Data Collections Methods

Chapters:
07 Introduction & Interviews
08: Observation
09: Questionnaires
 Data
• Data are facts, figures and other relevant materials,
past and present, serving as bases for study and
analysis.

• Types of Data:
– Demographic and Socio-economic Characteristics of
Individuals: age, race, religion, marital status,
education, occupation, income, etc.
– Behavioral Variables: Attitudes, opinions,
awareness, knowledge, etc
– Organizational Data: origin, ownership, objectives,
resources, function, performance and growth.
 Sources of Data
• Primary Sources:
– Primary sources are original sources from which the researcher
directly collects data that have not been previously collected.
Primary data are first hand information collected through
various sources and methods. Ex: focus group and panels

• Secondary Sources:
– These are sources containing data which have been collected
and compiled for another purpose. Researchers may be used for
their studies.
– Ex: company records or archives, government publications,
industry analyses offered by the media, web sites, the Internet,
and so on.
 Sources of Primary Data
• Individuals
• Focus Groups
• Panels
 Focus Groups
Normally a focus group consist of 8 to 10
members with a moderator leading the
discussion on a particular topic or concept or
product. Members are generally chosen on the
basis of their expertise in the topic on which
information is sought.
(i) Aim
–It aimed at obtaining respondents’ impression,
interpretation and opinions as the members talk
about the event, concept, product or service.
 (ii) Moderator
• The moderator introduces the topic,
observes and takes notes and /or records
the discussion. The moderator plays a
vital role in steering the discussions in a
manner that would draw out the
information sought and keeping the
members on track. The moderator never
becomes an integral part of the
discussions.
 (iii) Data and its Use
Data obtained through these homogeneous group
(focus group) members are the least expensive
and also lend themselves for quick analysis. The
data obtained provides only qualitative and not
quantitative information. Since the members are
not selected randomly, the information collected
may not representative. However, it may be basis
for further scientific research.
 Video conferencing (VC)

• Is when regional variation in

responses are expected

• VC can capture non verbal cues

and gestures
 Focus Groups are used for:

- Exploratory studies
- To make generalizations based
on information gathered from
them
- Conduct sample surveys
 Panels
Panels are like a focus groups, as a source
of primary information. Focus groups meet
for one-time group session but the panels
meet more than once and the members are
chosen randomly.
(i) Aim
In case where the effects of certain interventions
or changes are to be studied over a period of
time, panel studies are very useful.
 (ii) Types of Panels
• Static: The same members serve on the panel over
extended periods of time.

• Dynamic: The panel members are change from time

to time as various phases of the study are in progress.
- Advantage: is a good and sensitive measurement of
change
- Disadvantage: endless continuous interview may make
their opinions no longer representative.
 Delphi technique
• A forecasting method that uses a cautiously
selected panel of experts in a systematic,
interactive manner. They answer questions in 2 or
more rounds.
• Round 1: answer questions on the likelihood of
future scenarios or issue about which there is
unsure or incomplete answer.
• Round 2: assess the same issue once more taking
the issue of other experts in account. This process
goes on until is stopped by the researcher.
 Sources of Secondary Data
The secondary sources consist of readily available
facts and already complied statistical statements
and reports whose data may be used by
researchers for their studies, like, census reports,
annul report of the Government departments,
financial statement of the companies, etc.
Secondary sources consist of not only published
records and reports but also unpublished records.
 Uses of Secondary Data
(i) Reference Purpose
Some specific information from secondary
sources may be used for reference purpose.
For example, information about number of
registered companies in Malaysia, its capital
structure, performance may be useful to
quoted as a background information in a
study on the performance of a specific
industrial sector.
(ii) Used as Bench Marks
Finding of local or regional survey may be
compared with national average.

(iii) Used as the Sole Source of Information for

Research.
Advantages and Limitations
• Advantages:
– Quick and cheap source of data
– Wider geographical area and longer reference period
– Enables a researcher to verify the findings based on primary
data
• Limitations:
– Data may not meet our specific research need
– The available data may not be as accurate as desired
– Data are not up-to-date
– The source of data may not be available in some cases
 Data Collection Method
• Secondary data can be collected through interviews or
observations.
• Interview:
– It may be defined as a two way systematic
conversation between an investigator and an
informant (respondent), initiated for obtaining
information relevant to a specific study.
• Observation:
– Observation may be defined as a systematic viewing
of a specific phenomenon in its setting for the
specific purpose of gathering data for a particular
study.
 Interview
• Types of Interview:
– Unstructured
– Structured

• Methods of Interview:
– Face-to-face
– Telephone
– Mailed
– Computer Assisted
 Types of Interview
• Unstructured Interview:
– Interview without any planned sequence of
questions that will be asked from the respondents.
The main aim of the interview is to cause some
preliminary issues to surface so that researcher can
decide what variables need further in-depth
investigation.
• Structured Interview:
– Structured interviews are those conducted when it is
know at the outset what information is needed. The
questions will be asked to everybody in the same
manner.
 Tips to follow in Interviewing
Interviewers have to be thoroughly briefed about
the research and trained in how to start an
interview, how to proceed with the questions, how
to motivated respondents to answer and how to
close an interview. They also need to instructed
about taking notes and coding the interview
responses. Good planning, proper training,
offering clear guidelines to interviewers and
supervising their work all help in profitably
utilising the interviewing technique as a viable
data collection mechanism.
Interviewer and interviewees Bias
• Interviewer Bias:
– This kind of bias will appear when there is no
proper trust and rapport with the interviewee or
when the response are either misinterpreted or
distorted.
• Interviewees Bias:
– Interviewees can bias the data when they do not
come out with their true opinions but provide
information that they think is what the interviewer
expects of them or would like to hear.
Methods to Control/Minimize the Bias
Establish Credibility, Rapport and Motivating
Individuals to Response:
To obtain honest information from the
respondents, the researcher/interviewer should be
able to establish rapport and trust with them. The
researcher should state the purpose of the
interview and assure complete confidentiality
about the source of the responses.
 The Questioning Technique
• Ask open end questions first
• Unbiased questions
• Clarifying issues
• Helping the respondent to think through
issues
• Taking notes
Methods of Interview
-Face-to-face
-Telephone
-Mailed
-Computer Assisted
 Face to Face Interview
• Advantages:
– In direct interviews the researcher can adapt the
questions necessary, clarify doubts and ensure that
the respondents understood the question properly.
The researcher can pick up nonverbal cues from the
respondents.
• Limitations:
– Limited geographical coverage, cost of survey is
high, possibility of interviewer bias and the
respondents may feel uneasy to answer the questions
when they interact face to face.
 Telephone Interview
• Advantage:
– With in a short period of time wide geographical
coverage is possible. Most of the respondent may
feel comfortable to answer the questions through
phone then face to face interview.
• Limitations:
– There may be lot of non response problems. The
researcher will not be able to see the respondent
nonverbal communication.
 Mailed Survey
• Advantages:
– Less costly than face to face interview
– Cover extensive geographical area
– Useful in contacting persons such as senor business
executives
– Impersonal, free from interviewer bias
• Limitations:
– Possible to collect information from educated only
– Response rate is low
– The cause for inadequate and non responses can not
be known.
 Computer Assisted
Interview
• Advantages:
– Quick, more accurate information gathering, faster
and easier analysis of date. The cost of data
collection and analysis also low.
• Limitations:
– Similar to mailed survey and telephone interview