CoSc 4121

Research Method in Computer Science

Chapter 6
Data
Collection and
Analysis
 ● Data Collection (primary
and secondary data)
● Analysis of Data with
case studies
OUTLINE

3
 Data
● Any fact or information required as input for
conducting the research.
● The data should be collected and analyzed before its
use.
Data Collection and
Data Collection
Analysis
● is defined as a method and process of collecting data which
is required for the purpose and organizing it

Data Analysis
● is a process of turning the collected data into useful that
will be useful for a research.

Data Source

● Data can be from Primary data source or from Secondary

data source
 Primary Data
● Data collected directly from any body who is
impacted by or impacted a research result.
● Data collected for the first time are called
primary data.
Data Source ● The methods mostly used in collecting
primary data are survey, observation and
experiment.
● Primary Data collection can be online (online
form, phone, etc…) or in-person

Secondary Data
● data collected and used once are called
secondary data.
● It becomes much easier to collect
secondary data than the primary ones.
● Secondary data can be collected from
several sources.
 ● The methods mostly used in collecting primary
data are
○ Survey, which include interview and
questionnaire
○ Observation
○ Experiment.
Primary Data Collection ● Generally, all these methods are not used in a
Method same project, because they have both good and
bad aspects.
● The question which method should be selected
depends on the nature, time and cost. Or
method should be selected according to the
nature, time and cost
● Survey: Collecting data through interviews of
the people or questionnaire is called survey
method.
● Data can be collected through the means of
in-person (individuals), telephones, mails etc.
 Data can be collected through the means of in-person (individuals),
telephones, mails etc.
● Persons/individuals:
○ Data can be collected by taking interviews from the different
Data Collection ○
person/individuals or requesting to fill out a questionnaire.
This method is more flexible than the telephone and mail interview.
Method ○ During the interview time, if the person being interviewed gives
incomplete answer, it can be made clear asking repeatedly to complete
the answer.
● Telephone:
○ Survey can be done through telephone.
○ As different personalities can be contacted through telephone
anywhere from center, this medium saves cost and time.
○ This medium is quicker than others for prompt survey.
● Mail:
○ Data can be collected through mail.
○ In this method, questionnaire is sent to potential respondents.
○ They also send the answers back through mail.
○ This medium is less expensive than the personal interview and becomes
more useful for national survey.
 Observation Method
● Data collection can be done with observation , i.e. collecting data by
observing activities of persons and also called observation method.
● Observation may be personal or mechanical. Complete and accurate
data can be collected through observation method.
○ Personal observation: This method is more useful to collect data about
Data Collection ○
sellers’ performance and their priority given to the brand.
Mechanical observation: Mechanical observation can be done in various

Method
forms. For instance, scanner can be used in retail stores for keeping purchase
record. Similarly, camera can be used to keep person’s reaction in video form.

Experimental method:
● Primary data can be collected through experimental method.
● Experimental works are done in lab and field for collection of primary data.
○ Laboratory experiment:
■ The testing or trying out in lab is called laboratory experiment.
■ Laboratory is used to taste/examine the components of marketing
strategy.
○ Field experiment:
■ The other method used to understand the consumers’ reaction is field
experiment.
■ This is also like a laboratory, but it is done remaining in real situation.
Test marketing is a field experiment.
 ● The data used once are called secondary data.
● It becomes much easier to collect secondary data than the
primary ones.
● Secondary data can be collected from several sources.
The main sources are as follows:
Library
Secondary Data ● Library is the best source for collection of secondary data.
Source ● All kinds of books, all publications, research oriented legal
documents, researched publications, useful materials,
magazines, newspapers, official publication etc. can be
found in libraries
Government
● Government publications are also the important sources
for collection of secondary data.
● organizations should compulsorily submit their annual
reports of income-statement, balance sheet, cash flow
statement etc. to the government bodies. Such reports
and statements are also the sources of secondary data
 Trade, professional and business associations
● Trade, professional and business associations also give
information about their activities through different kinds of
publications. Some business organizations have their own
library
Secondary Data Private business firm
● Private business firms collect important data.
Source ● They cover almost the addresses, phone no. estimated income,
purchasing habit etc. in them of almost every business. Such
data can be a good area for the secondary data source.
Advertising media
● Magazines, newspapers, radios and televisions prepare useful
data for householders and business organizations.
● This report gives information about population, retail sale,
income etc.
University research organization
● Research Organizations are formed in big universities. Such
organizations carry out local, national and international level
researches and publish.
 Steps 1: State the information you want to collect
○ The first thing you’re going to do even before starting to frame the
questions, is actually identifying what information you really want.
○ Ultimately, the data you collect should give you all the answers to
the questions you had when you thought of driving a survey.
Step 2: Set a time period for collecting data
○ Next, you can start on deciding how much time you want to give
Data Collection the data to flood in.
○ A survey process cannot go forever, and it cannot be done in a day.
Steps Step 3: Define data collection method
● In this step, looking at the number of respondents you are aiming
to achieve, you can decide on which data collection method you
want to use for your survey.
● It can be anything from the list we discussed before.

Step 4: Collect the data

● Now you can begin to collect your data. You can make use of
automated data collection platforms that collect the data for you
from various sources and keep them in one place.
Step 5: Analyze the data an implement
● This is the end of your research. You have all the information you
need in your hands now, and all you have to do is analyze it
 ● When we talk about analyzing data there is an order to follow in order to
extract the needed conclusions.
● The analysis process consists of 5 key stages
○ Identify:
■ first you need to identify why do you need the data in the first
place.
■ The identification is the stage in which you establish the
Data Analysis ○ Collect:
questions you will need to answer.

Method ■ As its name suggests, this is the stage where you start collecting
the needed data.
■ Here, you define which sources of information you will use and
how you will use them.
○ Clean:
■ Once you have the necessary data it is time to clean it because
not all datas are useful and leave it ready for analysis.
○ Analyze:
■ With the help of various techniques such as statistical analysis,
regressions, neural networks, text analysis, and more, you can
start analyzing and manipulating your data to extract relevant
conclusions.
○ Interprete:
■ Last but not least you have one of the most important steps: it is
time to interpret your results.
 Data analysis methods can be grouped with the following main analysis

● Descriptive analysis - What happened:

○ The descriptive analysis method is the starting point to any analytic
reflection, and it aims to answer the question of what happened?
○ Done by ordering, manipulating, and interpreting raw data from
various sources to turn it into valuable insights for the research.
Data Analysis ● Exploratory analysis - How to explore data relationships:
○ main aim of the exploratory analysis is to explore.
categories ○ Exploratory analysis enables you to find connections and generate
hypotheses and solutions for specific problems.
● Diagnostic analysis - Why it happened:
○ Diagnostic data analytics empowers analysts and executives by
helping them gain a firm contextual understanding of why
something happened.
● Predictive analysis - What will happen.:
○ Predictive method allows you to look into the future to answer the
question: what will happen?
○ uses the results of the previously mentioned descriptive,
exploratory, and diagnostic analysis
● Prescriptive analysis - How will it happen:
○ Prescriptive data techniques cross over from predictive analysis in
the way that it revolves around using patterns or trends to develop
responsive, practical business strategies.
 The following are essential types of data analysis methods among with some use cases in
the business world:

● Cluster analysis:
○ The action of grouping a set of data elements in a way that said
elements are more similar (in a particular sense) to each other than
to those in other groups
Data Analysis ●
○ This method is often used to find hidden patterns in the data.
Cohort analysis:
Methods ○ data analysis method uses historical data to examine and compare
a determined segment of users' behavior.
● Regression analysis:
○ Regression uses historical data to understand how a dependent
variable's value is affected when one (linear regression) or more
independent variables (multiple regression) change or stay the
same
● Neural networks:
○ The neural network forms the basis for the intelligent algorithms of
machine learning.
○ It is a form of analytics that attempts, with minimal intervention, to
understand how the human brain would generate insights and
predict values.
○ Neural networks learn from each and every data transaction,
meaning that they evolve and advance over time.
End of Chapter Six
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End of Course
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