Chapter-4

RESEARCH DESIGN
&
DATA COLLECTION

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and Presentation
 Research Design
 The formidable problem that follows the task of defining the
research problem is the preparation of the design of the research
project, popularly known as the “research design”.

 Decisions regarding what, where, when, how much, by what means

concerning a research study constitute a research design.

 A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection

and analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to
the research purpose with economy in procedure.

 As such the design includes an outline of what the researcher will

do from writing the hypothesis and its operational implications to
the final analysis of data. 2
 Research Design (cont’d)
 Research design is needed because it facilitates the smooth
sailing of the various research operations, thereby making
research as efficient as possible yielding maximal information
with minimal expenditure of effort, time and money.

 Research design stands for advance planning of the methods to be

adopted for collecting the relevant data and the techniques to be
used in their analysis, keeping in view the objective of the
research and the availability of staff, time and money.

 Preparation of the research design should be done with great care

as any error in it may upset the entire project.
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 Research Design (cont’d)
More explicitly, the design decisions happen to be in respect of:
I. What is the study about?
II. Why is the study being made?
III. Where will the study be carried out?
IV. What type of data is required?
V. Where can the required data be found?
VI. What periods of time will the study include?
VII. What will be the sample design?
VIII. What techniques of data collection will be used?
IX. How will the data be analyzed?
X. In what style will the report be prepared?

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and Presentation
 Methods of Data Collection
 The task of data collection begins after a research problem has
been defined and research design/plan chalked out.
 While deciding about the method of data collection to be used for
the study, the researcher should keep in mind two types of data
viz., primary and secondary.
 The primary data are those which are collected fresh and for the
first time, and thus happen to be original in character.
 The secondary data, on the other hand, are those which have
already been collected by someone else and which have already
been passed through the statistical process.
 The researcher would have to decide which sort of data he would
be using (thus collecting) for his study and accordingly he will
have to select one or the other method of data collection.
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 COLLECTION OF PRIMARY DATA
 We collect primary data during the course of doing experiments in an
experimental research.

 In an experiment the investigator measures the effects of an experiment

which he conducts intentionally.

 In case we do research of the descriptive type and perform surveys,

whether sample surveys or census surveys, then we can obtain primary
data either through observation or through direct communication with
respondents in one form or another or through personal interviews.

 In a survey, the investigator examines those phenomena which exist in

the universe independent of his action.
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 Types of Experiments
Scientific investigation in which an
investigator manipulates and controls
one or more independent variables
and observes the dependent variable
for variation concomitant to the
manipulation of the independent
variables
ECEg-4341 : Research Methods
and Presentation
Laboratory Experiment
Research investigation in which
investigator creates a situation with
exact conditions so as to control some,
and manipulate other, variables
Field Experiment
Research study in a realistic situation in
which one or more independent variables
are manipulated by the experimenter under
as carefully controlled conditions as the
situation will permit
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 COLLECTION OF PRIMARY DATA (cont’d)

 There are several methods of collecting primary data,

particularly in surveys and descriptive researches. Important
ones are:

I. observation method,

II. interview method,

III. through questionnaires,

IV. through schedules, and etc.

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and Presentation
 Observation Method
 Under the observation method, the information is sought by way of
investigator’s own direct observation without asking from the respondent.
 The main advantage of this method is that subjective bias is eliminated, if
observation is done accurately.
 Secondly, the information obtained under this method relates to what is
currently happening; it is not complicated by either the past behavior or
future intentions or attitudes.
 Thirdly, this method is independent of respondents’ willingness to respond
and as such is relatively less demanding of active cooperation on the part
of respondents as happens to be the case in the interview or the
questionnaire method.
 This method is particularly suitable in studies which deal with subjects
(i.e., respondents) who are not capable of giving verbal reports of their
feelings for one reason or the other
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 Observation Method (cont’d)
 While using this method, the researcher should keep in mind
things like:
 What should be observed?
 How the observations should be recorded?
 Or how the accuracy of observation can be ensured?
 In case the observation is characterized by a careful definition of
the units to be observed, the style of recording the observed
information, standardized conditions of observation and the
selection of pertinent (relevant) data of observation, then the
observation is called as structured observation.
 But when observation is to take place without these
characteristics to be thought of in advance, the same is termed as
unstructured observation.

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 Interview Method
 The interview method of collecting data involves presentation of
oral-verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral-verbal responses.
 This method can be used through personal interviews and, if
possible, through telephone interviews.
a) Personal interviews: Personal interview method requires a
person known as the interviewer asking questions generally in a
face-to-face contact to the other person or persons.
b) Telephone interviews: This method of collecting information
consists in contacting respondents on telephone itself. It is not a
very widely used method, but plays important part in industrial
surveys, particularly in developed regions.

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 COLLECTION OF DATA THROUGH
QUESTIONNAIRES
 This method of data collection is quite popular, particularly in
case of big enquiries.

 A questionnaire consists of a number of questions printed or

typed in a definite order on a form or set of forms.

 The questionnaire is mailed to respondents who are expected to

read and understand the questions and write down the reply in
the space meant for the purpose in the questionnaire itself.

 The respondents have to answer the questions on their own.

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 COLLECTION OF DATA THROUGH
SCHEDULES
 This method of data collection is very much like the collection of data
through questionnaire, with little difference which lies in the fact that
schedules (proforma containing a set of questions) are being filled in by
the enumerators who are specially appointed for the purpose.
 These enumerators along with schedules, go to respondents, put to them
the questions from the proforma in the order the questions are listed and
record the replies in the space meant for the same in the proforma.
 The main difference between Questionnaire and Schedule is…
 The questionnaire is generally sent through mail to informants to be
answered as specified in a covering letter, but otherwise without further
assistance from the sender.
 The schedule is generally filled out by the research worker or the
enumerator, who can interpret questions when necessary.
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 Secondary data
 It can be a valuable source of information for gaining knowledge
and insight into a broad range of issues and phenomena.

 Review and analysis of secondary data can provide a cost-

effective way of addressing issues related the subject under
investigation.

 It complements, but does not replace, primary data collection and

should be the starting place for any research.

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 Secondary Data Sources
 Government Documents  Reference Books
 Official Statistics  Research Institutions
 Technical Reports  Universities
 Scholarly Journals  Libraries, Library
 Trade Journals Search Engines
 Review Articles  Computerized Databases
 The World Wide Web

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 Methods of Data Analysis.
 Once the data are collected, you must analyze and interpret the
results.

 Analysis will include data summaries (e.g., calculating means and

variances) and statistical tests to verify conclusions.

 Most scientists lay out their Tables and Figures upon completion
of the data analysis before writing the Results section.

 Available data analysis methods

 statistical methods

 Computer simulation 16
 Summary/Conclusion
 A summary is a look at the overall problem, approach to solving
the problem and what the result was of the attempted problem
solving.
 if you read abstracts of scientific papers, those are summaries of
the papers, more or less.
 Summary is just brief but comprehensive description of whole
story. The aim of writing summary is describing all the discussed
matters in a brief but meaningful way.
 A conclusion has to deal more with the results and the relevance
of those results to the problem. It may also take into account any
errors or issues the researcher may have encountered that could
have skewed the results in any way, although in most papers that
is elaborated upon in the discussion.
 Conclusion is the piece of writing that describes the verdict or
final decision of an essay. 17