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• Introduction
• Data collection is a component of research
implementation carried out following the proposal
development stage
CHAPTER 5 • It is a systematic method of gathering data from different
sources in order to find out answers to the research
questions (objectives)
Methods of Data Collection • Research data can be collected from a variety of sources
using different methods
• “Garbage in Garbage Out”-False data provides wrong
output and wrong conclusion

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Types of data: • Using primary and secondary data sources have their own
1) Primary data and advantages and limitations
2) Secondary data sources Advantages of primary data
Primary sources: • Primary data is usually up to date since collected in real-
• Provide raw data and first-hand evidence time
• It allows the researcher a direct access to the study subject
• The researcher has full control over the data collection
Secondary sources:
process
• Provide a second-hand information generated by others.
• Primary data is more reliable than secondary sources
• It refers to the data collected in the past by someone else
• Secondary sources are usually once primary data but Disadvantages of primary data
become secondary later when used by others. • More expensive compared to secondary data.
• Examples include journal articles and books • Time-consuming

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Advantages of Secondary data Methods of Data collection

Easily accessible compared to primary data
• Method of data collection depends on the research
Are usually freely available approach and nature of data to be collected
Less time-consuming Based on the nature research approach
It makes possible to carry out historical studies
I. Qualitative research approach
It helps to develop new insights into existing primary data
II. Quantitative research approach
Disadvantages of Secondary data
May not be reliable, the researcher may need to verify the
data
Some data might be exaggerated due to personal bias
It may become outdated

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Qualitative research approach:

Common Methods of Data Collection
• An approach focusing on non-numerical data and related
1. Review of literature
ways of analysis
2. Questionnaires
• Emphasizes on qualitative results.
3. Focus group discussions (FGDs)
• Example, it explores attitudes, behavior and experiences
4. Field observations and ground surveying
of respondents
5. Experiments
Quantitative research approach:
• It involves numerical or statistical data.
• Finally the data is analyzed quantitatively

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1. Literature review
• Used to collect secondary data sources
• This involves collection of data from published or
unpublished documents
• Examples: textbooks, government reports, published
articles etc.
• 2. Questionnaires
• Used to collect primary data sources
• The three common types of questionnaires are:
• Structured
• Semi-structured
• Unstructured
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Unstructured:
Contains open-ended questions exclusively
• Such questionnaires do not contain boxes to tick, but instead
a blank section for the respondent to write an answer
• Mainly used in qualitative research,
• Some researchers may quantify the answers during the
analysis stage
• As there are no standard answers to such questions, data
analysis is more complex.
• eg. what people think about a service?
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Structured:
• Contains closed-ended questions only
• Has standard answers (e.g. yes/no, boxes to tick in)
• Used to generate statistics in quantitative research.
• Eg. how many people use a service?
• The answer might be 70% or 500
Semi-structured:
• Contains both open-ended and close-ended questions.
• Is more commonly used
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• Therefore, once you choose a questionnaire as a tool of
data collection, you need to decide whether to construct a
closed-ended, open-ended or a combination of questions
• In open questions, respondents use their own words to
answer a question,
• Whereas in closed questions prewritten response
categories are provided
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• In addition, the researcher has to decide whether the Structure of questions

questionnaire is to be:
• Questionnaires:
Self-administered or Interviewer administered
• Should be short and simple
Self-administered:
• Should not be double-barreled(two question in one)-
• Self-administered questionnaires can be sent through post,
or distributed via the internet
instead split it into two
• The respondent fills it in on his/her own, away from the • Avoid nonsense and technical terms whenever
researcher possible
Interviewer administered: • Avoid uncertainty (words with double meanings)
• Respondents are asked by the researcher (or enumerator)
and interactive discussion occurs for open-ended questions

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Advantage of FGD
3. Focus group discussion/FGD
• Enable to obtain a wide range of responses from
• Focus groups refer to discussion groups or group participants
interviews • Allows interactive conversation among participants
• A group of people are asked to come together to • Helps respondents to remember issues they might be
discuss on a certain issue forgotten
• The discussion is led by a moderator or facilitator who • The group effect is a useful resource in data analysis
introduces the topic, asks specific questions, controls
deviations from the topic
• Make sure that no one should dominates the discussion
to ensure each of the participants makes a contribution.

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Disadvantage 4. Field observation and ground surveying

• Some people may be uncomfortable in a group setting
• Every one may not contribute to the group discussion
and may be dominated by some of the group members
• Others participants may influence individual views
• Difficult to extract individual views during data analysis.
• Field data collection using tools such as GPS, theodolite
and total station
Example:
• Capturing locations of ground reference samples for land
use/land cover classification using Remote Sensing
images
• Taking geodetic reference points with DGPS
• Tracking road networks etc

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5. Experiments Sample size determination

• Experimental research method where the relationship
between two variables is going to be examined. • From a given population the sample size is
• One of the variables can be manipulated, and the other is determined by:
measured.
• These two variables are classified as dependent and 𝑁
𝑛=
independent variables. 1+𝑁 𝑒 2

• In experimental research, data are mostly collected based on Where

the cause and effect of the two variables being studied. N – population size
• This type of research is common among medical
n – sample size
researchers, and it uses quantitative research approach.
e – margin of error