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Different Methods of Collecting Information Method Advantages Disadvantages

This document outlines and compares different methods for collecting information, including surveys (mail, group-administered, telephone), interviews, focus groups, observations, student records, and collection of materials. Each method is described in terms of its advantages and disadvantages. For example, mail surveys can survey many people inexpensively but have low response rates, while interviews provide detailed data but are time-consuming and expensive.

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22 views1 page

Different Methods of Collecting Information Method Advantages Disadvantages

This document outlines and compares different methods for collecting information, including surveys (mail, group-administered, telephone), interviews, focus groups, observations, student records, and collection of materials. Each method is described in terms of its advantages and disadvantages. For example, mail surveys can survey many people inexpensively but have low response rates, while interviews provide detailed data but are time-consuming and expensive.

Uploaded by

PrasanaNaughtygul
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DIFFERENT METHODS OF COLLECTING INFORMATION

METHOD ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES


Surveys (Mail) Can survey many people
Not time-consuming
Relatively inexpensive
Everyone gets the same
instrument
Objective interpretation
Difficult to get much detail
Sometimes difficult to get correct
addresses
May be problems with interpreting
questions
Sometimes a problem getting surveys
completed and returned
Surveys (Group-
Administered)

Can survey many people
Not time-consuming
Relatively inexpensive
Everyone gets the same
instrument
Object interpretation
Relatively inexpensive
May be problems with interpreting
questions
Difficult to get much detail
Surveys (Telephone) Able to ask for more detail
when needed
Everyone gets the same
instrument
Sometimes difficult reaching people
Lack of anonymity
Interviews Researcher can know how
people are interpreting
questions
Able to ask for more detail
when needed
Provide detailed data
Time-consuming
Because of time, can limit sample size
Subjective interpretation
Can be expensive
Can be difficult to analyze
Focus Groups Researcher can know how
people are interpreting
questions
Able to interview multiple
people at one time, thus, more
cost-effective
Responses from one person
provide stimulus for other
people
Group setting may inhibit some individuals
from providing information
Sometimes hard to coordinate multiple
schedules
Responses from one person provide
stimulus for other people
Observations Objective interpretation
Low burden for people
providing data
Time-consuming
Some items are not observable
Can be expensive
Participant behavior may be affected by
observer presence
Student Records Objective interpretation
Low burden for people
providing data
Relatively inexpensive
May not correspond to exactly what
researcher wants
May be incomplete or require additional
interpretation
May need special permission to use
Collection of
Materials
Objective interpretation
Low burden for people
providing data
Relatively inexpensive
May not correspond to exactly what
researcher wants
May be incomplete or require additional
interpretation
Source:U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement

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