DATA COLLECTION AND SAMPLING

TECHNIQUES
Lesson 2 in Statistics and Probabilities
 Data Collection: Definition, Methods,
Example and Design
Definition:
•Data collection is defined as the procedure of collecting,
measuring and analyzing accurate insights for research using
standard validated techniques.
•A researcher can evaluate their hypothesis on the basis of
collected data.
• In most cases, data collection is the primary and most
important step for research, irrespective of the field of
research.
 Data Collection

 The approach of data collection is different for different fields of

study, depending on the required information.

 The process of gathering raw facts or evidence about a subject of

interest in a systematic way, that enables one to answer stated
research questions and evaluate outcomes.

 It can also be defined as gathering of information (figures, words

or responses) that describes some situation from which
conclusions can be drawn.
 Data Collection Method
•Data-collection methods allow us to systematically
collect information about our objects of study (people,
objects) and about the settings in which they occur.
•Data collection tools are instruments that are used hand in
hand with the data collection methods to collect/retrieve
data.
•To avoid confusion in the use of terms, the following table
points out the distinction between techniques and tools
applied in data collection.
Data Collection Methods
Data Collection: Definition, Methods,
Example and Design
 Data collection techniques and tools
TECHNIQUES TOOLS

• Administering written •Questionnaire

questionnaires. •Interview guide, checklist, tape
recorder.
•Interviewing
•Eyes and other senses,
•Observation pen/paper, microscope.
•Using available information •Check lists, data compilation
forms.
 Approaches to data collection
•There are two major approaches to gathering
information about a situation, person, problem or
phenomenon.
•Sometimes, information required is already available and
need only to be extracted.
•However, there are times when the information must be
collected fresh from field.
•Based upon these two broad approaches to information
gathering, data in scientific research are categorized as;
 Types of data
◦ Secondary data
◦ Primary data
Secondary data: Data that previously may have been
collected for other purposes but can be used in the
immediate study.
Examples of secondary sources include the use of
population census data to obtain information on age-sex
structure of a population, use of organizations‘ records,
use of hospitals records, and collection of data from
sources such as journals, magazines, books and other
periodicals.
 Types of data

•Primary data: Raw data that has been originally collected by the
researcher specifically for the study at hand.
•Examples of information from primary sources include;
interviewing community inhabitants to find out their attitudes
towards health services, using questionnaires to determine the
level of job satisfaction of employees in an organization, observing
students behaviors in class etc.
•In conclusion, primary sources provide first hand data and
secondary sources provide second hand data.
Data collection methods
 The questionnaire

•A questionnaire is a written list of questions, the answers to which

are recorded by respondents.
•In questionnaire respondents read the question, interpret what is
expected and the write down the answers.
•Unlike an interview guide in which the researcher may explain the
meaning of some questions, in the case of questionnaire, there is
no one to explain the meaning of questions to respondents.
•Therefore questions in a questionnaire must be clear and easy to
understand.
 Ways of administering a questionnaire
A questionnaire can be administered in different ways..
◦ A mailed questionnaire – one approach to collecting information is to send the
questionnaire to prospective respondents by mail. Obviously, this method
presupposes that u have access to their address. One of the major problem with
this approach is the low response rate.

◦ Collective administration – one of the best ways of administering

questionnaires is to obtain a captive audience such as students in a class room,
people attending a function, or people assembled in one place. This ensures a
high response rate as you will find very few people refusing to participate in your
study.
 Contents of a questionnaire
cover letter
It is essential that you write a cover letter to accompany your
questionnaire. It should be very briefly:
◦ Introduce you and the institution you are representing.
◦ Describe in two or three lines the main objective of the study.
◦ Convey any general instructions.
◦ Assure respondents of the anonymity of the information
provided by them.
◦ Provide a contact number incase they have questions.
◦ Give them a return address for the questionnaire and a deadline
for its return.
◦ Thank them for their participation.
 Questionnaires…
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Ad
• Less expensive to administer •Limited application.
mostly if the collective method is
used. • Lack of opportunity to clarify
• method is used. issues.
• Able to collect information from a
larger sample • Low response rate.
•it offers greater anonymity. • It is possible to consult others.

•it offers greater anonymity • Spontaneous responses may not

be possible mostly if it’s a mailed
questionnaire.
Forms of questions in a questionnaire
In a questionnaires, questions may be formulated as;
◦ Closed ended or
◦ Open ended
In a closed-ended question, the possible answers are set out in the
questionnaire and the respondent ticks the category that best describes the
respondents answer. E.g.
◦ Please tick the type of research you would love to undertake.
Applied research Basic Research descriptive research quantitative

In open ended questions, the possible responses are not given. The
respondent writes down the answers in his/her words. E.g.
◦ Please explain why you opted for a Bachelors degree in Information technology?
 Considerations in formulating questions

•The wording and the tone of your question is

important because the information and its quality
largely depend upon these factors.
•It is therefore important to be careful about the
way you formulate questions.
•Some considerations to keep in mind when
formulating questions are as follows;
 Considerations in formulating questions

◦ Always use simple and everyday language. Take extra

care to use words that your respondents will
understand as you may no have the opportunity to
explain questions to them. Words like; “is your family
a dipsomaniac” may be hard for respondents to
interpret.

◦ Do not ask double barrelled questions. A double

barrelled question is a question within a question. E.g.
“How often and how much time do you spend in the
computer lab”?
Considerations in formulating questions
◦ Do not ask leading questions – these are questions in
which, by their nature, contents, structure or wording
leads a respondent to answer in a certain direction. E.g.
“unemployment is increasing at a very high rate isn’t it”
or “smoking is bad isn’t it?”

◦ The order of questions also matters. Questions should

follow a logical progression based upon the objectives of
the study.
 When to use a questionnaire?

•When resources and money are limited.

•When it is necessary to protect the privacy of the
participants.
•When you want to collect data from a relatively
bigger population.
•Etc..
 Interviews
1.Interviews
•The most common.
•Of all the primary data collection methods, in-person interviewing
can be the most expensive.
•There are ways to limit the cost of interviews, such as conducting
them over the phone or through a web chat interface.
•Interviews also allow for open-ended questions. Compared to other
primary data collection methods, such as surveys, interviews are
more customizable and responsive.
Interviews
 Observation
•Observation involves collecting information without asking
questions.
•More subjective, as it requires the researcher, or observer, to add
their judgment to the data.
•But in some circumstances, the risk of bias is minimal.
•In general, observation can determine the dynamics of a situation,
which generally cannot be measured through other data collection
techniques.
•Observation also can be combined with additional information,
such as video.
 Surveys
1. Surveys
• Are used to collect data from the target audience and gather insights into their preferences,
opinions, choices, and feedback related to their products and services.
• Most survey software often a wide range of question types to select.
• Online surveys can be customized as per the business’s brand by changing the theme, logo,
etc. They can be distributed through several distribution channels such as email, website,
offline app, QR code, social media, etc. Depending on the type and source of your audience,
you can select the channel. Once the data is collected,
• survey software can generate various reports and run analytics algorithms to discover
hidden insights.
• A survey dashboard can give you the statistics related to response rate, completion rate,
filters based on demographics, export and sharing options, etc. You can maximize the effort
spent on online data collection by integrating survey builder with third-party apps.
 Sampling Methods in Data Collection
Sampling is the process of identifying a subset of a population that provides an
accurate reflection on the whole. It can be a tricky process, as populations are often
diverse. However, there are some statistical methods that can make sure a small
subset of the community accurately represents the whole group.
Random sampling
random sampling involves picking respondents with no design or order, like picking
names out of a hat.
Systematic sampling
Easier than random sampling, systematic sampling follows a set of rules to create
regularity in sampling. Systematic sampling retains some of the benefits of
randomness, but it can be too rigid in cases
 Sampling Methods in Data Collection
Convenience sampling
This is the easiest sampling method but also the least reliable. Convenience sampling
involves gathering information from whoever is closest and easiest to reach.
Clustered sampling
With clustered sampling, a researcher uses the subgroups of a population instead of
individuals. Clustered sampling is further broken down into different types — single-
stage cluster sampling, where all individuals in a cluster are included in the sample, or
two-stage cluster sampling, where only random individuals within the cluster are chosen.
Stratified sampling
Stratified and cluster sampling may sound similar. Here’s the critical difference: In
stratified sampling, individuals are randomly selected from each group (or strata). In
cluster sampling, only certain clusters are used.
 Collecting data with the Likert scale
COLLECTING DATA WITH THE LIKERT SCALE JOT FORM

The Likert scale measures attitudes,

which can be a helpful indicator for
businesses looking to gauge customer
opinions on products, services, and
more. These scales usually contain five
to seven points and follow a linear
pattern.
Jotform makes incorporating Likert
scales into surveys and questionnaires
easy.
 Informed consent

Why is informed consent important?

•Without informed consent, your data will be invalid.
•Results from unknowing participants have less value
and are often unusable.
•With Jotform, you can ensure that you properly
document consent, making your job as a researcher,
business owner, or healthcare provider easier.
 Jotform as a Data Collection Tool
Data can provide insight into customers, processes, and employees; it can often give
companies the leverage they need to gain a significant competitive advantage.
References:
•https://www.jotform.com › data-collection-methods

•https://research-methodology.net › sampling-in-primary...

•https://courses.lumenlearning.com › introstats1

•https://www.researchgate.net › publication › 322656396_...