1 Data Gathering 1

Nursing Research
Data Gathering/Collection
Methods
Copyright © 2018, 2012, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Introduction
• Questionnaires are one of the most common data-
collection methods used by nurse researchers.
– Other methods include:

▪ Interviews.
▪ Observational methods.
▪ Various physiological and psychological measures.
Questionnaire
• Self-report instrument
• Come in a variety of formats and delivery options.
• Some questionnaires are short, others are lengthy.
Questionnaires (1 of 27)
• Development of a reliable and valid questionnaire is
difficult.
– Many literature resources available for use in
construction.
– Help can be sought from experts.
• May be used to measure:
– Knowledge levels
– Opinions
– Attitudes
– Beliefs
– Ideas
– Feelings
– Perceptions
– Factual information about respondents
• Validity
– Governed by the respondents’ willingness or ability to
provide accurate information
• Only method for certain human response data
• More presentations of nursing research are derived from
questionnaires than any other method.
• Overall Appearance of a Questionnaire
– No typing or spelling errors
▪ Researchers must always proof their
questionnaires.
– High-quality printing and paper
– Neat and attractive
– Minimal length
– Grammatically correct
– Clear margins and adequate spacing
• Language and Reading Level of Questions
– Written in the respondents’ preferred language
– Appropriate knowledge and reading level of least-
educated respondents
▪ Health literacy
– Avoid slang expressions, colloquialisms, and medical
or nursing jargon
• Language and Reading Level of Questions
– The Flesch Reading Ease
– The Fog Readability Formula
– The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
– Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG)
• Length of Questionnaires and Questions
– Questionnaire length
▪ May influence respondents’ willingness to
participate
▪ Short questionnaires are more likely to be returned
▪ Limit required completion time to 10 minutes or less
▪ Not longer than two or three pages
• Length of Questionnaires and Questions
– Question construction
▪ Keep questions as short as possible
▪ Desirable length is less than 20 words.
▪ Divide a long question into two questions
• Wording of Questions
– State questions in an affirmative rather than a negative
manner.
– Avoid ambiguous questions.
– Avoid double negative questions
– Questions should contain neutral wording.
– Avoid double-barreled questions.
• Types of Questions
– Demographic
– Open- and closed-ended
– Contingency
– Filler
Demographic Questions
▪ Gather data on characteristics of the sample
▪ Characteristics of sample = demographic or attribute
variables
– Age
– Educational background
– Religious affiliation
Closed-ended Questions
▪ Respondents are asked to choose from given
alternatives.
– True-or-false questions
– Checklist type questions
– Multiple-choice questions
– Matching questions
Closed-Ended Questions
▪ Response categories must be:
– Collectively exhaustive.
• All possible answers are provided
– Mutually exclusive.
• No overlap between categories
– Open-Ended Questions
▪ Respondents complete questions in their own
words.
– Essay questions
– Fill-in-the-blank questions
– Contingency Questions
▪ Are relevant for some respondents and not for
others
– Have you ever been hospitalized before?
______Yes/No. (If No, go on to question number
5)
– How would you rate the care you received during
your last hospitalization? ____ Poor ____ Fair
____ Good
– Filler Questions
▪ Items in which the researcher has no direct interest
▪ Included to reduce the emphasis on the specific
purpose of other questions
• Placement of Questions
– Group all questions about a certain topic together.
– Put demographic questions at beginning or end.
• Cover Letter
– Accompanies all mailed questionnaires
– Should be brief
– Important factor for motivation
• Cover Letter
– Elements of a cover letter
▪ Identification of the researcher and any sponsoring
agency or person
▪ Purpose of the research
▪ How participant was selected
▪ Reason the respondent should answer the
questionnaire
▪ Length of time to complete the questionnaire
• Cover Letter
– Elements of a cover letter
▪ How data will be used or made public
▪ Deadline for return of questionnaire
▪ An offer to inform respondent of results of study
▪ Researcher’s contact phone numbers, address, or
both
▪ Personal signature of the researcher
• Completion Instructions
– Should be clear and concise
– Provide examples of the appropriate way to respond to
particular questions, if needed.
• Distribution of Questionnaires
– Made available at a convenient location
– Through a mailing or distribution system
– Online
• Factors Encouraging Response Rates
– Time of mailing
– Hand-addressed outer envelopes
– Personal signature of the researcher
– Motivational information
– Neatness and clarity
• Factors Encouraging Response Rates
– Ease of completion
– Time required to complete the instrument
– Guarantee of anonymity
– Inclusion of a preaddressed, stamped envelope
– Incentive for completion
• Advantages of Questionnaires
– Quick and generally inexpensive
– Easy to test for reliability and validity
– Administration is time efficient.
– Can obtain data from widespread geographical areas
– Respondents can remain anonymous.
– Anonymous respondents are likely to be honest.
• Disadvantages of Questionnaires
– Costly to mail if there is a large volume
– Potential low response rate
– Respondents may provide socially acceptable answers
or fail to answer.
– Respondents may fail to answer some of the items.
• Disadvantages of Questionnaires
– No opportunity to clarify items that may be
misunderstood
– Respondents must be literate.
– Respondents must have no prohibitory physical
handicap.
– Respondents may not be representative of the
population.
Interviews (1 of 26)
• Method of data collection
• Interviewer obtains responses.
– Face-to-face encounters
– By telephone
– Online
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Nursing Research

– Other methods include:

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