FYBBA/Q.T.

(Unit-III)

The technique of collecting data by various methods is explained below. I Direct personal investigation Under this method, the investigator collects data by having direct contact and face- to- face approach with all informants. This method is suitable for an intensive type of investigation where A. The scope of investigation is narrow. B. The process of investigation requires personal attention of the investigator. C. The investigation is confidential and D. More emphasis is to be given to the accuracy of the data. Under this method, the data may be collected by adopting any of the following two ways. A. Interview: In this method, the investigator has to contact the informants from whom the information is to be obtained directly and personally. He puts questions before them regarding the inquiry and collects the required information. The answers supplied by an informant will result in Primary data. B. Observation: According to this method the investigator obtains the data by observing the reactions supplied by an informant as a result of treatment/action performed by an investigator on person under study. He asks no questions, but just observes the reactions in which he is interested. Observation method is particularly helpful in studying the behavior of children, tribal, Dumb and Deaf person and even women, because direct oral interview in their cases will not receive proper responses. This is very useful method in certain marketing studies where consumer behavior is studied. For example, if a woman is asked whether she prefers traditional pattern of garment or modern once, she might express her liking for the traditional ones, but when both types of garments are placed before her, she may actually go for the modern ones.

II Indirect oral investigation This method is generally used in those cases where the information required is of a complex nature and the informants are not willing to respond if approached directly. Here the investigator instead of directly approaching to the informant, contacts third parties known as witness capable of supplying the necessary information. Witnesses are assumed to have knowledge of required information about an actual informant. To access reliability and accuracy of the answers provided by the witness several witnesses has to be approached for single informant. Whereas on the other hand, some times single witness may give information about more number of respondents also.

Police department for clues about thefts and murders uses this procedure by interrogating friends or relatives or third parties capable of supplying the necessary information. III Information from correspondents Under this method of data collection, investigator does not collect the information himself from the person concerned directly. Investigator will appoint Local agents known as Correspondents in different places of the area under investigation to collect the information. The appointed correspondents, on behalf of investigator will collect the necessary information from their allotted territory as and when required. They will then transmit the collected information to the main investigator/central office/head quarter where the information are processed and Primary data are generated. This method is more useful when an investigator requires information at regular interval of time and degree of accuracy is of secondary importance. Newspaper and magazine agencies, News broadcasting agencies generally adopt this method. For example, in the construction of wholesale price index number, regular information is obtained from correspondents appointed in different areas.

IV Mailed questionnaire method According to this method an investigator will formulate list of questions, which are directly or indirectly related with the purpose of inquire. This list of questions either in printed/nicely written form with suitable options and sufficient space to answer is called Questionnaire. A questionnaire including covering letter and self addressed stamped envelope will then sent to various informants through post/mailing service. In this method investigator collect the information through the filling of questionnaires by the respondents. A self addressed and stamped envelop is also enclosed for the informants convenience in returning the field questionnaire. After receiving required number of responses, processing the answers, investigator will get a Primary data.

V Schedules sent through enumerator The basic difference between Questionnaire and Schedules is, questions in the Questionnaire is answered by informant himself in his/her own handwriting while Schedule is the device of obtaining answers to the questions in a form field by an interviewer. According to this method an investigator

will formulate list of questions, which are directly or in directly related with the purpose of inquiry. An investigator will then select a team of require number of enumerators. Enumerators are provided training about purpose of inquiry, method and format of furnishing answers given by informants, tactful way of checking accuracy and reliability of information on the spot by asking different additional questions, collecting supplementary information etc. Enumerators are then provided with standardized schedules or questionnaires and specific instructions are given to them regarding the manner in which schedules are to be filled. The enumerators explain clearly the object of the enquiry, the definitions of basic concept to the informants and record responses themselves in the questionnaire forms. An enumerator will hand over filled schedules to an investigator once they finish up their allotted task. After receiving responses, processing the answers, investigator will get a Primary data. Questionnaires drafting For collecting Statistical data the information obtained is recorded on special designed forms called questionnaire. A questionnaire is nothing but list of questions relating to the problem under investigation. The accuracy of information depends upon the drafting of its questions. Hence, it is extremely important that the questions be designs or drafted very carefully and in tactful manner. There is no hard and fast rule to be followed, but the following general points must always be kept in mind to draft a good questionnaire or schedule. A. The questions should be kept to the minimum ranging from 15 to 20. Because more question will bore informant and too less will not be adequate. B. Only those questions, which are directly related to the problem, be included. C. The questions should short, simple and easy to understand and they should convey one and only one sense. D. As far as possible questions should be of such nature that they can be answered briefly in Yes or No. E. Questions of personal nature should be avoided such as question about source of income, volume of sales etc. F. Question should be such that it can be answered unbiased. G. Question requiring mathematical calculations must be avoided. H. Questions should be in logical order. Merits and Demerits of various methods of collecting Primary data METHODS FACTORS Direct Personal Investigation Indirect Oral Investigation

Information from Correspondents Mailed Questionnaire Method Schedules sent through Enumerators ACCURACY DEPENDS UPON WITNESS SECONDARY INPORTANCE DEPENDS UPON QUALITY OF QUESTIONNAIRE & RESPONCES RELIABILITY

CANT BE EXAMINED

Requirement of TIME

TIME SAVING

FUND

NOT MUCH MOST ECONOMICAL MOST EXPENSIVE MANPOWER

LABOUR LESS

DEGREE OF CO-OPERATION

MAY BE LESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

NOT MUCH ELASTICITY IN DATA COLLECTION*

_
PERSONAL BIAS

AREA OF INVESTIGATION INTENSIVE EXTENSSIVE EXTENSSIVE EXTENSSIVE INTENSIVE TYPE OF POPULATION LITERATE & ILLITERATE LITERATE & ILLITERATE LITERATE & ILLITERATE LITERATE LITERATE & ILLITERATE SOLUTION OF COMPLEX PROBLEM

MAY NOT SOLVE

*: Elasticity in data collection in terms of Language of communication, convenience in time, place etc. Sources of secondary data: The chief sources of secondary data may be broadly classified into the following groups. A. Published sources and (ii) Unpublished sources. B. Published sources: There are number of national organizations and also international agencies which collect statistical data relating to business, trade, labour, consumptions, productions, industries, agriculture, income, currency and exchange, health, populations and number of socio-economic phenomena and published their findings in statistical reports on a regular basis. Below are the brief summary of these sources. C. Official publications of Central government :

A. Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of , .India B. Directorate-General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics-Ministry of Commerce. C. Labor Bureau-Ministry of Labor. D. Directorate of Economics and Statistics-ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. E. The Indian Army Statistical Organization (I.A.S.O)-Ministry of Defense. F. National Sample Survey Organization (N.S.S.O.), Department of Statistics, Ministry of Planning. G. Census data in various census reports, Vital Statistics of India, Indian Population Bulletinall published by Registrar General of India (R.G.I.).
H. In addition to the above organizations a number of department, Directorate general of Supplies and Disposals, Railway, Post and Telegraphs, Central Board of Revenues, Textile Commissioners office and so on publish statistical reports on current problems . D. Publications of Semi-government Statistical Organization s I. Statistics department of the reserve Bank of (Mumbai), which brings out an Annual Report of Bank, currency and Finance. J. Economic department of Reserve Bank of K. The of , .instituteEconomic Growth L. Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, M. The Institute of Foreign Trade, . N. The statistical material published by the institute like Municipal and District Boards, Corporations, Block and Panchayat Samitis on Vital Statistics, health, sanitation and other related subjects provides fairly reliable and useful information. E. Publications of Research Institutions: Individual research scholars, the different departments in the various universities of published their findings in Indian Statistical Institute (I.S.I.), Kolkata and

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (I.C.A.R.), ; Indian Agricultural Statistical Research Institute (I.A.S.R.I.),

National Council of Educational Research and Training (N.C.E.R.T.), ; National Council of Applied Economic research, ;New Delhi

National Council of Applied Man Power Research, The Research, Mumbai; of Indian Standards Institute, .

A. Publications of Commercial and Financial Institutions: Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) ; of of , Trade Unions, Stock Exchanges, Bank Bodies, Co-operative Societies, etc. publishes reports and statistical material on current economic, business and other phenomena.InstituteChartered Accountant s A. Reports of various Committees and Commissions appointed by the government . B. Newspapers and periodicals. C. International Publications. United Nations Organizations (U.N.O.); World Health Organization (W.H.O.) on contagious diseases; Annual report on International Labor Organization (I.L.O.) ; International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.); World Bank; Economic and Social commission for and Pacific (ESCAP);Asi a International Finance Corporation (I.F.C.) ; International Statistical Education Institute; are very valued publications of secondary data . (ii) Unpublished Source: The statistical data need not be always published. There are various sources of unpublished statistical material such as the records maintained by private firms or business enterprise who may not like to release their data to any outside agencies; the various department and office of the Central and State governments; the research carried out by the individual research scholars in the universities or research institutes.

Editing Secondary data The Secondary data must be used with caution. According to Bowley It is never safe to take published statistics at their face value without knowing their meanings and limitations and it are always necessary to criticize arguments that can be based on them. Statistics collected by other people cannot be fully dependable upon the following points in view, they should not be used. 1. They should be reliable. 2. They should be suitable.

3. They should be adequate.