Courses : Research Methodology

Lecturer: Hasratudin

Collecting Quantitative Data

Created By:
1. Name : Cut Fadza Sadida
2. ID : 4163312006
3. Class : Bilingual Mathematics Education

MATHEMATICS DEPARTEMENT
FACULTY OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCES
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2018
 PREFACE

Thank God we pray to the presence of God Almighty because of the blessing and grace of
His paper Collecting Quantitative Data can be completed.
We would like to thank Our Lecturer of Research Methodology of, The foundation has
provided an explanation of the preparation of this paper. We also thank the friends who have
helped in the preparation of this paper.
If there are any shortcomings in this paper, we as the apologizers perform the task of
remembering we are still in the learning stage. We hope you lecturers always provide
direction and guidance for us for the future.
Thus this paper, the authors hope this paper can be useful for writers in particular and general
readers.

Medan, September 2018

Author

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 CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
A. Background
The process of collecting quantitative data consists of more than simply collecting
data. You decide on what participants you will study. Then you obtain their
permission to be studied.
You identify the types of measures that will answer your researchquestion, and you
locate instruments to use. Then, you can begin collecting data. This chapter discusses
these five steps.
B. Purpose
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
◆State the fi ve steps in the process of quantitative data collection.
◆Identify how to select participants for a study.
◆Identify the permissions needed for a study.
◆List different options for collecting information.
◆Locate, select, and assess an instrument(s) for use in data collection.
◆Describe procedures for administering quantitative data collection.

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 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION
There are five steps in the process of quantitative data collection. This process involvesmore
than simply gathering information; it includes interrelated steps. It involves thesteps of
determining the participants to study, obtaining permissions needed from several individuals
and organizations, considering what types of information to collect from several sources
available to the quantitative research, locating and selecting instruments to use that will net
useful data for the study, and fi nally, administering the data collection process to collect
data.
1. Identify How to Select Participants for a Study
The first step is to select participants for the study. This selection involves specifying the
population and sample, determining how you will choose the participants, and decidingon
an appropriate sample size.
a. Identify your unit of analysis
Who can supply the information that you will use to answer your quantitative research
questions or hypotheses? Some possibilities might be students, teachers, parents,
adults, some combination of these individuals, or entire schools. At this early stage in
data collection,you must decide at what level (e.g., individual, family, school, school
district) the dataneeds to be gathered. This level is referred to as the unit of analysis.
In some researchstudies, educators gather data from multiple levels (e.g., individuals
and schools), whereasother studies involve collecting data from only one level (e.g.,
principals in schools). Thisdecision depends on the questions or hypotheses that you
seek to answer. Also, the datafor measuring the independent variable may differ from
the unit for assessing the dependentvariable.
b. Specify the population and sample
Identify the population and sample for a study. There are several types of probability
and nonprobability sampling. The most rigorous sampling will be simple random
sampling. However, the research circumstances may dictate a form ofnonprobability
sampling.

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c. Sample size
When selecting participants for a study, it is important to determine the size of the
sample you will need. A general rule of thumb is to select as large a sample as
possible fromthe population. The larger the sample, the less the potential error is that
the sample willbe different from the population. This difference between the sample
estimate and thetrue population score is called sampling error. If you were to select
one sample afteranother, the average score of each sample would likely differ from
the true average scorefor the entire population.

2. Identify the Permissions Needed for a Study

The second step is to obtain permission from the participants to be involved in yourstudy.
Permissions may be needed from leaders of institutions or organizations, individuals at
specifi c sites, participants (and their parents, for minor children), and a
campusinstitutional review board.
 Process of Obtaining Approval from Review Boards
there are some basic steps that both student and faculty
researchers complete when seeking approval. Understanding this process will help
you evaluate the ethics of a published study and determine if you are proceeding
ethically inyour study.
1. Start by fi nding out about the review process used by the institutional review
board
on your campus.
2. Determine what information the review board needs about your project.
3. Develop an informed consent form for participants to sign before they
participatein the study.

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 4. Submit a description of your proposed study to the institutional review board.
3. List Different Options for Collecting Information
The third step is to decide what type or types of data to collect. This decision beginswith
specifying the variables in your research questions or hypotheses, defi ning these
variables, and seeking measures that operationalize these defi nitions. Typical quantitative
data consists of measures of performance and attitudes, observations of behavior, and
records and documents.

 Specify variables from research questions and hypotheses

Research questions and hypotheses contain variables. To determine what data
need to be collected, you need to identify clearly the variables in your study. This
will include independent, dependent, and control variables. A useful strategy is to
make a list of the variables so that you can determine what variables are operating
in a study.
 Operationally define each variable.
Many defi nitions of variables are possible, such as a dictionary defi nition, but
researchers use an operational defi nition. An operational definition is the specifi
cation of how you will defi ne and measure the variable in your study
 Choose types of data and measures

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 With operational defi nitions for your variables, you next need to identify types of
data that will measure your variables. Researchers collect data on instruments. An
instrument is a tool for measuring, observing, or documenting quantitative data.
Identifi ed before the researchers collect data, the instrument may be a test,
questionnaire, tally sheet, log, observational checklist, inventory, or assessment
instrumentn quantitative research, four major types of information are gathered,
a. Performance Measures
b. Attitudinal Measures
c. Behaviorial Observations
d. Factual Information
4. Locate, Select, and Assess an Instrument(s) for Use in Data Collection
The fourth step is to locate, modify, or develop instruments that provide these measures.
The easiest procedure is to use an existing instrument or modify one rather than develop
your own instrument. Procedures exist for searching for an instrument, and when you find
one that may be satisfactory, consider whether scores from past uses of it are reliable and
valid, whether the procedure for recording information fi ts your research questions/
hypotheses, and whether the scales will measure either categorical or continuous data.
a. Locate or Develop an Instrument
Three options exist for obtaining an instrument to use: you can develop one yourself,
locate one and modify it, or locate one and use it in its entirety. Of these choices, locating
one to use (either modifying it or using it in its original form) represents the easiest
approach. It is more diffi cult to develop an instrument than to locate one and modify it
for use in a study.
b. Serch for an instrument
Whether you search for one instrument or several to use, several strategies can aid in
your search:
◆ Look in published journal articles. Often authors of journal articles will report
instruments and provide a few sample items so that you can see the basic content
included in the instrument.
◆Run an ERIC search.
◆Examine guides to tests and instruments that are available commercially.
c. Criteria for choosing a good instrument
 Realibility

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  Validity

d. Interval/ratio scales
Another popular scale researchers use is an interval or rating scale. Interval scales (or
rating scales or continuous scales) provide “continuous” response options to
questions withassumed equal distances between options. These scales may have
three, four, or moreresponse options.
5. Describe Procedures for Administering Quantitative Data Collection
The actual process of collecting data differs depending on the data and the instruments
or documents you use. However, two aspects are standard across all forms of data and
they deserve attention: the use of standard procedures and ethical practices.
a. Standardization
Performance measures, attitudinal measures, and observations rely on instruments.
These instruments may consist of questionnaires that researchers mail to
participants or hand out individually to people, surveys often administered in
person or over the telephone, and observational checklists that researchers
complete. Quantitative investigators also use instruments when they conduct face-
to-face interviews with individuals or for a group of individuals.
In all of these cases, it is important to use standard procedures. When procedures
vary, you introduce bias into the study and the data for individuals may not be
comparable for analysis. Written procedures, as well as other data collectors
assisting in the process,

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 help keep you on track. For interviewing using an instrument, you apply the same
procedures to each individual. Instructions provided on the interview form will
help ensure that you follow a standard process. If others help in interviewing, you
will need to train them so that the procedures used by all interviewers are
consistent. This training might involve a demonstration interview, followed by a
trial interview and a critique of the trial so that all trainees follow the same
procedures.
In collecting observational data, training must occur fi rst so that the researchers
can collect data using standard procedures. A process similar to the one used in
interviewing demonstration, trial run, and a critique might be used.
Researchers also collect public documents by obtaining permission to access this
information and then taking notes or recording the information in a computer fi le.
Establishing a database of categories of information helps to organize this
information. This organization is especially important when you combine data
from several sources into one file for analysis
b. Ethical Issue
Data collection should be ethical and it should respect individuals and sites. Obtaining
permission before starting to collect data is not only a part of the informed consent
process but is also an ethical practice. Protecting the anonymity of individuals by
assigning numbers to returned instruments and keeping the identity of individuals
confi dential offers privacy to participants. During data collection, you must view the
data as confi dential and not share it with other participants or individuals outside of
the project. You need to respect the wishes of individuals who choose not to
participate in your study. Even when they consent to participate, people may back out
or not show up for an observation or interview. Attempts to reschedule may be futile
and you may need to select another person for data collection rather than force an
individual to participate.
In terms of the research site, you need to recognize that all researchers disrupt the site
they are studying, however minimally it might be. Observing in a classroom, for
example, may disturb learning by distracting teachers and students, especially when
you observe them closely and write down observations about their behavior on
checklists. By obtaining permissions and clearly communicating the purpose of the
study before you collect data, you can lessen the reservations some individuals may
have about your presence in their educational setting.

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 CHAPTER III
CLOSING
A. Conclusion
◆ When collecting data for a study, plan to engage in fi ve steps: selecting
participants, obtaining permissions, selecting types of data, identifying instruments,
and administering data collection.
◆ Identify the population and sample for a study. There are several types of
probability and nonprobability sampling. The most rigorous sampling will be simple
random sampling. However, the research circumstances may dictate a form of
nonprobability sampling. Select as large a sample as possible. Use sampling formulas
to be systematic in selecting the size of the sample.
◆ Obtain permission to conduct a study. A research study often requires multiple
levels of permission, ranging from campus institutional review boards to
organizational and site leaders to individual participants. The process of seeking
approval from a campus institutional review board may consist of several steps.
◆Consider the provisions that need to be included in a consent form
◆Consider how the research questions or hypotheses will be answered when deciding
on what data type(s) to use. Then identify your variables, operationally defi ne them,
and select measures (e.g., performance and attitudes, observations of behavior, and
factual and personal data) that fi t the operational defi nitions.
◆ Decide whether to develop your own instrument or to use or modify an existing
instrument for your research. Locating instruments is the easiest choice, and several
library references provide good access to them.
◆Consider the types of scales you plan to use on your instruments. These scales will
affect the types of statistics to be used in analyzing the data. Make sure they relate to
your questions.
◆Before deciding on an instrument to use, make sure that the scores from past uses of
it are reliable and valid. There are several forms of reliability and of validity.
◆Determine whether the administration procedure will provide self-reported data
or researcher-reported data. This will depend on the type of data to be collected

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REFERENCES