Methods of data collection

By Dr Supriya Phadnis
For
Term 3
Research Methodology
GIM
• Which are the good performing and bad performing states in India in
the Infant Mortality rate?

• What are the reasons behind high/low infant mortality rates?

• What is community’s perspective about the quality of hospital care

being provided to infants?

• How do healthcare providers behave with the families of affected

infants?
Types of Data
• PRIMARY DATA
• Which are collected a fresh and for the first time and thus happen to
be original in character and known as Primary data.
• SECONDARY DATA
• Which have been collected by someone else and which have already
been passed through the statistical process are known as Secondary
data.
Primary Data Collection
• There are several methods of collecting primary data, particularly in
surveys and descriptive researches.
• In descriptive research, primary data is obtained either through
observation or through direct communication with respondents in
one form or another or through personal interviews.
Surveys
• Collect data by asking people directly.
• Allow to collect data about opinions, behaviors, experiences and demographic
characteristics.
• Usually with closed type questions.
• Two ways to conduct surveys.
• Questionnaires filled up by respondents
• Conduct interviews using schedule.
Questionnaire (Mailing) method
• Replaced with google forms.
• The respondents have to answer the questions on their own.
• Sent to persons with request to answer the questions and return the
questionnaire
 Advantages Limitations

• Low cost even the geographical • Low rate of return of duly filled
area is large to cover questionnaire
• Answers are in respondents word • Can be used when respondent is
so free from bias educated and co operative
• Adequate time to think for answers • It is inflexible
• Non approachable respondents • Omission of some questions
may be conveniently contacted • Difficult to know the expected
• Large samples can be used so respondent have filled the form or
results are more reliable it is filled by some one else
• Slowest method of data collection
Characteristics/features of questionnaire
• Structured questionnaire
• All questions and answers are specified and comments in the respondents
own words are held to the minimum.

• Unstructured questionnaire
• Interviewer is provided with general guide on the type pf information to be
collected. He can form his own questions.
• Answers are taken down in respondents own words, at time recorded on
tape.
Question sequence
• Question sequence should be clear and smoothly moving (relation of
one question to another should readily apparent
• First few questions are important for creating interest in respondents
mind
• Question which gives stress on memory or of a personal character
and wealth should be avoided as opening questions
• Easier question should be at the start of the questionnaire
• General to specific questions should be the sequence of questions
Question formation and wording
• Question should easily understood
• Question should be simple and concrete.
• Closed questions are easy to handle but this is like fixing the answers
in people’s mouth.
• Depending upon problem for which survey is going on both close
ended and open ended question may be asked in Questionnaire.
• Words having ambiguous meaning should be avoided
• Catch words, words with emotional connotations , danger words
should be avoided
Essentials of a good questionnaire
• Good questionnaire should short & simple questions
• Should arranged in logical sequence (From easy to difficult one)
• Technical terms should avoided
• Some control questions which indicate reliability of the respondent ( To
know consumption first expenditure and then weight or qty of that
material)
• Questions affecting the sentiments of the respondents should avoided
• Adequate space for answers should be provided in questionnaire
• Provision for uncertainty (do not know, No preference)
• Directions regarding the filling of questionnaire should be given
Schedule Method
• It is one of the important methods for the study of social problems.
• Schedules like Questionnaires but it filled by enumerator/data
collector.
• Enumerators are specially appointed for filling questionnaire
• Enumerators explain the aim and objective to respondent and fill the
answers in provided space.
Questionnaire vs Schedule
Questionnaire Schedule
• Generally sent through mail /google • Schedule is filled by the enumerator
forms • More expensive- Hire and train
• No further assistance from sender enumerators
• It is a Cheaper method • Non response is low
• Non response is high • Identity of the responder is known
• It is not always clear who replies • Information is collected well in time
• Very slow process • Direct personal contact
• No Personal Contact • Info can be collected form illiterates also
• Can be used only when respondent is • No wide distribution of sample
educated and cooperative • Success depends on the honesty and
• Wider distribution of sample competence of questionnaire
• Success depend on the quality of
questionnaire
Telephonic Interviews
• Contacting samples on telephone
• Still uncommon method in India but used in developed regions
• Useful in situation where face to face data collection is not possible
and respondent is not used to technology.
Advantages of Telephonic Interviews
• Faster than other methods
• Cheaper than personal interview method
• Call-backs are simple and economical
• High response than other methods
• Useful when it is not possible to contact the respondent directly
• Replies can be recorded without embarrassment to respondents
• Wider distribution of sample is possible
Limitations of telephonic interviews
• Little time is given to respondents
• Survey is restricted to respondents who have telephones
• Not suitable for intensive survey where comprehensive answers are
required
• Bias information may be more
• Very difficult to make questionnaire because it should short and to
the point
• Can not observe the expressions of the respondent.
Interview method
• Involves presentation or oral-verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral-
verbal responses.
• Oral Verbal communication .
• Interviewer asks questions( which are aimed to get information
required for study ) to respondent
• Type of interviews:
• PERSONAL INTERVIEWS : The interviewer asks questions generally in a
face to face contact to the other person or persons.
Types of personal interviews
Structured Interview Unstructured Interview
• Predetermined questions • No Predetermined questions
• Standardized techniques of • No Standardized techniques
recorded
• Interviewer follows rigid
• Interviewer has freedom to
procedure ask, omit, add any questions
• Time required for such interview is • Ask questions without
less than non structured manner following sequence
interview • Deep knowledge & skill
• Not necessary of skill or specific required
knowledge
• Analysis of data becomes easier
• Analysis of data is difficult
prescribed manner
Advantages of personal interviews
• Information at greater depth
• Flexibility of restructuring the Questionnaire
• Interviewer by his skill can over come resistance
• Non Response generally low
• Samples can controlled more effectively
• Personal information can be obtained
• Interviewer can collect supplementary information about
respondent’s personal characteristics and environment which has
value in interpreting results
Limitations of personal interviews
• Expensive method
• Respondent may give bias information
• Some Executive people are not approachable so data collected may
be inadequate
• Takes more time when samples are more
• Systematic errors may occur
• Supervisors has to do complex work of selecting ,training and
supervising the field staff.
Observation method
• Observation method is a method under which data from the field is
collected with the help of observation by the observer or by personally
going to the field.
• ADVANTAGES
• Subjective bias eliminated
• Researcher gets current information
• Independent to respondent’s variable
• DISADVANTAGES
• It is expensive method
• Time consuming
• Limited information
• Unforeseen factors may interfere with observational task
• Respondents opinion can not be recorded on certain subject
Types of observation
• Structured Observation
When observation is done by characterizing style of recording
the observed information, standardized conditions of
observation , definition of the units to be observed , selection of
pertinent data of observation then it is structured observation
• Unstructured Observation
When observation is done without any thought before
observation then it is unstructured observation
• Participant & Non Participant Observation
• When the Observer is member of the group which he is observing
then it is Participant Observation.
• In participant observation Researcher can record natural behavior
of group , Researcher can verify the truth of statements given by
informants in the context of questionnaire
• Difficult to collect information can obtain through this method but
in this researcher may loose objectivity of research due emotional
feelings.
• Prob. of control in observation isn’t solved.
• Non Participant Observation
• When observer is observing people without giving any information
to them then it is non participant observation
Secondary Data collection
• Data that are already available, collected for some other purpose
than your research.
• Publications of Central, state , local government
• Technical and trade journals
• Books, Magazines, Newspaper
• Reports & publications of industry ,bank, stock exchange
• Reports by research scholars, Universities, economist
• Public Records
http://rchiips.org/nfhs/
Two questions come in mind…..
• Why should we use the data which is collected by someone else?
• Why should someone else will allow us to use their data to use for
some different purpose?

http://rchiips.org/nfhs/
Caution….
• Before using Secondary data researcher must check
• Reliability of the data
• Suitability of data
• Adequacy of data
Selection of appropriate method of data
collection
• Nature and scope of the enquiry
• Availability of funds
• Time factor
• Precision required