ICTE 1043
Statistical Analysis with Software Application
Week 3
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Classify data and its sources.
2. Discuss the different methods used to collect data.
Data Collection
Data collection is the first stage in
any statistical investigation. It is the
process of obtaining (gathering) a set
of related measurements or counts to
meet predetermined objectives.
Types of Data
The statistical data may be classified into two categories depending upon the sources
utilized. These categories are primary and secondary data.
Primary Data – data which is collected by the investigator himself for the purpose
of a specific inquiry or study. These data are those collected for the first time
(original/first-hand data) either through surveys or direct observation.
Examples:
Data on banking and finance collected by the Central Bank
Data on opinions and sentiments of people on current issues collected by the
Pulse Asia.
Types of Data
Secondary Data – data which has been collected by others and used by an investigator
for his own purposes. Such data can be obtained from journals, official reports,
government publications, publications of professional and research organizations and
so on.
Examples:
Documented data used by a medical researcher for his research which was
originally collected or published by the Department of Health.
Data published from Business journals
Types of Data
Remember!
Secondary data should be used with utmost care. So before using this data, the following three
points should be considered.
1. Whether the data are suitable for the purpose of investigation. This can be judged in the light
of the nature and scope of investigation.
2. If the data obtained is suitable for our purpose it should be assessed whether the data are
adequate for the purpose of investigation. This can be determined based on the time period and
geographical area covered by the data.
3. Whether the data are reliable. The data obtained should be checked for its accuracy. If the data
are based on a sample, one should see whether the sample is a representative of the population.
Data Collection Methods
Data collection, as previously discussed, is the first stage in statistical investigation.
Before the actual data collection, four important points should be considered.
1. The purpose of data collection (why we need to collect data),
2. The kind of data to be collected (what type of data to be collected),
3. The source of data (where we can get the data), and
4. The methods of data collection (how can we collect this data).
Once these questions are answered, it becomes necessary to collect the information
needed. This information can be collected directly or indirectly.
Data Collection Methods
The most commonly used methods of data collection are the following:
Data Collection Methods
Survey Method – a data collection technique in which information is collected directly or
indirectly from certain individuals.
The most common methods of data collection for survey are self-administered
questionnaire and personal interview.
Questionnaire Method – a data collection method in which respondents are given
prepared questionnaires with a series of questions to answer and is used to record the
responses.
Interview Method – this method involves a face-to-face interaction between the
interviewer and the interviewee. Apart from face-to-face interviews, it can also be
conducted over the phone or the computer terminal via video conferencing technology.
Data Collection Methods
Observation Method - this method involves collecting information without asking
questions. It is used when the study relates to behavioral science This method is more
subjective, as it requires the researcher (or observer) to add their judgement to the
data.
Experiment Method – this method is used if the researcher would like to determine the
cause and effect relationship of certain phenomena under investigation. It is also used
in making scientific inquiry
Document Review Method - a method of utilizing the existing data or fact or
information for a study.
Learning Task
Please accomplish the online survey form about Student Attitude towards Statistics
using this link:
https://forms.gle/dKkRKHVQjA9AbQiT8
