research Studies that Study the Key Variable
Provide ideas on how each variable should be measured. As just stated in Step 8: Search Literature, the way a
variable was measured in other research studies provides direction on how you should measure the variable. If the
instrument that was used in other research studies cannot be adopted exactly, it will at least provide a general idea of
how you should attempt to measure the variable.
Step 2: Develop a Construct Definition
The secondstep in measurementisto develop a construct definitionof eachof the keyvariables.The construct
definitionisthe theoreticaldefinition,andthisdefinitionisbestobtainedbyreferencingotherresearchstudiesthathave
measuredthe same variable.Forexample,awell-establisheddefinitionforsocio-economicstatusisa person'seconomic
standingbasedonlifestyle, prestige, power, and control of resources (Liu, Ali, Soleck, Hopps, Dunston, Pickett, 2004).
Step 3: Operationalize the Construct Definition
Once the construct definitionhasbeendeveloped,the researchermusttranslate thattheoretical definitioninto
a concrete wayof measuringthe variablesonumberscanbe assigned.The abstractconstructdefinitionof socioeconomic
statusprovidesnoinformationabouthowtomeasure socioeconomicstatus.Therefore,the researcherneedstothinkof
how to make that definition more concrete, or how it will be practically measured,a process called operationalize. The
operational definition of a variable consists of a statement of specifically how the construct will be measured or
implementedinthe study.In moststudies,socio-economicstatusistypicallymeasuredbyacomposite of an individual's
level of income, occupation, and level of education.
Types of Measurement
There are multipletypesof measurementtoconsiderwhenthinkingabouthow tooperationallydefineavariable.
Self-Report. Participants can be asked to report on their own demographic characteristics (also called biodata),
attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, feelings, and behavior. As will be discussed in Writing Questionnaire Items, participants
cannot accurately report on the attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, and feelings of others except in very rare instances. For
example, teachers cannot report on how well their students enjoy a particular topic. Instead, students must self-report
their own enjoyment. Self-reports can be either a questionnaire or an interview.
Observation.Researcherscanalsoobserve the behaviorof others.Forexample,aresearcherwantstostudyhow
often teachers use open-ended questions in their lessons. The best way to measure the frequency of open-ended
questions is for a researcher to go into a classroom, observe the instruction, and tick the number of times the teacher
uses an open-ended question. Typically, observation requires a researcher to complete a check-list of the presence or
absence of particular behaviors. In rare cases, participants can also complete observational checklists on others. For
example,aparentcouldcompleteanobservationalchecklistonthe behaviorof theirchildren.However,researchersmust
use thisstrategythoughtfully,ensuringthatthe participanthasa close associationwiththe persontheyare reportingon.
Will ateacherwhohas50studentsintheclassroombe abletoaccuratelycompleteabehavioralchecklistoneachstudent?
Archival Records. Archival records refers to existing information. For example, educational researchers are
oftentimesinterestedinstudents'academicachievement.Dependingonthe particularsof the researchstudy,academic

5. achievementcansometimesbe obtainedbygoingintostudents'school recordsandcollectingtheirgradesfromprevious
terms.
Examinations. Particularly when a researcher is interested in participants' knowledge, it is best to give an
examination over the topic. For example, a researcher might be interested in teachers' knowledge of literacy
development. Teachers likely will not accurately self-report on their knowledge,either because they do not know their
level of knowledge,ortheymight not want to appear ignorantand therefore will biastheirresponses.Insteadof asking
teachers to self-report on their knowledge (e.g.,I understandhow childrenlearn to read), giving an examination will be
more accurate.
Step 4: Choose an Instrument
Each variable in a research study needs to be measured separately. A research study examining the effect of
intrinsicmotivationonacademicachievementmaybe able to use the IntrinsicMotivationInventorytomeasure intrinsic
motivation. Another instrument will be necessary to measure academic achievement.Because each variable must be
measured separately, a researcher may use five or six different "instruments" may be used for one research study.For
information on how to combine the instruments, go to Developing the Questionnaire Format.
"Development of new testsis a complex and difficult process that requiresconsiderable training in educational
and psychological measurement. Therefore, we recommend that you make certain no suitable test is available before
developing your own" (Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2003, p. 216).
Using a pre-developed instrument to measure the key variables in your study has a number of advantages.
An instrumentpublishedinthe literature hasalreadybeendeveloped,soitsavesthe time and energynecessary
to develop a new instrument.
Finding an already-existing instrument is best done through a literature review search. When reading over the
instruments section of a research study, look to see if a table or an appendix provides the actual items on the
questionnaire. Other times, the researcher will cite the original source of the instrument, so check the citation. For
example, a line might read, "Subtests from the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (Ryan, 1982) were used to assess
relatedness,intrinsicmotivation,autonomy,andcompetence."The source of the instrumentisRyan (1982), so findthis
reference in the References section. If you can get a copy of the Ryan article, then you likely will get a copy of that
instrument in either the appendix or a table.
A numberof resourcesare also available onthe internetto assistin findinganinstrumentthatwill measure the
key variables in your research study.
APA provides suggestions for finding psychological instruments.
Educational Testing Service has a database that searches for instruments that have been publishedin journal
articles. In most of these articles, the instrument will be included as an appendix to the article.
The Social-PersonalityPsychologyQuestionnaire InstrumentCompendiumprovideslinkstoinstrumentslistedby
psychological construct.
The International PersonalityItemPoolhasavarietyof scalesthatmeasure personalityfactorsaswell asavariety
of other psychological constructs.
AsGall,Gall,andBorg (2003) stated,aresearchershouldmake athoroughsearchof the literature andinternetto
try to findaninstrumenttouse thathasalreadybeendeveloped.A researchershouldmake theirownquestionnaireonly
if an appropriate instrument is not found.

6. Step 5: Write the Operational Definition
There is currently debate in the Faculty of Education at UniJos about whether there should be an Operational
Definitions section to Chapter 1. However, a researcher absolutely must develop an operational definition for each
variable as part of the planning process regardless of whether this section is required or not. It is best if a researcher
presentseachoperational definitiontothe supervisorwhengettingapproval forthe instrumentevenif itisnot required
as part of the thesis itself.
References:
https://research-methodology.net/research-methods/data-collection/
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/social-research/data-collection/top-6-methods-of-data-collection-explained/64498
http://korbedpsych.com/R09DevelopInstruments.html