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RMM Lecture 23 Tools For Data Collection

This document discusses research methods for data collection. It provides guidelines for designing questionnaires, including making questions relevant, avoiding ambiguity and double-barreled questions, arranging questions sequentially, and properly laying out the questionnaire. The document emphasizes the importance of pilot testing the questionnaire on a small sample to evaluate reactions, discover errors, check sampling procedures, assess the research team, and evaluate data processing. Pilot testing helps improve the wording, format, and sequencing of questions before fully administering the questionnaire.

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Shaheena Sana
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60 views26 pages

RMM Lecture 23 Tools For Data Collection

This document discusses research methods for data collection. It provides guidelines for designing questionnaires, including making questions relevant, avoiding ambiguity and double-barreled questions, arranging questions sequentially, and properly laying out the questionnaire. The document emphasizes the importance of pilot testing the questionnaire on a small sample to evaluate reactions, discover errors, check sampling procedures, assess the research team, and evaluate data processing. Pilot testing helps improve the wording, format, and sequencing of questions before fully administering the questionnaire.

Uploaded by

Shaheena Sana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RESEARCH

METHODS

Lecture 23
Ask questions like:
• Is the assistance of interviewer necessary?
• Are respondents likely to be interested in
the issues being investigated?
• Will cooperation be easily attained?
• How quickly the information be easily
attained?
• How quickly the information is needed?
• Will the study require a long complex
questionnaire?
• How large is the budget?
The Criteria is:
• The cost, speed, anonymity, and
the like may be different for each
project.
• If none is a good fit, then use
mixed method.
TOOLS FOR
DATA COLLECTION
Basically Three Tools
• 1. Questionnaire
• 2. Interview schedule
• 3. Interview guide
• Both 1 and 2 are list of questions.
• Questionnaire handed over to the respondent,
who reads and fills it.
• I.S. remains with the interviewer, who reads
the questions to the respondents, gets the
response, and records it.
• We will use questionnaire for both.
• Interview guide is list of topics to be covered
during an in-depth interview.
Guidelines for
Questionnaire Design
• Questionnaire is an instrument for
measuring variables.
• Properly worded questionnaire helps in
minimizing many problems.
• Questionnaire design is a critical stage.
• Focus on: What should be asked?
Phrasing of questions, sequencing the
questions, and lay out of the
questionnaire.
1. Questionnaire Relevancy
• Question relevant to the
respondent.
• Questions relevant to the topic.
• Rationale for each item of
information
2. Questionnaire Accuracy
• Make sure that the information is
reliable and valid.
• Come down to the level of the
respondent. Avoid jargon, slang,
and abbreviations. Marital status.
3. Avoid Ambiguity,
Confusion, and Vagueness
• People use their perspective to
interpret a word/concept e.g. What
is your income? People assign
different meanings.
• Avoid using words with indefinite
frame of reference.
4. Avoid Double-Barreled Questions

• D-B question consists of two or


more questions joined together.
• Makes the answer ambiguous.
“Does this Co have pension and
health insurance benefits?”
5. Avoid Leading Questions
• LQ: That leads the respondent to
choose one response over the other
by its wording.
• Make respondents feel that all
responses are legitimate.
• “You don’t smoke, do you?” “Don’t
you think that women should be
empowered?”
6. Avoid Loaded Questions
• LQ: suggest socially desirable answer or
are emotionally charged.
• Should the city government repair all
broken roads?
• Question loaded with such material that
may hit the emotions of people e.g.
Behaviors associated with masculinity in
Pakistani society – Asking a husband –
Have you ever been beaten up by your wife?
Can be embarrassing.
7. Avoid Burdensome Questions
• People forget.
• Certain question may make serious
demand on respondent’s memory.
How did you feel about your
brother when you were 6 years
old?
8. Arrange Questions
Sequentially
• Make the questionnaire an integrated
whole. No jumping back and forth.
• Make the opening questions simple
and interesting. Arouses respondent’s
curiosity.
• Funnel Technique: Moving from
broader issues to specific one.
9. Use Filter questions if Needed
• Asking question that doesn’t apply to the
subject can be irritating or bias the answer.
• Use filter question: That screens out
respondents not qualified the second
question.
• Asking about bringing up of one’s children.
Prior to that ask if a person is married. If
yes is he/she a parent.
10. Layout of the Questionnaire
• Two issues: Overall physical layout, and format of
questions and responses.
• Attractive in appearance is crucial in self
administered questionnaire.
• Number each question.
• Make a cover sheet for each. Put the time and date
of the interview, the interviewer name, the
respondent ID number, interviewer’s comments.
• Give instructions. Print in different style.
• Include a polite, professional cover letter on
letterhead, identifying the researcher. Always end
with “Thank you for your cooperation.”
PILOT TESTING THE
QUESTIONNAIRE
Pilot Testing
• Also called pre-testing: Small scale
trial run of a particular component.
• Here focus is on trial run of
questionnaire.
Involves
• Small group selected on convenience.
• Could be 25+
• Similar to the one to be sampled.
• Administering questionnaire exactly as
planned often is not possible (Problems in
mail questionnaire).
• Usually go for personal interviewing
What aspects to be evaluated?

• Reactions of Respondents
• Discovering errors in the instrument
• Checking the sampling procedure
• Staffing and activities of research team
• Evaluating the procedure for data
processing and analysis
1. Reactions of the Respondents
• Availability of study population (timing).
• Acceptability of the questions asked.
Experience stimulating. Were
the questions sensitive/threatening?
Acceptability of the wording.
• Willingness of the respondents to
cooperate.
2. Discovering errors in the
instrument
• Validity and reliability of the instrument.
Tabulation of the results  Do these meet
the measurement objectives? Determine
the appropriateness of question.
• Time taken. Length of the questionnaire.
• Any need to revise the format of the tool?
Placement of sensitive questions. Pre-
testing helps in proper sequence, wording,
translation, spacing, structuring answers,
coding. Needing instructions.
3. Checking the Sampling
Procedure
• The extent to which the instructions
given are followed to reach the
respondent. Locating problems and
possible solutions.
• Time needed to locate the
respondents.
4. Staffing and Activities of
Research Team

• How successful the training has been? Pre-


testing a period of extra training.
• What is the work output of each member?
• How well the research team works
together?
• Is the logistical support adequate?
5. Evaluating the Procedure
for Data Processing and
Analysis
• Make dummy tables. Use appropriate
statistics, and make interpretations
Thank You

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