Unit - 2

Methods of Data Collection

Data
It is numerical description of quantitative aspects of things.
Ex. number of students in class

Sources of Data
1.Primary data
• Information gathered first time
• It is personal or official opinion of individual
• Done with interview, observation
2.Secondary data
• Info is already existing sources
• Publications, journals, books,magazines, newspaper
• Reports prepared by research scholars
3.Teritiary data
• Interpretation of secondary source
• Data can be collected through handbooks,bibligraphies
Methods of Data Collection
Primary data
1.Observation method
2.Direct personal interviews
3.Indirect oral interviews
4.Info from correspondents
5.Questionaire methods
6.Schedule sent through Enumerators
Secondary data
1.Published sources
2.Unpublished sources
Others methods of data collection
1.Warranty cards
2.Store audits
3.Pantry audits
4.Consumer panels
5.Mechanical devices
6.Projective Techniques
7.Play techniques
8.Sociometry
Primary data
1.Observation method
• without asking questions from the respondents
• Done in work environment ,labs
Types of observation methods
i.Type of activity under observation
• Done through behavioural and non behavioral activities
• Behavioural analysis – spatial and linguistic analysis
• non behavioural analysis – interest,boredom,anger,tension
ii.Directness of the observation
• Observer physically present and monitors
• observer overloaded when event happens quickly
iii.Concealment
• participant may or may not be aware of observer presence
• if participants are known the observer have chances of giving negative results
• eg.salesperson dealing with customer
iv.Participation
• The presence of observer and his involvment in research setting is called
participation
• observer makes a record,tabulate them in systematic manner
v. Definite structure
• Done with structure and unstructure observation
• preplanned about the participants such as recording,selection of data
Merits of observation
• simplicity
• Realistic
• Greater reliability of conclusions
• verified
Demerits
• subjective explanation
• slowness of investigation
• Expensive method
• inadequacy
2.Direct personal interviews – face to face of collecting data
and interviewer asks them questions and get respective
answers
Merits
• Respondents are encouraged and pass info
• info is very clear
• Twist questions and collects the exact answer
• Adjust language according to level of person
Demerits
• Expensive if respondents are large in number
• Greater chance of personal bias
• Interviewers have to be trained and experienced
• Time consuming
3.Indirect oral interviews
• Exact responses they need to collect from the respondents
• Done with appropriate questions and cross examination
Ex.drug addition
4.Info from correspondents
• collection of data with local agents or correspondents in different places
• Very cheap method
• eg.strikes,accidents . . Etc
5.Questionaire methods
a.Personally administered questionaire
collection of data from respondents by personally and done in very quick
manner
b.Mail questionaire
• mailing the questionaire or sending through post
• structured or unstructured questions
Types of questionnaire
a.Structured questionaire – questions presented to respondents with fixed response
categories
b.UnStructured questionaire – respondents are free to answer the question the way
they like
c.Mixed questionaire- It consists of both (a )and (b)

Merits
• Research in wide area
• Time saving
• less errors
• originality
• uniformity
Demerits
• lack of interest
• incomplete response
• Inelastic
• bias of rcher influences the questions
6.Schedules through Enumerators
• Feedback will be hand written by the respondents
Types of schedules
i.Observation schedule – observer records the activities
and responses of a worker under specific condition
ii.Rating schedule – to assess the attitude ,opinions of
respondents
iii.Document schedule – collection of data through case
histories.diary,records
iv.Interview schedule – Records the interviewee
responses on blank spaces
Secondary data
1.Published sources
• International publishers – IMF,UNO,TIMES,IBRD
• Official publications of central and state govt
- Census of india, agricultural statistics, RBI
• semi official publications – Municipal corporation,
district boards, panchayats
• Journals and Newspaper – Economic times,Indian
finance
2.Unpublished sources
• collected from various sources like records
maintained in govt org
Others methods of data collection
1.Warranty cards
• kept inside the package along with the product
2.Store audits
• gather information on a brand's sales volume, sales trends, stock levels, effectiveness
of in-store display
3.Pantry audits
• A survey of consumers about grocery brands, products, and quantities in their homes
of certain brand and certain products
4.Consumer panels
•  Respondents to answer specific research questions relating to product testing, taste
testing, ad testing
5.Mechanical devices
• using the camera and audio devices to absorb the customers
6.Projective Technique– See next slides
7.Play techniques
• Given out a situation where various roles are assigned to them
8.Sociometry
• the study of relationships within a group of people, based on that they will choose
according to situation
6.Projective Technique
i. word association test - series of words with the first word that comes to mind
• Eg. Leader: A good leader cares for his subordinates.
• War: War causes all round destruction
ii.Sentence completion test – Several half completed statements given regarding the
subjects
iii.Story completion test – story told to respondents and they will complete it and give
conclusion
iv.Verbal projection test – respondent asked to comment on others.eg.why people buy
particular BMW product
v.Pictorial Techniques
• Thematic appreciation test – shown series of picture from that respondent will
narrate the story
• Rosenweiz test - shown series of cartoon pictures with words are given from that
respondent need to fill the empty space
• Rorschach test – Given ten cards having prints of ink blots.It was symmetrical but
meaningless,respondents will describe based on that
• Holtzman Test – Contains 45 inkblot cards which based on colour,movement,shading
Survey
It is a research technique in which information is gathered from a sample of using a
questionaire.
Survey done by two interactive methods
a.Human interactive Media
Engage in conversation,human interaction and conversation through telephone
b.Non Interactive media
Respondents will complete the feedback through mail

Communication media for research

i. Personal Interviewing
• face to face interaction
• Happens in shopping mall,factories
ii. E – mail survey
• questionaire send through mail
iii.Internet survey
• Questionaire posted on web site
• accurate real time data capture
• speedy way of receiving the responds
Field work / Field Research
A personal interviewer administering a
questionaire door to door, telephone interview
calling from a central location,observing the
counting of pedestrains in a shopping mall
Differences bt survey and Field study
Survey Interview Field Interview
1.It has clear beginning and end 1.Its not clear.The interviewer can be
picked up later

2.Same questions can be asked for all 2.Questions will be different

the respondents

3.The interviewer asks questions and 3.Its like friendly conversation bt

the respondents answer respondents and interviewer

4.Respondent is alone 4.Respondents will be about group of

member

5.Closed ended questions are 5.Open – ended questions with more

common and rare probs probs

6.The interviewer appears neutral at 6. The interviewer encourages them

all time to elaborate
Steps in field Research
1. Prepare the literature and defocus

2.Select a site and gain access

3.Establish social relations with members

4.Observing and collecting data

5.Analyze data and evaluate

6.Focus on specific aspects and use theoretical sampling

7.Conduct field interviews

8.Disengage and physically leave the setting

9.Complete the analysis and write the report

Stages of Interview in field Research
1. Making initial contact and securing the interview – Brief abt
the usage and then to start

2.Asking the questions – Question should be order

3.Probing – Make the respondents motivated for communication

then collect the answers

4.Recording the responses – close ended can be done through

questionnaire and open ended should be recorded

5.Terminating the interview – Should not close it without

completing and should tell the reason behind that
Sample – A few units in the population is called sample
Sampling – It refers to techniques the researcher would
adopt in selecting items for the sample from a given
population
Sampling unit – Place where the samples are collected
Sample survey – study conducted with few items of
sample is called sample survey
Census survey – study conducted with all the items of
population is called census survey
Sample size – Number of items to be selected from the
population is called sample size
Methods / Types of Sampling
i.Probability sampling
a.Simple random sampling
b.Systematic random sampling
c.Stratified random sampling
d.Cluster sampling
e.Multiphase sampling
f.Sequential sampling
ii.Non probability sampling
a.Convenience sampling
b.Judgement sampling
c.Quota sampling
d.Snowball sampling
i.Probability sampling/Random sampling
  samples are gathered in a process that gives all the individuals in the population equal
chances of being selected.
Eg.lottery
a.Simple random sampling
This gives all elements in the population an equal chance to be included in the sample
Eg.lottery method
b.Systematic random sampling
The first unit of a sample is selected randomly and remaining units at the fixed
interval(selection in equal space) in a given series
Eg.even numbers, oddnumbers
c.Stratified (grouping)random sampling
sampling technique wherein the researcher divides the entire population into different
subgroups or strata, then randomly selects the final subjects proportionally from the
different strata
Eg.5 teams of players and select from them
d.Cluster sampling
Grouping the population into sub groups (cluster ) and then selecting the clusters
randomly for a sample
e.Multi- phase /Sequential sampling
The entire geographical area is divided into different stages, and in each stage a few units are
picked up to constitute a sample
Eg.people from country,state,district,taluk,block and villages
ii.Non probability sampling
Samples are gathered in a process that wont gives all the individuals in the population equal
chances of being selected.
a.Convenience sampling
Samples are selected because of their convenient accessibility and proximity to the researcher.
b.Judgement sampling
 The researcher selects units to be sampled based on their knowledge and professional judgment.
Eg.Reviews from known persons
c.Quota sampling
sample has the same proportions of individuals as the entire population with respect to known
characteristics, traits or focused phenomenon.
Eg.Response from specific area (age,gender,education)
d.Snowball sampling
The  researchers to identify potential subjects in studies where subjects are hard to locate.
Eg.different faculties handling the same subject
Steps in sampling plan
1.Define target population
2.Select data collection method
3.Identify sampling frames (select exact sampling unit)
4.Select appropriate sampling method
5.Determine necessary samples sizes
6.Select sampling units
7.Execute operational plan
Sampling errors
Error in a statistical analysis arising from the unrepresentativeness of the samples
taken
a.Biased errors
• Error occured due to bias nature in selecting the sample is called biased errors
• According to the situation they need to select the sampling method
b.Unbiased error
• Errors occured because of normal cause or naturally happen is called unbiased error
• These happen when they didnt plan accordingly
Non sampling errors
• Inadequate data
• faulty methods of interviews
• lack of experiences and training of investigators
• Errors in tabulation and classification of data
Merits of sampling
• It saves time
• It reduces cost
• More reliable cost can be obtained
• Provides more detailed information
• More scientific(following according to the procedure)
Demerits of sampling
• less accuracy(not accurate)
• changeability of units(change of place)
• Misleading conclusions
• personal bias
• situational impact (due to time )
• complicated process(need more money,time,labour)