Primary Data Collection

Method:
Dr. Parmeshwar Biradar
Methods

• Observation

• Interviews

• Questionnaire

• Surveys

• Experiment

• Focus group
Questionnaire/ Schedules
Method of collecting Primary
Data
• Quite popular in case of Big Enquiries.
• Questionnaire is sent to respondents ( By
Post or Mail)
• Questionnaire contains number of
questions printed or typed in definite
order.
Types of Questions:
• Close ended ( Dichotomous and multiple
choice)
• Open ended
Essentials of good
questionnaire
• Make it short (shorter is better)
▫ For every question, ask yourself “How am I going to use this data?”
• Make it simple (Use simple wording + provide clear and concise instructions)

• Make it interesting (Consider varying the questioning format)

• Questions should proceed in logical sequence.

• Questions should move in easy to difficult pattern.

• Personal and intimate questions should be left at the end.

• Technical terms should be avoided.

• Try to avoid open ended questions.

• NEVER FORGET TO:

▫ Write down your study goals before drafting questions

▫ Formulate a plan for statistical analysis before drafting questions

Ordering of Questions
• Questions should be ordered so as to seem logical to the

respondent

• First questions should be relevant and easy

• Questions are effectively ordered from most salient to least

salient

• Demographic questions should not be covered at the beginning

• Potentially objectionable questions are placed near the end

Improving Response Rate
• Increase perceived rewards
▫ Be polite, say thank you

▫ Summary of results

▫ Tangible rewards (money, gift…can be very effective)

• Increase trust
▫ Provide a sense of legitimacy

▫ Make responding to the questionnaire seem important

• Test the questionnaire

▫ Have one respondent fill the questionnaire in your presence

▫ Pilot test on small sample

What Happens After?
• Questionaire Checking
• Editing
• Coding
• Classification
• Tabulation
• Graphical Representation
• Data Analysis and Interpretation.
Benefits of Questionnaire
method
• Low cost even when universe is large
• Free from bias of interviewer.
• Respondents have adequate time to give
well thought answers.
• Large sample can be used easily.
Limitations of Questionnaire
method
• Low rate of return of duly filled
Questionnaire.
• Respondents need to be educated.
• Control over questionnaire is lost once it
is sent.
• Possibility of ambiguous replies.
• Slow method.
• Difficult to know whether respondents are
truly representative.
Difference between
questionnaire and schedule
questionnaire schedule

Sent to respondents by mail or Filled out by research worker by

post reaching to respondents
Cheap and economical Relatively more expensive
Non response is high Non response is low

Not always clear who actually Identity of respondents is known

replies
Personal contact is not possible Personal contact is possible.
Observation is possible Observation is not possible
Respondents must be literate and Can be used for even illiterate
Co-oerative. respondents.
focus group discussion
• A focus group discussion (FGD) is a
good way to gather together people from
similar backgrounds or experiences to
discuss a specific topic of interest.
• A focus group discussion involves
gathering people from similar.
backgrounds or experiences together to
discuss a specific topic of. interest. It is a
form of qualitative research where
questions are. asked about their
perceptions attitudes, beliefs, opinion or
ideas.
Reasons for using focus
groups
• Focus groups are a useful method to:
• investigate complex behaviour
• discover how different groups think and
feel about a topic and why they hold
certain opinions
• identify changes in behaviour
• investigate the use, effectiveness and
usefulness of particular library collections
and services
• verify or clarify the results from surveys
• suggest potential solutions to problems
identified
• inform decision-making, strategic
planning and resource allocation
• to add a human dimension to impersonal
data
• to deepen understanding and explain
statistical data.
Focus group process

• Stage 1: Determine what information is

required. What do you want to find out?
• stage 2: Decide on the number of focus
groups, focus group participants eg
students, library staff, academics and how
these should be contacted
• Stage 3: Draft the interview schedule,
considering content, wording, format,
structure and layout
• Stage 4: Pilot/test the focus group
schedule with colleagues or a sample of
potential participants and revise as
necessary
• Stage 5: Conduct the focus groups
• Stage 6: Transcribe focus groups
• Stage 7: Analyse the transcripts
• Stage 8: Write up, present and use the
findings
The main advantages of
focus groups are:
• They are useful to obtain detailed
information about personal and group
feelings, perceptions and opinions.
• They can save time and money compared
to individual interviews.
• They can provide a broader range of
information.
• They offer the opportunity to seek
clarification.
Disadvantages of focus
groups
• The main disadvantages of focus groups
are:
• there can be disagreements and
irrelevant discussion which distract from
the main focus
• they can be hard to control and manage
• they can to tricky to analyse
• They can be difficult to encourage a range
of people to participate
• some participants may find a focus group
situation intimidating or off-putting;
participants may feel under pressure to
agree with the dominant view
• as they are self-selecting, they may not be
representative of non-users.
• Advantages of using online focus
groups
• The main advantages of online focus
groups are:
• Lower costs
• Greater anonymity
• Allow easier participation by distance
learners, part time staff and students etc.
• Disadvantages of using online focus
groups
• The main disadvantages of online focus
groups are:
• No opportunity to observe interaction
• May be technical difficulties
• Those who are less confident users of
electronic services may be less willing to
participate
SURVEY
• to ask (many people) a question or a
series of questions in order to gather
information about what most people do or
think about something. - Merriam-
Webster Dictionary
• A survey is used to know or get the
opinions of a large group of people about
a particular topic or issue.
STEPS IN CONDUCTING A
SURVEY
• ask a number of questions, all related to
the issue, to find answers.
• select a sample
• administer the questions to each samples
• analyse the responses of the samples
• draw conclusions about the opinions of
the sample
• generalize to the population from which
the sample was selected.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A
SURVEY
1. Information is collected from a group of
people
2. The main way in which the information is
collected is through asking questions
3. Information is collected from a sample
rather than from every member of the
population.
Types of Surveys
• Longitudi- nal Survey
• Cross- Sectional Survey
• Mail Survey
• Telephone survey
• Google form Survey
• Personal Interview survey
CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEYS
• Collects information from a sample that
has been drawn from a predetermined
population

• The information is collected at just one

point in time.
LONGITUDINAL SURVEYS
• • Information is collected at different
points in time in order to study changes
over time
MAIL SURVEYS
• This method is used when data in a
survey are collected by mail, the
questionnaire is sent to each individual in
the sample, with a request that it be
completed and then returned by a given
date.
TELEPHONE SURVEYS
• This method is used when the researcher
asks questions of the respondents over
the telephone.
Google form Survey
Nowadays, given the fast-pace of
technology, communication has been more
accessible for all.

Computers are being used more in

telephone surveys.

Survey is done through Google form

PERSONAL INTERVIEWS
• This method is used when the researcher
conducts face-to-face interview with the
respondent.
• Rapport can be established, questioned
can be clarified, unclear or incomplete
answers can be followed-up, and so on.
• Face-to-face interviewing also places less
of a burden on the reading and writing
skills of the respondents and, when
necessary, permits spending more time
Strengths and Weaknesses of a Survey
Research
• High rate of response
• Low cost factor
• Has an opportunity to explain the study
and answer any questions
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

• To inculcate research culture among

students.
• To encourage original and novel thinking.
• To provide an opportunity for expression
of academic talent.
• To promote interaction among academia,
R & D Institutes and Industries.
Guidelines to the Participants
• Projects can be in the form of live demonstration /models / posters and
should be based on innovative ideas, in any given categories.

• Each college/institution can send a maximum of two entries in each

category, irrespective of their levels (UG/PG / M.Phil-Ph.D.)

• In the First Round, All contestants are expected to display their posters of
1m X 1m size before a panel of judges appointed for the purpose.

• Selected projects from the I-Round will have to give oral presentation
before Judges.

• Each oral presentation will be given 8 minutes for presentation and 2

minutes for question and answers.

• There is no restriction on the number of students engaged in each of the

team but only one representative will present the Project at the
exhibition.
• Representative of the team and one accompanying person (guiding
teacher or team member) will be provided local hospitality by the host
institution.

• All required basic infrastructural facilities like working space, electricity,

water, tables, mounting boards, LCD projector, overhead projector etc.,
will be made available. For any special requirements, if any, participants
should inform the coordinator well in advance.

• All entries should be forwarded through the principal of the college /Head
of the institution.

• Registration is compulsory for all participants. There will be no

registration fee.
• Participants will be issued participation certificates from the University.

• Mounting boards (poster display boards) of 1m X 1m size will be made

available.

• The decision of judges will be final and binding on all participants.

• All winning teams will be informed about their selection on the same day.

• Winning teams will be selected for participation in the STAGE-II held at

Dept. of Chemistry, University of Pune, Pune in the month of December
Second wee
CATEGORIES FOR
PARTICIPATION
• Humanities, Languages, Fine Arts, etc.
• Commerce, Management, Law etc.
• Pure Sciences
• Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
• Engineering & Technology
• Medicine and Pharmacy