MODULE 3 - RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY
Instrumentation, Data Gathering
Procedure, and Statistical Treatment of
Data
WRITTEN REPORT
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION

Instrumentation is the process of constructing research instruments that could be used

appropriately in gathering data on the study. These are the tools used for data collection and analysis. The
instrument used to gather data in a research study may be produced by the researcher or based on an
existing document. If the researcher built the instrument, the selection procedure should be stated and
justified. If an existing instrument is used, the instrument's history is described, including who invented it
and what measures were used to validate it.

● Observation - Another research tool for marketers to obtain data is observation. An observer
observes individuals interacting in a controlled or uncontrolled context. Observation is simple to
perform and yields highly accurate results.
● Focus Group - A focus group is a research method that gathers a small group of people to
answer questions in a controlled environment. The group is chosen based on specified
demographic characteristics, and the questions are designed to shed light on an interesting topic.
● Interview - In qualitative research, interviews are conducted when researchers ask one or more
participants broad, open-ended questions and record their responses. Interviews are very
beneficial for learning the story behind a participant's experiences and gathering in-depth
information about a subject.
○ Structured Interview - a data gathering strategy that relies on asking questions in a
specific order to acquire information about a subject.
○ Unstructured Interview - a type of interview in which questions are not predefined and
the lack of structure allows the interviewer to ask questions that come to mind on the
spot.
○ Semi-structured Interview - a type of interview in which questions are asked within a
predetermined theme framework. The questions, however, are not in any particular order
or phrasing.
● Survey - Questioning a group of people for their thoughts on a certain topic. However, instead of
meeting with respondents in person, surveys are frequently distributed in paper form or online. A
questionnaire is the most popular type of survey.
● Survey Questionnaire - Questions will be designed to elicit perspectives, experiences,
narratives, or accounts. They are frequently used as a prelude to interviews or focus groups since
they assist in identifying early themes or concerns to be explored further in the research. Instead
of asking "Did you enjoy using our product?", you can ask "How would you describe the
experience you had using our product?"
○ Open-ended Questions - a question that is open to any answer. In the context of user
research, open ended questions are those that do not require consumers to provide a one-
or two-word response. Instead, they have multiple possible responses and frequently
allow for further probing by the moderator.
○ Fixed-alternative Questions - This is known as a closed-type questioning since it presents
a list of options from a list of alternatives. However, the subject responses are limited to a
single option.
Steps for an Effective Interview:
1.) Prepare an interview Schedule - Interview schedule is a guide containing the structured
questions which are used by interviewers (researchers) in conducting interviews in order to
ensure that all questions are included in the interview.
2.) Select Subjects or Key Respondents

3.) Conduct the Interview - In conducting the interview, it is important to avoid arguing with the
interviewee’s answers in the questions and talking about irrelevant matters that are not connected
to your study. It is also important to observe proper manners such as asking for consent before
asking questions and express gratitude after the interview.
4.) Analyze and Interpret Data Collected from the Interview

Process in Conducting Observations

1.) Determine what needs to be observed - Understand the objective and goals of your
research. Figure out what questions you’re trying to answer, and determine who you’re
trying to observe and what needs to be observed.
2.) Select Participants - The selection of participants always depends on the objectives of the
research. The researchers may choose to either randomly select or have qualifications in selecting
participants.
3.) Conduct the Observation - In conducting the observation, it is important for researchers to
establish a method in gathering data such as recording videos and audio, taking notes or taking
pictures.
4.) Compile Data Collected
5.) Analyze and Interpret Data Collected

General steps involved in conducting a survey or questionnaire for research

1. Define your research question: Before designing your survey, it's important to have a clear
understanding of the research question you want to answer.

2. Determine your sample size and population: Once you have defined your research question,
you need to determine the sample size and population that you want to survey.

3. Choose a survey method: There are several ways to administer a survey, including online, by
phone, by mail, or in person.

4. Develop your survey questions: Develop clear and concise survey questions that will help
you gather the information you need.
 5. Pretest your survey: Before administering the survey to your target population, pretest it with
a small group of people to ensure that the questions are clear and easy to understand.

6. Administer your survey: Once you have finalized your survey, administer it to your target
population.

7. Collect and analyze your data: Once you have collected your survey responses, analyze the
data to answer your research question.

8. Report your findings: Finally, report your findings in a clear and concise manner, including
any limitations or potential sources of bias in your research.

Data Gathering Procedure

This refers to the procedures of collecting, measuring and analyzing accurate insights for
research using standard validated techniques. In Chapter 3, this part contains the detailed explanation of
procedures followed in conducting the study. In simple terms, the data gathering procedure tells the
readers what processes the researchers did and how they gathered the data needed in the study.

Steps that can be followed in a data gathering procedure:

1. Identify the data you need

2. Choose a data collection method

3. Develop data collection instruments

4. Pilot test your instruments

5. Collect your data

6. Clean and organize your data\

7. Analyze your data

8. Interpret and report your findings

Example of data gathering procedure in research paper (example research title: What are the factors
that affect students' academic performance in college?)

Data gathering procedure

In gathering the data, the researchers carried out the following procedures:

1. The researchers will identify first the data they need. This include information about student
demographics, academic background, socio-economic status, extracurricular activities, and academic
performance.

2. The researchers will make a decision regarding the approach they will take to gather data.
Specifically, they will opt for the method of conducting a survey to collect the required information.

3. The researchers will Develop data collection instruments. Specifically, they will design two surveys -
one for students and another for teachers - that will help them gather information on various factors
that influence academic performance. These surveys will be carefully crafted to ensure that they are
relevant and effective in collecting the data needed for the study.

4. After collecting the data, The researchers will Interpret and report their findings. This will include a
discussion of the factors that were found to affect academic performance, recommendations for
improving student academic performance in high school, and suggestions for future research.

Statistical Treatment of Data

Refers to the application of some form of statistical method to a data set to transform it from a
group of meaningless numbers into meaningful output. Statistical treatment of data is essential in order to
make use of the data in the right form. Raw data collection in the aspect of any experiment; the
organization of data is equally important so that appropriate conclusions can be drawn. This is what
statistical treatment of data is all about.

Descriptive statistics are used to describe the basic features of the data in a study. They provide simple
summaries about the sample and the measures. Together with simple graphics analysis, they form the
basis of virtually every quantitative analysis of data.

Descriptive statistics consists of three basic categories of measures:

● Measures of central tendency describe the center of the data set (mean, median, mode).
● Measures of variability describe the dispersion of the data set (variance, standard deviation).
● Measures of frequency distribution describe the occurrence of data within the data set (count).
Inferential statistics helps to develop a good understanding of the population data by analyzing the
samples obtained from it. It helps in making generalizations about the population by using various
analytical tests and tools.

There are two main types of inferential statistics:

● Hypothesis testing uses data from a sample to draw conclusions about a population parameter or a
population probability distribution
● Regression analysis used for the estimation of relationships between a dependent variable and one
or more independent variables.

STATISTICAL METHODS:
1. Frequency and Percentage Distribution
-Used to determine the percentage usually for data on profile (e.g. level, age, gender,
etc.)

FORMULA:

Where:

% Percent

f Frequency

N Number of cases

2. Mean
-Used to get average or central value ( e.g. level, extent, status, etc. )

FORMULA:
 3.T-test
-A t test is a statistical test that is used to compare the means of two groups. It is often
used in hypothesis testing to determine whether a process or treatment actually has an effect on the
population of interest, or whether two groups are different from one another.

4. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

-ANOVA, which stands for Analysis of Variance, is a statistical test used to analyze the
difference between the means of more than two groups. A one-way ANOVA uses one independent
variable, while a two-way ANOVA uses two independent variables.

5. Pearson correlation coefficient

- is a descriptive statistic, meaning that it summarizes the characteristics of a dataset.
Specifically, it describes the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two quantitative
variables.