Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Data Collection Methods
Data Collection Methods
Data Collection Methods
Data Collection?
Easily accessible
Less expensive
Sometime more accurate than primary
data
Sometime information only available in
secondary data (E.g. population count)
It can enhance primary data (year wise Samples)
Provides basis for comparison
Ensure no duplications
Primary Data - Limitations
Interviews
Focus groups
Questionnaires
Experiments and observational study
Un-documented
(Pic, Audio, Video)
Structured Semi-structured
Un-Structured Focused Groups
Observation Method
Watching carefully what is happening without
asking the respondent
Oldest data Collection Method
Steps of observing
Sensations (Use 5 senses to collect information)
Attention (Watch only relevant information carefully and attentively)
Perception (Predict something from the gathered information)
Examples
– Traffic patterns, land use patterns
– Layout of city and rural areas, quality of housing
– Condition of roads, conditions of buildings
Ways of Recording
Observations
Observation (Conti…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HEnohs6yYw
Benefits of Observation
Provides exact and real information that what is
going on in any event or place.
Inexpensive method
Can be initiated or stopped at any time
All obtained data is useable
All subjects are potential respondents
Produces large dataset
It eliminates biases at respondent’s end
Disadvantages of
Observation
Observer should have proper trainings and
Skills
Biases might be involved at observer’s end
In case of one or more new events the
single observer cannot be present
everywhere.
Past observations cannot be evaluated
Common Types of
Observations
Participant Observation: In which Observer(s)
participate(s) in ongoing activities and then records
observations mostly by knowing them that they are
being observed .
Non-Participants Observation: In which Observer
did not participate in on going activities but just
observe the subjects mostly by knowing them.
Structured Observation: Observer follows planned
set of rules to observe when to observe what? for how
much time.
Unstructured Observation: Freely observations by
observer without following the predefined rules etc.
Main Roles of Observer During
Observation
Complete Participant (the observer becomes a member
of the group being studied and does not tell the members
that they are being observed).
Complete Observer (the observer observes as an
outsider and does not tell the people they are being
observed).
Participant-as-observer (the observer spends full time with
the group as an insider and tells the members they are being
observed).
Observer-as-participant (the observer spends a limited
amount of time in observing the group members and tells the
members that they are being observed).
Library Example with
Observation Method
Observation method is used in libraries, collected data is analyzed,
and the outcome is used for improvement of the library
INTERVIEW
Can be conducted
face to face, by telephone,
online or through Email
Common Types of
Interviews
Fully Structured or Directive Interview
Unstructured or Non-directive interview
Focused or Semi-Structured Interview
“Focus-Group” Interview
Structured or Directive
Interview
Interview questions are made by following a
standardized/fixed or planned patterns
The same questions with same orders and wordings
are asked from each respondent
Changes in question’s wording and order are not
permitted
Usually this method follows for large scale surveys
having large population.
Allow others to express their own ideas or views related to the given
topic/issue
Gives in-depth understanding, and new insights related to the topic