So, the purpose of collection of data is to collect evidence for reaching a sound and clear

solution to a problem.
HOW DO WE COLLECT THE DATA?

Do you know how a manufacturer decides about a product or how a

political party decides about a candidate?
• They conduct a survey by asking questions about a particular
product or candidate from a large group of people.
• The purpose of surveys is to describe some characteristics like
price, quality, usefulness (in case of the product) and popularity,
honesty, loyalty (in case of the candidate).
• The purpose of the survey is to collect data.
• Survey is a method of gathering information from individuals.
 Preparation of Instrument
The most common type of instrument used in surveys is questionnaire/ interview schedule. The
questionnaire is either self administered by the respondent or administered by the researcher
(enumerator) or trained investigator.

While preparing the questionnaire/interview schedule, you should keep in mind the following points;
• The questionnaire should not be too long.
• The questionnaire should be easy to understand and avoid ambiguous or difficult words.
• The questions should be arranged in an order such that the person answering should feel comfortable.
• The series of questions should move from general to specific. The questionnaire should start from
general questions and proceed to more specific ones. For example:
Poor Question:
(i) Is increase in electricity charges justified?
(ii) Is the electricity supply in your locality regular?
Good Question:
(i) Is the electricity supply in your locality regular?
(ii) Is increase in electricity charges justified?
• The questions should be precise and clear. For example,
Poor Question:
What percentage of your income do you spend on clothing in order to look presentable?
Good Question:
What percentage of your income do you spend on clothing?

• The questions should not be ambiguous. They should enable the respondents to answer quickly,
correctly and clearly. For example:
Poor Question:
Do you spend a lot of money on books in a month?
Good Question:
How much do you spend on books in a month? Tick mark the appropriate option)
(i) Less than Rs 200
(ii) Rs 200–300
(iii) Rs 300–400
(iv) More than Rs 400
• The question should not use double negatives. The questions starting with “Wouldn’t you” or “Don’t you” should
be avoided, as they may lead to biased responses. For example:
Poor Question:
Don’t you think smoking should be prohibited?
Good Question:
Do you think smoking should be prohibited?

• The question should not be a leading question, which gives a clue about how the respondent should answer. For
example:
Poor Question:
How do you like the flavour of this high quality tea?
Good Question:
How do you like the flavour of this tea?

• The question should not indicate alternatives to the answer. For example:
Poor Question:
Would you like to do a job after college or be a housewife?
Good Question:
What would you like to do after college ?
The questionnaire may consist of closed-ended (or structured) questions or open-ended
(or unstructured) questions.
The above question about what a student wants do after college is an open-ended
question.
Closed-ended or structured questions can either be a two-way question or a multiple
choice question.
When there are only two possible answers, ‘yes’ or ‘no’, it is called a two way question.
When there is a possibility of more than two options of answers, multiple choice
questions are more appropriate. Example,
Q. Why did you sell your land?
(i) To pay off the debts.
(ii) To finance children’s education.
(iii)To invest in another property.
(iv)Any other (please specify).
 Questionnaire

closed-ended open-ended
or or
structured questions unstructured questions.

multiple choice question. two-way question

Closed-ended questions are easy to use, score and to codify for analysis, because all
respondents can choose from the given options. But they are difficult to write as the
alternatives should be clearly written to represent both sides of the issue. There is also
a possibility that an individual’s true response is not present among the options given.
For this, the choice of ‘Any Other’ is provided, where the respondent can write a
response, which was not anticipated by the researcher. Moreover, another limitation
of multiple-choice questions is that they tend to restrict the answers by providing
alternatives, without which the respondents may have answered differently.

Open-ended questions allow for more individualised responses, but they are difficult
to interpret and hard to score, since there are a lot of variations in the responses.
Example,
Q. What is your view about globalisation?
 Direct Personal Interview

Primary Data Mailed/questionnaire

Interview
Official/Government
Publications
Mode of Collection

Telephonic Interview
Semi/Quasi-government
Publications
Data

International Publications

Private Publications
Published Sources

Secondary Data Newspapers and Magazines

Unpublished Sources Electronic Media

 Direct Personal Interviews
This method is used when the researcher has access to all the members. The researcher (or investigator)
conducts face to-face interviews with the respondents.

Merits of Direct Personal interviews:

• Personal contact is made between the respondent and the interviewer.
• The interviewer has the opportunity of explaining the study and answering the queries of
respondents.
• The interviewer can request the respondent to expand on answers that are particularly important.
• Misinterpretation and misunderstanding can be avoided.
• Watching the reactions of respondents can provide supplementary information.

Personal interview has some demerits too.

• It is expensive, as it requires trained interviewers.
• It takes longer time to complete the survey.
• Presence of the researcher may inhibit respondents from saying what they really think
 Mailing Questionnaire
When the data in a survey are collected by mail, the questionnaire is sent to each individual by mail with a
request to complete and return it by a given date.

Merits of Mailing Questionnaire method:

• It is less expensive as it requires less time, money and labour.
• It allows the researcher to have access to people in remote areas too, who might be difficult to reach in
person or by telephone.
• It does not allow influencing of the respondents by the interviewer.
• It also permits the respondents to take sufficient time to give thoughtful answers to the questions.

Demerits of Mailing Questionnaire method:

• there is less opportunity to provide assistance in clarifying instructions, so there is a possibility of
misunderstanding the questions.
• Mailing is also likely to produce low response rates due to certain factors, such as returning the
questionnaire without completing it, not returning the questionnaire at all, loss of questionnaire in the
mail itself, etc
• This method is applicable only where respondents are educated.
 Telephone Interviews
In a telephone interview, the investigator asks questions over the telephone with the interviewer.

Merits of Telephonic Interviews method:

• It is cheaper as it requires less time, money and labour.
• can be conducted in a shorter time.
• It allows the researcher to assist the respondent by clarifying the questions. Telephonic
interview is better in cases where the respondents are reluctant to answer certain questions in
personal interviews.
• It is useful for conducting enquiry over a large area.

Demerits of Telephonic Interviews:

• Limited access to people, as many people may not own telephones.
• Visual feedback is not possible, as it becomes helpful in obtaining information on sensitive
issues.
 Published Sources
1. Official/Government Publications
The publications of the various ministries and the departments of the Government of
India, state governments and the District Bulletins are one of the most important sources
of secondary information. These include the Census of India published by the Office of
the Registrar General of India, reports of the National Sample Survey, Weather Reports
of Indian Meteorological Department and Statistical Abstracts published by state
governments, and the periodical reports published by different Commissions.

2. Semi/Quasi-government Publications
The publications and reports of Urban Development Authorities and Municipal
Corporations of various cities and towns, Zila Parishads (District Councils), etc. fall under
this category.
3. International Publications

The international publications comprise yearbooks, reports and monographs

published by different agencies of the United Nations, such as United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), World Health Organisation (WHO), Food
and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), etc. Some of the important publications
of the United Nations that are periodically published are Demographic Year
Book, Statistical Year Book and the Human Development Report.
4. Private Publications
The yearbooks, surveys, research reports and monographs published by
newspapers and private organisations fall under this category.

5. Newspapers and Magazines

The daily newspapers and the weekly, fortnightly and monthly magazines
serve as easily accessible sources of secondary data.

6. Electronic Media
The electronic media, specially the internet, has emerged as a major source
of secondary data in recent times.
 Unpublished Sources
1. Government Documents
The unpublished reports, monographs and documents are yet another source of secondary
data. These documents are prepared and maintained as unpublished record at different levels
of governance. For example, the village level revenue records maintained by the patwari of
respective villages serve as an important source of village-level information.

2. Quasi-government Records
The periodical reports and the development plans prepared and maintained by different
Municipal Corporations, District Councils and Civil Services departments are included in
Quasi-government records.

3. Private Documents
These include unpublished reports and records of companies, trade unions, different political
and a political organisations and residents’ welfare associations.
 Precautions to be taken before using secondary data

(1) Reliable agency •We must ensure the agency that has published the data should be
reliable.
(2) Suitability for the purpose •The Investigator must ensure that the data are suitable for the purpose
of an enquiry of the present enquiry.
•The suitability of the data is determined by investigating the nature,
objectives, time of collection, etc. of the secondary data.

(3) Adequacy and accuracy to •It is necessary to use adequate data to avoid biases and prejudices
avoid the impact of bias leading to incorrect conclusions.
(4) Method of collecting data •The investigator should also ascertain as to what method was used in
used collecting the data.
•Sampling method may be biased depending upon the mode of
selection of samples.
•All these should be ascertained before making use of the secondary
data.
 Merits of Census Method
1. Intensive study of population:
It provides intensive and in-depth information covering many facets of the problems. For
example, in a population census, it is not the number of persons which is counted, but
information like number of males and females, age, marital status, educational and occupational
level, income and health conditions, etc., are also obtained.

2. High degree of accuracy and reliability:

Since every item of the population is observed personally, it is possible to collect highly accurate
and reliable information.

3. Suitability of the method:

This method is suitable when different items of the population are not homogeneous. For
example, when items in the population are of complex nature, then census method can provide
desired results.
 Demerits of Census Method
1. Expensive:
Since the data are obtained by observing every item of the population, it is a very expensive
method of investigation, especially in case of a large population.

2. Needs more time and manpower:

Since a large volume of data are to be collected under census investigation, more time and
manpower are needed for its collection, analysis and interpretation.

3. Inapplicability:
Census method cannot be applied in case of infinite population. If the study involves
destruction, as in case of testing of tyres on road, census cannot be conducted.
 CENSUS AND SAMPLE SURVEYS
Census or Complete Enumeration

A survey, which includes every element of the population, is known as Census or the
Method of Complete Enumeration.

If certain agencies are interested in studying the total population in India, they have to
obtain information from all the households in rural and urban India.
It is carried out every ten years. A house-to-house enquiry is carried out, covering all
households in India.

Demographic data on birth and death rates, literacy, employment, life expectancy, size
and composition of population, etc., are collected and published by the Registrar
General of India
➢ Population and Sample Population or the Universe in statistics means totality of the items under
study.

➢ Thus, the Population or the Universe is a group to which the results of the study are intended to
apply.

➢ A population is always all the individuals/items who possess certain characteristics (or a set of
characteristics), according to the purpose of the survey.
➢ The first task in selecting a sample is to identify the population. Once the population is
identified, the researcher selects a method of studying it. If the researcher finds that survey of
the whole population is not possible, then he/ she may decide to select a Representative Sample.

➢ A sample refers to a group or section of the population from which information is to be

obtained.
➢ A good sample (representative sample) is generally smaller than the population and is capable of
providing reasonably accurate information about the population at a much lower cost and
shorter time.
Suppose you want to study the average income of people in a certain region.

According to the Census method, you would be required to find out the
income of every individual in the region, add them up and divide by number of
individuals to get the average income of people in the region. This method
would require huge expenditure, as a large number of enumerators have to be
employed.

Alternatively, you select a representative sample, of a few individuals, from the

region and find out their income. The average income of the selected group of
individuals is used as an estimate of average income of the individuals of the
entire region.
 Sampling

Random Non-Random
every individual has an equal They are mainly selected on the
chance of being selected. basis of judgment, purpose,
convenience or quota and are
non-random samples.
 Exit Polls

You must have seen that when an election takes place, the television
networks provide election coverage. They also try to predict the results.
This is done through exit polls, wherein a random sample of voters who
exit the polling booths are asked whom they voted for. From the data of
the sample of voters, the prediction is made. You might have noticed that
exit polls do not always predict correctly. Why?
There are some agencies both at the national and state level to collect,
process and tabulate the statistical data. Some of the agencies at the
national level are:

i) Census of India,
ii) National Sample Survey (NSS),
iii) Central Statistics Office (CSO),
iv) Registrar General of India (RGI),
v) Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and
vi) Statistics (DGCIS), Labour Bureau, etc.
 CENSUS OF INDIA

• The Census of India provides the most complete and continuous demographic record of
population.
• The Census is being regularly conducted every ten years since 1881. The first Census
after Independence was conducted in 1951.
• The Census officials collect information on various aspects of population such as the
size, density, sex ratio, literacy, migration, rural-urban distribution, etc.
• Census data is interpreted and analysed to understand many economic and social issues
in India.
• The data collected through the census is used for administration, planning and policy
making as well as management and evaluation of various programmes by the
government.
• The responsibility of conducting the Census rest with the Office of Registrar General and
Census Commissioner, India, under Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
• The most recent census of India was performed in 2011. It was the 15th census in an
unbroken series and the 7th after independence in 1947.
 National Sample Survey (NSS)
➢ The NSS was established by the Government of India to conduct nationwide surveys on socio-
economic issues.
➢ The NSS does continuous surveys in successive rounds.
➢ The data collected by NSS are released through reports and its quarterly journal Sarvekshana.
➢ NSS provides periodic estimates of literacy, school enrolment, utilisation of educational
services, employment, unemployment, manufacturing and service sector enterprises, morbidity,
maternity, child care, utilisation of the public distribution system etc.
➢ The NSS 60th round survey (January–June 2004) was on morbidity and healthcare.
➢ The NSS 68th round survey (2011-12) was on consumer expenditure.
➢ The NSS also collects details of industrial activities and retail prices for various goods.
➢ They are used by Government of India for planning purposes.