Pretest & Pilot Study

Presented by: Supervised by:

Rejeena Subedi Addit. Prof. Upendra Yadav
M. Sc. Nursing Department of Child Health
2017 Batch Nursing
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 Pretesting ???

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 Objectives
At the end of this session, participants will be able to,
• Define pretesting.
• List the principles of pretesting.
• List the purpose of pretesting.
• Define pilot study
• List the purpose of pilot study.
• Enlist the process of pilot study.
• List the advantages of pilot study.
• List the negative aspects of pilot study.
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 Pretesting

The process of measuring the

effectiveness of instruments to gather
data in advance.

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Pretesting Cont…

Administration of data collection

instrument with a small set of respondents
from the population for the full scale
survey.

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 Pretesting
Designing & planning phase
1. Selecting
is doneresearch
in step “finalizing and
design.
reviewing ofthethe research
2. Identification populationplan ”
to be
which comes under the “Design
studied.
and planning phase”.
3. Specification of material & methods
of research variables
4. Designing the sampling plan
5. Finalizing & reviewing research plan.
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Principles of Pretesting
• Must be done on a sample that is representative of the
population.
• Careful notes should be taken on the problems
encountered & possible solutions should be identified.
• Should be conducted in circumstances that are as similar
as possible to actual data collection.
• Pretests should be conducted systematically, with
potential respondents and using the same method of
administration.

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Advantages of Pretest?

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 Advantages of Pretesting
•Strengths & weaknesses of the tool
1 are known before-hand.

•Structure & contents of the tool are

2 refined

•An estimate of resources needed to

3 conduct the final survey can be made.

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Advantages of Pretesting cont…
•Measurement problems like
offensive questions, intrusive or
4 invasive questions get rectified.

•Effectiveness of the tool is

enhanced by rightly working
certain questions, removing
5 confusion causing questions.

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 Pilot study ???

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Pilot study
• The process of carrying out a preliminary study, going
through the entire research procedure with a small
sample.

• Small scaled study on the subjects, but these subjects are

not a part of the actual study.( 5- 10% of total sample)

• “A preliminary investigation to determine the feasibility

of a larger study.”
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 Designing & planning
Definition cont…
phase
1.Selecting research design.
It is carried out at the end
2.Identification of the population to
of planning
be studied.
phase, in
order to explore and test
3.Specification of material
the research elements. &
methods of research variables
4.Designing the sampling plan
5.Finalizing & reviewing research
plan - Pilot study.
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 Purpose of Pilot Study
• To ensure that the ideas or methods are
sound before launching a larger study.

• To test new instruments, learn more

about sample and check methodology.

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 Purpose of Pilot Study cont…

• To assess adequacy of data collection plan.

• To know adequacy of technical equipment.

• To refine data collection procedure,

instruments or research design.

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 Purpose of Pilot Study cont…
• To save time & money by identifying
any flaws in designed procedure.

• To get familiar with study situation &

research process.

• To develop an appropriate plan of

analysis.
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 Process of Pilot Study
Conducted before the main study
in small scale.

Sample for the pilot study should

be representative of the entire
research sample
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 Process of Pilot Study
Empirical checking of all phases of the
study from the collection of data to their
tabulation and analysis is done.

At least basic measures of statistics like

central tendency and dispersion should be
obtained to determine the relationship
between dependent/independent variables.
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 Advantages of Pilot Study
It provides the researcher with ideas, approaches
and clues not foreseen prior to the pilot study.

It greatly reduces the number of treatment

errors, as the unforeseen errors revealed in pilot
study may help in redesigning the main study.

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Advantages of Pilot Study cont…

Save the researcher time and money

on research projects that are
unproductive.

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Negative Aspects of pilot study
Requires time to conduct

Entails some expenditure of supplies

When animals are used researcher

should be answerable to the
concerned authorities

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 Differences Between
Pretesting And Pilot
Study
Most of the times these
terms are used
interchangeably.
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 Pilot Study Pretesting
Pilot study is the miniature Pre-testing simply means,
version of the planned testing the practicability and
research to identify and sensitivity of the research
correct problems which instrument or tools.
could affect the research
process.
Carried out at the end of Conducted before actual
planning phase, in order to data collection of main
explore and test whole of the study.
research elements.
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 Pilot Study Pretesting
It helps to get familiar with It gives a new insight into
the study situation and the problem based on tool
complete research process. and thereby enriching the
data collection process.

Empirical checking of all It is mainly focused to

phases of the study from improvise the coverage
the collection of data to and efficacy of research
their tabulation and instrument.
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analysis is done. Rejeena Subedi/ 2017 26
 Pilot Study Pretesting
It shows whether the It is more directed
available sampling frame towards what
from which sample is to be responses do study
drawn is adequate, complete, samples give.
up-to date and convenient.

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 Pilot Study Pretesting
It is concerned with the It focuses in the certain
whole. aspect ( research
instrument)
Pretesting of research Other phases of research
instruments can be done cannot be tested directly by
while conducting the pilot conducting pretest.
study.
It comparatively requires It narrows down the
more cost, time and effort resources requirement.
from the researcher.
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 Pilot Study Pretesting
It provides information for Whole cost of the research
estimating the probable cost and process cannot be estimated
duration of the main study and through pretesting.
of its various stages.

Sample size is 5-10% of total Sample size is 10% of total

sample sample

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 References
• Basvanthappa BT. Nursing Research. 2nd edition. New Delhi:
Jaypee Brothers; 2007
• Fain JA. Reading, Understanding and Applying Nursing
Research. 3rd ed. India: Jaypee brothers; 2009
• Pant RP. Social Science Research and Thesis Writing. 5th ed.
Kathmandu: Budhha academic publishers; 2010
• Polit DF. Beck CT. Nursing Research. 8th edition. New Delhi:
Wolters Kluwer; 2008

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 Assignment
Write the difference between pretesting and pilot study. 1*5=5

Date of submissiom: 2018-10-4

Place: Classroom of M.Sc. Nursing 2nd year (CHN)

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 Thank You...
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