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Data Collection Methods

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ajaz mistree
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9 views

Data Collection Methods

Uploaded by

ajaz mistree
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Data Collection Methods

 Observation
 Survey:
 Questionnaires
 Interviews
 Unobtrusive Methods
Observation
• Nonparticipant and participant observer
• Structured and unstructured

Watching
Watching
Listening
Listening
Touching
Touching
Smelling
Smelling
Reading
Reading
Evaluation of
Behavioral Observation
Strengths Weaknesses
 Securing information that is  Enduring long periods
otherwise unavailable  Incurring higher expenses
 Avoiding participant  Having lower reliability of
filtering/ forgetting inferences
 Securing environmental  Quantifying data
context  Keeping large records
 Optimizing naturalness
Interviewing

 Unstructured interviews
 Interviewer does not enter the interview setting
with a planned sequences of questions to be
asked of the respondent
 The objective: to bring some preliminary issues
to the surface so that the researcher can
determine what variables need further in-depth
investigation
Interviewing (Cont’d)
 Structured interviews
 Those conducted when it is known at the outset what information
is needed.
 The interviewer has a list of predetermined questions to be asked
of the respondents
Advantages of the Telephone Survey
 Lower costs than  Fast completion time
personal interview  Better access to some
 Expanded geographic participants
coverage  Random dialing
 Use of few possible
interviewers  CATI possible
 Reduced interviewer
bias
Disadvantages of the Telephone
Survey

 Lower response rate  Unlisted phone


than personal interview numbers/ Call
 Higher costs if screening
interviewing  Some unavailable by
geographically phone
dispersed sample  Unit-nonresponse
 Interview length limited  Lack of visuals
Personal Survey
Advantages Disadvantages
 Good cooperation rates  High costs
 Interviewer can probe and  Need for highly trained
explain interviewers
 Visual aids possible  Time consuming
 Illiterate participants can be  Labor-intensive
reached  Some unwilling to invite
 Interviewer can prescreen strangers into homes
 CAPI possible  Interviewer bias possible
Interviewing (Cont’d)
 Can be minimized:
 Establishing credibility and rapport, and
motivating individuals to respond
 Questioning techniques: funneling, unbiased
questions, clarifying issues, helping the
respondents to think through issues, taking notes
Face-to-face Interviews
 Advantages:
 Adapt the questions as necessary, clarify doubts, and ensure
that the responses are properly understood
 Pick up nonverbal cues from the respondent
 Any discomfort, stress, or problems that the respondent
experiences can be detected
 Disadvantages:
 Geographical limitations
 Vast resources needed
 High costs
 Respondents might feel uneasy about the anonymity of their
responses
Telephone Interviews
 Advantages:
 A number of differently different people can be
reached in a relatively short period of time
 It would eliminate any discomfort on respondents
 Disadvantages:
 Respondents could unilaterally terminate the
interview without warning or explanation, by
hanging up the phone.
 Researcher will not be able to read the nonverbal
communication
Advantages of
Self-Administered Questionnaires
 Allows contact with
inaccessible  Allows participants
participants time for reflection
 Incentives increase  Allows for complex
response rates questions
 Lowest-cost option  Rapid data collection
 Geographic coverage possible
 Minimal staff required  Visuals possible
 Perceived as  Multiple sampling
anonymous frames possible
Disadvantages of
Self-Administered Questionnaires

 Low response rates in  Skewed responses by


some modes extremists
 No interviewer  Participant anxiety
intervention possible
 Cannot be too long  Directions necessary
 Cannot be too complex  Need for low-
 Requires accurate list distraction
environment
 Computer security
Questionnaires (Cont’d)

 Guidelines for questionnaires design


 Principles of wording
 Content and the purpose of the questions
 Language and wording of the questionnaires
 Type and form of questions
 Sequencing of questions
 Classification data or personal information
Questionnaires (Cont’d)

 Pretesting of Structured Questions


 To ensure that the questions are understood by
the respondents
 There are no problems with the wording or
measurement
Improving Response Rates

 Advance notification
 Reminders
 Return directions and devices
 Monetary incentives
 Deadlines
 Promise of anonymity
 Appeal for participation
Thank You!

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