Scribd
Upload
54 views12 pages

Data Gathering

This document discusses data collection for research purposes. It defines data and describes three types: personal data about individuals, organizational data, and territorial data about geographical areas. Data serve as the basis for analysis and testing hypotheses. There are two main sources of data: primary sources where the researcher directly collects original data, and secondary sources where data has already been collected for another purpose, such as census reports. The advantages of secondary data include speed, lower cost, and the ability to study wider areas over longer time periods. However, secondary data may not fully meet the specific needs of a given research project. The document outlines some common methods for collecting primary data, including observation, surveys, interviews, and documentation.

Uploaded by

Christine Alipio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
54 views12 pages

Data Gathering

This document discusses data collection for research purposes. It defines data and describes three types: personal data about individuals, organizational data, and territorial data about geographical areas. Data serve as the basis for analysis and testing hypotheses. There are two main sources of data: primary sources where the researcher directly collects original data, and secondary sources where data has already been collected for another purpose, such as census reports. The advantages of secondary data include speed, lower cost, and the ability to study wider areas over longer time periods. However, secondary data may not fully meet the specific needs of a given research project. The document outlines some common methods for collecting primary data, including observation, surveys, interviews, and documentation.

Uploaded by

Christine Alipio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 12

DATA COLLECTION

What is data?

Data are facts, figures, and


other relevant materials, past
and present, serving as bases
for study and analysis.
Types of Data
The data needed for a research may be broadly classified
into (a) Data pertaining to human beings, (b) Data relating
to organizations, and (c) Data pertaining to territorial
areas.
1. Personal Data – or data related to human beings
consists of Demographic and socio-economic
characteristics of individuals like age, race, social
status, religion, marital status, education, occupation,
income, family size, location of the household, life
style, etc. and behavioural variables like attitudes,
opinions, awareness, knowledge, practice,& intentions.
2. Organizational Data – consist of data
relating to an organization’s origin, ownership,
objectives, resources, functions, performance
and growth.
3. Territorial Data – are related to geophysical
characteristics, resources endowment,
population, occupational pattern,
infrasfracture, economic structure, degree of
development, etc. of spatial divisions like
villages, cities, state/regions and the nation.
Importance of Data
•Data serve as the bases of raw materials for analysis.
Without an analysis of a factual data, no specific
inferences can be drawn on the questions under
study.
•Data form the basis for testing the hypotheses
formulated in the study. It also provide the facts and
figures required for constructing measurement scales
and tables which are analyzed with statistical
techniques.
Sources of Data
1.Primary Sources – are original sources from
which the researcher directly collects data that
have not been previously collected.
e.g., collection of data directly by the researcher on
brand awareness, brand preference, brand loyalty
and other aspects of consumer behavior from a
sample of consumers by interviewing them. Primary
data are first-hand information collected through
various methods such as observation, mailing, etc.
2. Secondary Sources - these are the sources
containing data that have been collected and
compiled for another purpose. The secondary
sources consist of readily available compendia and
already conmpiled statistical statements and reports
whose data may be used by reseachers to their
studies.
Example: Census Reports, Annual Reports,
Financial Statements of the Company and
Statistical Reports
2. Secondary Sources - these are the sources
containing data that have been collected and
compiled for another purpose. The secondary
sources consist of readily available compendia and
already conmpiled statistical statements and reports
whose data may be used by reseachers to their
studies.
Example: Census Reports, Annual Reports,
Financial Statements of the Company and
Statistical Reports
Advantages
1. Secondary data, if available, can be secured quickly and
cheaply.
2. Wider geographical area and longer reference period
may be covered without much cost. Thus use of
secondary data extends the researcher’s space and time
reach.
3. The use of secondary data broadens the database from
which scientific generealizations can be made.
4. The use of secondary data enables a researchers to
verify the findings based on primary data.
Disadvantages
1. The most important limitation is the available
data may not meet, our specific research needs.
2. Secondary data are not up-to-date and
become obsolete when they appear in print
because of time lag in producing them.
3. Finally information about the whereabouts of
sources may not be available to all social
scientists.
METHODS OF COLLECTING PRIMARY DATA
The researcher directly collects primary data from their original
sources. In this case, the researchers can collect the required data
precisely according to your research needs, you can collect them
when he wants them and in the form you needs them. But the
collection of Primary Data is costly and time consuming, yet
for several types of social science research such as socio-
economic surveys, social anthropological studies of rural
communities and tribal communities etc., required data are not
available from secondary sources and they have to be directly
gathered from the primary sources.
In all cases where the available data are inappropriate,
inadequate or obsolete, primary data have to be gathered.
Choice of Methods of Data Collection
1. Observation – means viewing or seeing. We go
on observing some thing or other while we are
awake. Most of such observations are just casual
and have no specific purpose. But observation as a
method of data collection is different from such
casual viewing.

You might also like