DATA COLLECTION METHODS

STAT 20053: STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WITH

SOFTWARE APPLICATION

GROUP 3
DE LARA, KHYLA GAILE
GOROSPE, ADRIENNE NADINE
MALILUM, ERIKA
PAMATIAN, JAREN ALDRIN
YOLDI, DERONE JAEGER

BSMA 2-9
 Data Collection Methods
Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on
variables of interest, in an established systematic fashion that enables one to answer
stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes.
Collecting data is a major aspect of any research study. Inaccurate data
collection can lead to the production of false results. The process is often carried out in
an established systematic order that lets one reply to stated research queries, test
hypotheses, and gauge results. Data collection methods for influence evaluation vary
along a scale.

There are several methods of acquiring data. These methods of data collection can
be put into two groups. These categories are the secondary methods and the primary
methods of collecting data.
1. Secondary data collection tools- researchers get secondary data from
published books, magazines, journals, newspapers and online portals. Much
data can be found in these sources regardless of your area of research, be it
business or medicine.
2. Primary ways of collecting data -there are two groups of primary data
collection. These are quantitative and qualitative methods.
Quantitative and Qualitative Data Collection Methods
1. The Quantitative methods- data collection methods that are based on mathematical
calculations are known as quantitative.
Examples of quantitative data collection and analysis include questionnaires with
closed-ended questions, procedures of correlation and regression, mean, mode and
median. The findings are easy to summarize, equate, and generalize.

2. Qualitative ways of collecting data play a significant role in impact evaluation by

giving information necessary for understanding the processes behind observed results
and assessing changes in people’s opinions of their welfare
 Difference between Primary data and Secondary data

 Meant to solve investigator’s  Maybe relevant to various kinds of

specific problem solutions

 First-Hand  Second-Hand

 Gathered by original researcher  Collected by succeeding

researchers
 Collected real time  Collected from the past

 More time sensitive  Less time-sensitive

 From direct sources and methods  From printed or recorded

resources
 Takes longer to gather  Can cover a lot of info. For a short
span of time
 Needs more effort  Entails less effort

 Costlier  More economical

 More relevant to the researcher’s  Maybe less relevant to the

need targeted needs

 Rudimentary Form  More refined form

 Has specific coverage  Has wider coverage

 Not yet re-examined  Higher reliability and validity

 Information comes from own  Uses various and numerous

investigation references
A. Primary Data Collection Methods
1. Observation method has occupied an important place in descriptive sociological
research. It is the most significant and common technique of data collection. Analysis of
questionnaire responses is concerned with what people think and do as revealed by
what they put on paper. The responses in interview are revealed by what people
express in conversation with the interviewer. Observation seeks to ascertain what
people think and do by watching them in action as they express themselves in various
situations and activities.
According to Oxford Concise Dictionary, “Observation means accurate watching,
knowing of phenomena as they 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.
 Quantitative Observations
Observations made while using the scientific method can be quantitative or
qualitative. Observations are quantitative if they return numerical data. When numeric
values are recorded, the observations are more objective and quantifiable. Other people
performing the same analysis can make observations using the same quantitative
method as was originally used. If any type of statistical analysis is done, it is important
to make quantitative observations while using the scientific method. In the drooping
plant example, quantitative measurements could include the number of days the plant
spent in the sun after it was moved there. Because the number of days would be a
concrete value, it would be possible to record that value as a tangible, objective
number.
 Qualitative Observations
Qualitative research is when observations are recorded without capturing
numeric data values. This type of observation is more subjective and relies on the
researcher's interpretations of why a particular event or behavior happens.

2. 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, involves
much more than an oral questionnaire.
 Interview is relatively more flexible tool than any written inquiry form and permits
explanation, adjustment and variation according to the situation. The observational
methods, as we know, are restricted mostly to non-verbal acts. So these are
understandably not so effective in giving information about person’s past and private
behaviour, future actions, attitudes, perceptions, faiths, beliefs thought processes,
motivations etc.
Three Types of Interviews
 Unstructured interviews
These are interviews that take place with few, if any, interview questions. They
often progress in the manner a normal conversation would, however it concerns the
research topic under review. It is a relatively formless interview style that researchers
use to establish rapport and comfort with the participant, and is extremely helpful when
researchers are discussing sensitive topics. The researcher is expected to probe
participants in order to obtain the most rich and in-depth information possible.
 Semistructured interviews
These are interviews that use an interview protocol to help guide the researcher
through the interview process. While this can incorporate conversational aspects, it is
mostly a guided conversation between the researcher and participant. It does maintain
some structure (hence the name semistructured), but it also provides the researcher
with the ability to probe the participant for additional details.
 Structured interviews
These are interviews that strictly adhere to the use of an interview protocol to
guide the researcher. It is a more rigid interview style, in that only the questions on the
interview protocol are asked. As a result, there are not a lot of opportunities to probe
and further explore topics that participants bring up when answering the interview
questions. This method can be advantageous when researchers have a comprehensive
list of interview questions, since it helps target the specific phenomenon or experience
that the researcher is investigating. It makes for expedient interviewing and will gather
the correct information that you need, so there should not be much need for you to do
follow-up interviews for missed or forgotten questions.

3. Schedule
A schedule is a structure of a set of questions on a given topic which are asked
by the interviewer or investigator personally. The order of questions, the language of the
questions and the arrangement of parts of the schedule are not changed. However, the
investigator can explain the questions if the respondent faces any difficulty. It contains
direct questions as well as questions in tabular form.
 Schedule includes open-ended questions and close-ended questions. Open-
ended questions allow the respondent considerable freedom in answering. However,
questions are answered in details. Close-ended questions have to be answered by the
respondent by choosing an answer from the set of answers given under a question just
by ticking.
Different Types of Schedules used by Social Scientists and Anthropologists
 Village or community schedule
It is used by census researchers who collect general information on populations,
occupations, etc.

 Family or Household schedule

It gives full demographic details of households, the status of individuals, data on
education, age, family relations, etc.

 Opinion or attitude schedule

To schedule the views of the population regarding an issue.

4. Questionnaire
A questionnaire refers to a device for securing answers to questions by using a
form which the respondent fills in by himself. It consists of some questions printed or
typed in a definite order. These forms are actually mailed to the respondent who was
expected to read and understand the questions and reply to them by writing the relevant
answers in the spaces provided. Ideally, speaking respondent must answer to a verbal
stimulus and give a written or verbal response. It is totally devoid of any table. Its
purpose is to collect information from the respondents who are scattered over a vast
area.
Questionnaires include open-ended questions and close-ended questions. Open-
ended questions allow the respondent considerable freedom in answering. However,
questions are answered in details. Close-ended questions have to be answered by the
respondent by choosing an answer from the set of answers given under a question just
by ticking.
 Paper-pencil Questionnaire
It can be sent to a large number of people and saves the researcher time and
money. People are more truthful while responding to the questionnaires regarding
controversial issues in particular due to the fact that their responses are anonymous.
But they also have drawbacks. Majority of the people who receive questionnaires don't
return them and those who do might not be representative of the originally selected
sample.(Leedy and Ormrod, 2001)
 Web-based Questionnaire
A new and inevitably growing methodology is the use of Internet based research.
This would mean receiving an e-mail on which you would click on an address that would
take you to a secure web-site to fill in a questionnaire. This type of research is often
quicker and less detailed. Some disadvantages of this method include the exclusion of
people who do not have a computer or are unable to access a computer. Also the
validity of such surveys are in question as people might be in a hurry to complete it and
so might not give accurate responses.
Questionnaires often make use of Checklist and rating scales. These devices help
simplify and quantify people's behaviors and attitudes. A checklist is a list of behaviors,
characteristics, or other entities that the researcher is looking for. Either the researcher
or survey participant simply checks whether each item on the list is observed, present or
true or vice versa. A rating scale is more useful when a behavior needs to be evaluated
on a continuum. They are also known as Likert scales.
Note: A schedule, however, takes more time as compared to a questionnaire. A
questionnaire has less data collecting ability than a schedule. A questionnaire can cover
a very wide field of data whereas a schedule is a problem-oriented data collecting
method. A questionnaire takes for itself and is self-explanatory, whereas schedule has
to be explained by the investigator.

5. Projective Techniques
Projective Techniques are indirect and unstructured methods of investigation
which have been developed by the psychologists and use projection of respondents for
inferring about underline motives, urges or intentions which cannot be secure through
direct questioning as the respondent either resists to reveal them or is unable to figure
out himself. These techniques are useful in giving respondents opportunities to express
their attitudes without personal embarrassment. These techniques helps the
respondents to project his own attitude and feelings unconsciously on the subject under
study. Thus, Projective Techniques play a important role in motivational researches or
in attitude surveys.
Four Practical Projective Techniques
 Metaphors, Analogies, and Similes
 Third-Party Projections
 Role-Playing
 Associations
Metaphors, Analogies, and Similes: A metaphor represents or explains something in
terms of another. Metaphors explain complex or new subjects [target domains] by using
a familiar subject. Metaphors are a window to the mind. The purpose of understanding
metaphors is to understand people’s mindset and feelings about something. Most
importantly, metaphors can reveal underlying emotions about a target domain…such a
product or brand. And, one can infer whether emotions are positive, negative, or neutral.
You can use the results from metaphor techniques to develop advertising, brands, sales
pitches, and to support product or brand positioning.

Third-Party Projections: With this technique, you ask respondents to describe what
other people are doing, thinking, feeling, believing, and saying. Ask respondents to
project to a third-party.

Role Playing: You ask respondents to assume a role and act the part. It is a variant of
third-party projection.

Associations: You ask respondents to link a word or image to a category, product,

brand, or event. Then ask how the association ties to the topic. You get people to bind
one concept to another. Often associations produce metaphors, analogies, and similes.
Some association techniques include word associations, imagery associations, and
personifications.

6. Case Study Method

Case studies are in-depth investigations of a single person, group, event or
community. Typically, data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several
different methods (e.g. observations & interviews). The research may also continue for
an extended period of time, so processes and developments can be studied as they
happen. The case study method often involves simply observing what happens to, or
reconstructing ‘the case history’ of a single participant or group of individuals (such as a
school class or a specific social group), i.e. the idiographic approach.
Case studies allow a researcher to investigate a topic in far more detail than
might be possible if they were trying to deal with a large number of research participants
(nomothetic approach) with the aim of ‘averaging’.
Amongst the sources of data the psychologist is likely to turn to when carrying
out a case study are observations of a person’s daily routine, unstructured interviews
with the participant herself (and with people who know her), diaries, personal notes (e.g.
letters, photographs, notes) or official document (e.g. case notes, clinical notes,
appraisal reports). Most of this information is likely to be qualitative (i.e. verbal
description rather than measurement) but the psychologist might collect numerical data
as well.

B. Secondary Data Collection Methods

Secondary data is a type of data that has already been published in books,
newspapers, magazines, journals, online portals etc. There is an abundance of data
available in these sources about your research area in business studies, almost
regardless of the nature of the research area. Therefore, application of appropriate set
of criteria to select secondary data 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
contribution of the text to the development of the research area etc.

The following are some ways of collecting secondary data:

 Books
 Records
 Biographies
 Newspapers
 Published censuses or other statistical data
 Data archives
 Internet articles
 Research articles by other researchers (journals)
 Databases
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