Primary Data and Secondary Data:

1. Primary Data: are fresh data collected directly from the field. They are 1st hand data.Methods of collecting Primary data are :
Direct Observation method

Direct or indirect personal interview

Local Correspondence method Questionnaire Method

1. Secondary Data: they are second hand data collected from magazines and journals. Important sources of secondary data: Published sources; reports and publications of central and state Govt departments, International bodies, research institutions, magazines and news papers Unpublished sources; records maintained at Govt offices, research institutions, research scholars.

Classification: Systematic grouping of the units according to their common characteristics. Functions: It reduces the bulk of the data.

It simplifies the data.

It facilitates comparison of characteristics. It renders the data ready for statistical analyses.

Types of classification:
1. Geographical classification(spatial) 2. Chronological(temporal) 3. Qualitative 4. quantitative

Frequency Distribution:systematic presentation of the values taken by the variable with the corresponding frequencies is called FD of that variable. There are two types of frequency distributions 1. Discrete 2. Continuous If the range of the variable is vast it is divided into mutually exclusive subranges called Class Interval. The difference between the class limits of a class intervals is the width of the class interval. Class marks is the mid points of the class intervals. The number of observations in any class is the frequency.

In a frequency distribution the number of observations with value less than given value is less than CF. the no of observations with a value more than a given value is more the a CF.Usually less than correspond to upper limit and more than CF correspond to lower limit.

Frequency density: it is ratio of the frequency to the width of the class interval i.e., D=f/w. it has significance when the class are of unequal width. Relative frequency:it is the chance that an observetion belongs to a particular class given by R.f=f/N.

Inclusive and exclusive classes.

Bivariate frequency distribution: frequency distribution of a single variable is univariate, of two variables it is bi-variate freq dist and of more than two variable it is called multi variable freq dist. In a bi-variate freq dist if the dist of one variable only is considered it is called marginal freq dist.

In a bi-variate freq dist if the dist of one variable subject to the condition in post on the other variable is considered it is called conditional freq dist.

Rules of Classification: Range of the variable should be obtained

The no of classes should be between 5 and 15, the no of classes can be decided by using Sturges Rules. The rule is, no of class intervals K=1+3.2log N where N is total no of observations.
Class intervals should be of equal width. They should be arranged in ascending order. As far as possible exclusive classes must be used only of the variable is discrete inclusive classes are used.

Thank You