CHAPTER FIVE

DATA COLLECTION METHODS

5.1 Types and Sources of Data

There are two major sources of data – Primary & secondary sources. Primary data is data collected
from the original sources and are collected especially for the task at hand by the researcher. While
secondary data are data which have already been collected by someone else and which have already
been passed through the statistical process.

Most of the times both of them are used to gather to complement each other. But sometimes research
may be conducted using secondary data or primary only. The choice between primary & secondary
data depends on:
 Nature, scope of the study & enquiry.
 The availability of financial & facility resources.
 Availability of time
 Degree of accuracy and reliability desired.
Secondary data could be obtained and collected from published and unpublished materials such as:
 Books and periodicals (magazines news papers journals).
 Government sources
 Media
 Commercial sources and so forth.

5.2. Primary Data Collection Method

Primary data are data which are obtained by a study specifically designed to fulfill the data needs of
the problems on hand. There are several methods of collecting primary data, some of them are:
 Observation
 Interview
 Questionnaires
 Focus group discussion

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1. Questionnaires Method: In this method, a set of questions are used for collecting data and carry out
the research. The questionnaires are mailed to respondents who are expected to react and understand
the questions and write down the reply in the space meant for the purpose in the questionnaires itself.
In General, there are two types of questions.
i. Open ended: In this types of questions respondents are free to answer with whatever is
uppermost in their thinking
Advantage
 Greater freedom of expression
 No bias due to limited response ranges
 Respondent can qualify their answers.
Disadvantages of open ended
 Time consuming to code
 Researcher may misinterpret a response.
ii. Close ended: In this respondents are given specific, limited alternative responses and asked to
choose the one closes to his or her own view point.
Advantage
 Quick to answer
 Easy to code
 No difference between articulate & in articulate respondents
Disadvantage
 Can draw misleading conclusions because of limited range of options
 Researcher cannot deal with qualifications to responses.

Principle of Questionnaires Design

 Avoid complexity and use simple conversational language.

 Avoid leading and loaded questions
 Avoid ambiguity, confusion and vagueness.
 Avoid double barreled items: questions’ covering several issues at once is referred to as
double- barreled & should always be avoided.
 Avoid asking questions that are beyond the respondents capabilities.
 Questionnaires should be as short as possible
 The questions asked should be relevant to the research problem.
Advantages of questionnaire method
 Less cost and expenditure

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  Possible to cover large area
 It is free from bias of the researcher
 Greater reliability & validity
Disadvantages of questionnaire method
 Low rate of return of the duly filled in questionnaires.
 It is used only when respondents are educated cooperating
 Not flexibility
 Poor response & lack of reality.
2. Observation Method: under this method the information is sought by way of investigator’s own
direct observation without asking from the respondent.
Advantage
 Subjective bias is eliminated
 The information obtained under this method relates to what is currently happening.
 It is independent of respondent’s willingness to respond.
Disadvantages
 It is expensive method
 The information provided by this method is limited.
 Sometimes unforeseen factors may interfere with the observational task
3. Focus Group Discussion
It is an unstructured interview conducted by one or more interviewers with small group of individuals
who are directly or indirectly influenced by the subject study.
Advantage
 Quicker
 Obtain in depth, detail & large amount of data.
 Apply for wide range of population.
 Complex & sensitive questions are possible.
Disadvantage
 Require more experienced & knowledgeable facilitator
 Group dynamics affect the result
 Expensive
4. Interview method: This is presentation of oral- verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral verbal
responses. The interview may be structured or unstructured interviews.

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  Structured or formal or standardized interview – the interviewer carefully prepared questions/
schedules/ in advance to obtain information pertinent to the research problem.
 Unstructured or informal interviews – the interviewer is provided with an interview guide
which includes a list of point or topics which he/ she must cover during the interview. The
interviewer has full freedom according to the demand of the situation
Generally interview can be cared out through personal interview and if possible, through telephone
interviews.
A. Personal Interviews: This method requires a person known as the interviewer asking questions
generally in face- to- face contact to the other person (interviewee).
Advantages of personal interviews
 More information in greater depth can be obtained
 There is greater flexibility
 Samples can be controlled more effectively.
 Misinterpretation concerning questions can be avoided.
 Personal information can be obtained easily.
Disadvantages of personal interviews
 Certain types of respondents such as important official may not be easily approachable.
 It is expensive especially when large & widely spread geographical sample is taken.
 It is consuming, especially when the sample is large.
B. Telephone interviews: this contacting respondent on telephone itself. It is not a very widely
used method, but plays important part in industrial surveys, particularly in developed regions.
Advantage
 It is more flexible
 It is faster than other methods
 It is cheaper than personal interview
 Recall is easy call backs are simple & economical.
 No field staff is required
 Representative & wider distribution of sample is possible.
Disadvantage
 Little time is given to respondents for considered answers.
 Surveys are restricted to respondents who have telephone facilities
 It is not suitable for intensive surveys.
 Questions have to be short and to the point.

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 CHAPTER- SIX
6. Processing and Analysis of Data
After the required data have been collected, it must be processed and analyzed in accordance with the
outline laid down for the purpose at the time of developing the research plan.
The term analysis refers to the computation of certain measures along with searching for patterns of
relationship that exist among data groups. Thus in the process of analysis, relationships or differences
supporting or conflicting with original or new hypotheses should be subjected to statistical tests of
significance of determine with what validity data can be said to indicate any conclusions.
Technically speaking processing implies, editing, coding, classification, and tabulation of collected data.
1. Editing: is the process of examining the collected raw data to defect errors and omissions and to
correct these when possible. Editing is done to assure that the data are accurate, consistent with other
facts gathered, uniformly entered as completed as possible and have been well arranged to facilitate
coding & tabulation.
Editing can be done: at field or & central editing
 Field editing: is review of the reporting forms by the investigator for completing what the letter has
written in abbreviated or illegible form at the time of recording the respondent’s responses.
 Central/home or office/ editing: it is review of the respondent’s responses at home or office when
all forms have been completed and returned to the office.
While editing primary data, the following points should be checked and given due attention:
 Editing for completeness: the editor should see whether all the questions are completed in all
aspects.
 Editing for consistency: The editor should check whether the answers to the questions supplied by
the respondents are consistent or not.
 Editing for accuracy: it is checking whether the information is accuracies in all respects.
 Editing for homogeneity (uniformity): all the questions have been understood in the same sense
the editor must check all the questions for uniform interpretation.
Since secondary data have been obtained it may be erroneous in a many aspects due to bias, inadequate,
size of the sample, substitution, errors of definition, arithmetical errors, etc. thus the editors should
consider the following aspects:
 Find out whether the secondary data are reliable.
 Whether the data are suitable for the purpose of investigation in the light the nature and scope of
the study.
 Variation in unit of measurement data/period should take in to account.
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  Whether the data is adequate for investigation
 Consider the biasness and prejudices of the data.
2. Coding: Coding refers to the process of assigning numerals or other symbols to answers so that
responses can be put in to a limited number of categories or classes.
Coding is necessary for efficient analysis and through it the several replies may be reduced to a small
number of classes which contain the critical information required for analysis.
The process of coding involves two distinct steps:
1. Deciding on the categories to be used.
2. Allocating individual answers to them.
3. Classification: is the process of arranging data in to sequences separating them in to different but
related parts.
The main objectives of classification are:
 To present the facts in a simple form
 To bring out dearly points of similarity and dissimilarity.
 To facilitate comparison.
 To bring out relationship.
Classification of data may be on the basis of the following
 Geographical basis
 Differences in kind
 Chronological
 Alphabetical
 Certain attributes & characteristics of the variable.
4. Tabulation: is the process of summarizing raw data and displaying the same incompact from for
farther analysis.
In a broader sense, tabulation is an orderly arrangement of data in columns and rows.
Principles of tabulation
 Every table should have a clear, ad adequate title so as to make the table intelligible without
reference to the text and this title should always be placed just above the body of the table.
 Every table should be given a distinct number to facilitated easy reference.
 The column headings (captions) and the row headings (stubs) of the table should be clear and brief.
 The units of measurement under each heading or sub-heading must always be indicated.
 Explanting footnotes, if any, concerning the table should be placed directly beneath the table,
along with references symbols used in the table.

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  Sources from where the data in the table have been obtained must be indicated just below the table.
 There should be thick lines to separate the data under one class from another class.
 All column figures be properly aligned.
Data analysis is the computation of certain indices or measures along with searching for patterns of
relationship that exist among the data groups. Or it is seeing the data in the light of research hypothesis,
questions, and the prevailing theories and drawing conclusion that are as amenable to theory formation
as possible.
Statistical and mathematical representations have attained prominence in research analysis. Frequency
distribution, tabulation, coefficient of variation, correction, regression, standard deviation, econometric
models and various other mathematical techniques are usually employed in research and managerial
analysis percentages, rations and proportions are also of very common use in any research analysis,
which simplify the process of comparison.
Statistical methods one the principle employed for the description, analysis and interpretation of the
data they may be:
 Descriptive statistical method: This method, which are employed primarily to describe what has
been observed are called descriptive statistical methods. Their role purpose is to describe the
behavior of variable and to attempt is made to analyze either by tables or by diagrams to describe
the behavior of the data.
 Analytical statistical method: which are employed to analyze and to interpret what has been
observed?

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