Debre Tabor University

College of Health sciences

Social and Public Health Unit

Methods of Data collection

By: Marelign Tilahun (Assistant Professor, MPH/Epidemiology & Biostatistics)

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Methods of Data collection
1. What methods of data collection do you know?

2. What sources of data do you know?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each

sources of data?

4. Types of questionnaires

5. Advantages and disadvantages of each type of

questionnaire

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For each of the following identify the appropriate data collection method

a. Exclusive breast feeding practice and associated

factors among mothers of under two years of
children

b. Client satisfaction on Nursing care in Arba Minch

hospital

c. Factors associated with exposure for sexually

explicit materials and homosexual practice

d. Liquid waste disposal in Hotels of Arba Minch

town
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 Data
 Information collected from the source.

 Data is a collection of information, facts and

evidence from which you can draw conclusions.

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Sources of data
1. Primary sources of data: it needs the involvement of the
researcher himself. Census and sample survey are
sources of primary types of data.

2. Secondary sources of data: In this case data were

obtained from already collected sources like
newspaper, magazines, CSA, DHS, hospital records
and existing data like;
 Mortality reports
 Morbidity reports
 Epidemic reports
 Reports of laboratory utilization (including laboratory test
results)

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Advantage of Secondary
sources of data
 Is inexpensive

 Permits examination of trends over the past.

Disadvantage of Secondary sources

of data
 Data is not always easily accessible.
 Ethical issues concerning confidentiality.
 Information may be imprecise or in- complete.
 Data collection may not be standardized.
 The data is related only to numerical data.
 Fail to include important illness and disability
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 Techniques of Primary Data collection

 Observation:
 is a technique that involves systematically selecting, watching and
recording behavior and characteristics of living beings, objects or
phenomena.
 It can be undertaken in different ways;
 Participant observation: The observer takes part in the situation
he or she observes.
 Non-participant observation: The observer watches the
situation, openly or concealed, but does not participate
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 Techniques of Primary Data collection

 Observations can give additional, more accurate information on

behavior of people than interviews or questionnaires
 Observations can also be made on objects;
 For example, the presence or absence of a latrine and its state of
cleanliness may be observed.
 Here observation would be the major research technique

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 Techniques of Primary Data collection

 Interview (face-to-face):
 is a data-collection technique that involves oral questioning of
respondents, either individually or as a group.
 Answers to the questions posed during an interview can be
recorded by:
 writing them down (either during the interview itself or immediately after
the interview) or
 by tape-recording the responses, or by a combination of both.

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 Techniques of Primary Data collection
 Focus group discussions:
 It allows a group of 8 - 12 informants to freely discuss a
certain subject with the guidance of a facilitator or reporter

 In-depth interview:
 It is a conversion between the researcher and the subject about
the research area or topic.

 It is designed to allow the respondent to tell their story in their

own way

 Issues covered in detail; respondent leads the interviews/sets

the agenda; no fixed order

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 Techniques of Primary Data collection

 Administered written questionnaire: is a data collection tool in

which written questions are presented that are to be answered by
the respondents in written form
 It can be administered in different ways, such as by:
 Sending questionnaires by mail with clear instructions on how to answer
the questions and asking for mailed responses;
 Gathering all or part of the respondents in one place at one time, giving
oral or written instructions, and letting the respondents fill out the
questionnaires;
 Hand-delivering questionnaires to respondents and collecting them later

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 Data collection instruments

 Types of questions
 Depending on how questions are asked and
recorded we can distinguish two major
possibilities:
1. Open-ended questions: (allowing for
completely open as well as partially categorized
answers).
 It permit free responses which should be
recorded in the respondents' own words.

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 Open-ended questions …
 Such questions are useful for obtaining in-depth
information on:
• facts with which the researcher is not very

familiar,
• opinions, attitudes and suggestions of informants

Examples;
1. At what age the child started supplementary food?
2. 'What is your opinion on the services provided in
the ANC?' (Explain why.)
3. 'What do you think are the reasons some
adolescents in this area start using drugs?

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 Advantage of open-ended
 questions…
Allow you to probe more deeply into issues of
interest being raised.
 Information provided in the respondents' own words
might be useful
 Providing valuable new insights on the problem.
 Permit unlimited number of answers

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Risks of completely open-
ended questions…
 A big risk is incomplete recording of all
relevant issues covered in the discussion.
 Analysis is time-consuming and requires
experience; otherwise important data may be
lost.
 Skilled interviewers are needed to get the
discussion started and focused on relevant
issues and to record all information collected.

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2. Closed questions:
 Have a list of possible options or answers from
which the respondents must choose.

Example: closed ended question

What is the current breastfeeding status of mother ?

A. Exclusive breastfeeding

B. Partial breastfeeding

C. Not breastfeeding

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 Advantages of closed ended
 Itquestions
saves time
 Comparing responses of different groups, or of
the same group over time, becomes easier.
 Answers easier to analyze on computer
 Response choices make question clearer

Risks of closed ended questions:

• In case of illiterate respondents, bias will be

introduce
• Many choices can be confusing

• Can't tell if respondent misinterpreted the

question
• Fine distinctions may be lost
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Questionnaire Design
 Designing a questionnaire always takes several
drafts.
 In the first draft we should concentrate on the
content.
 In the second, we should look critically at the
formulation and sequencing of the questions. Then
we should scrutinize the format of the
questionnaire.
 Finally, we should do a test-run to check whether
the questionnaire gives us the information we
required & whether both the respondents & we
feel at ease with it.
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Steps in designing
questionnaire
Step 1: Content

Step 2: Formulating questions

Step 3: Sequencing the questions

Step 4: Formatting the questionnaire

Step 5: Translation

Step 6: pre-test

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 Step 1: Content:

 Take your objectives and variables as a starting

point

 Decide what questions will be needed to measure

or to define your variables and reach your
objectives.

Step2: Formulating questions:

 Formulate one or more questions that will provide
the information needed for each variable.
 Check whether each question measures one
thing at a time.
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 Take care that questions are specific and precise
enough that different respondents do not interpret
them differently.
 Ask sensitive questions in a socially acceptable

way.
Avoid leading questions.

A question is leading if it suggests a certain answer.

Step 3: Sequencing the questions:

 Design your interview schedule or questionnaire to
be 'informant friendly’
 The sequence of questions must be logical for the
respondent & allow as mush as possible for a
“natural” discussion.
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 Step 4: Formatting the
 questionnaire:
When you finalize your questionnaire, be sure that:
 A separate, introductory page is attached to each
questionnaire
 explaining the purpose of the study
 requesting the informant's consent to be
interviewed
 assuring confidentiality of the data obtained.
 Each questionnaire has a heading and space to
insert the number, date and location of the
interview
 You may add the name of the interviewer, to
facilitate quality control.
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 Step 5:Translation
 If interview will be conducted in one or more local
languages, the questionnaire has to be translated
to standardize the way questions will be asked.
 After having it translated you should have it
retranslated into the original language.
 You can then compare the two versions for
differences and make a decision concerning the
final phrasing of difficult concepts.

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 Step 6: Pretest
 A pretest usually refers to a small-scale trial of a
particular research component.
 A pretest serves as a trial run that allows us to
identify potential problems in the proposed study.
 As a result, a good deal of time, effort, and money
can be saved in the long run
 Pre testing is :
 Simpler

 Less time consuming and less Costly

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