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Methods of Data Collection

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16 views16 pages

Methods of Data Collection

Uploaded by

Akshra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Methods of Data Collection

Questionnaires
• Questionnaires are...
• Data collection instruments used to collect standardized
information that can be expressed numerically or through short
answers
• Basic instruments of surveys and structured interviews
• Appropriate when...
– you want information from many people
– you have some understanding of the situation and can ask
meaningful questions
– information is sensitive or private − anonymous
questionnaires may reduce bias
Questionnaires
Good questionnaires are NOT EASY!
• Developing a good questionnaire, takes time, time, and more
time.
• Multiple (even a dozen!) drafts may be involved before the
questionnaire is ready.
• It’s important to involve others in writing the questionnaire.
Questionnaires
• Advantages • Disadvantages
– can reach large – might not get careful
numbers feedback
– provide for anonymity – wording can bias client’s
– relatively inexpensive response
– easy to analyze – response rate is often low
– literacy demands
When should a questionnaire be used?

• Respondents can provide useful information about the topic.

• You know what it is you want to know and are reasonably sure
that you can ask standardized questions to get the information.

• Respondents can be relied upon to provide the information you


need (perhaps with incentives). This means they can
comprehend the questions and respond properly, they are
truthful, and they are motivated enough to respond carefully.
Questionnaire design − Considerations
• Kind of information: What do you want to know? Is the information
already available?
• Wording of questions and responses
• Formatting the questionnaire
• Pre-testing
• Cover letters and introductions
• When/where will the questionnaire be distributed?
• How will returns be managed? How will the data be analyzed?
• Is the information already available?
• Don’t ask a question unless it has a use.
– Eliminate the “nice to know.”
• What will you do with each piece of information gathered?
6 STEPS IN DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE
QUESTIONNAIRES
1. Decide what information you need.
2. Determine sample – respondents.
3. Develop accurate, user-friendly questionnaire.
4. Develop plan for distribution, return, and follow-up.
5. Provide clear instructions and a good cover letter.
6. Pilot test.
Rating Scales
• Various kinds of rating scales have been developed to measure
attitudes directly (i.e. the person knows their attitude is being
studied). The most widely used is the Likert scale (1932).
• In its final form, the Likert scale is a five (or seven) point scale which is
used to allow the individual to express how much they agree or
disagree with a particular statement.
• A Likert scale assumes that the strength/intensity of an attitude is
linear, i.e. on a continuum from strongly agree to strongly disagree,
and makes the assumption that attitudes can be measured.
• Likert Scales have the advantage that they do not expect a simple yes
/ no answer from the respondent, but rather allow for degrees of
opinion, and even no opinion at all.
Uses of Rating Scales
• Gain relative information about a particular subject: In a sample size of
1000 individuals, each individual will have a different outlook towards a
topic. Gathering comparative information about satisfaction levels, the
frequency of use, loyalty and many other such parameters.
• Compare and analyze data: If a rating scale question is used across a
considerable sample size, there are chances that the margin of error in
obtained data can be reduced or eliminated.
• Measure one important product/service element: There are surveys
where certain topics need to be addressed specifically, in order to
understand the target market in a better manner. Rating scales can be
implemented in such cases where there are multiple important elements
which are to be analyzed. For instance, to measure degree of agreement,
frequency, satisfaction etc.
Survey
• Survey means ‘to look at in a comprehensive way’. There are
numerous survey research methods, including in-person and
telephone interviews, mailed and online questionnaires.
• Online Surveys
Online surveys are the most cost-effective and can reach the maximum
number of people in comparison to the other mediums. The
performance of these surveys is much more widespread than the other
data collection methods. In situations where there is more than one
question to be asked to the target sample, certain researchers prefer
conducting online surveys over the traditional face-to-face or
telephone surveys.
• Face-to-face Surveys
Gaining information from respondents via face-to-face mediums is
much more effective than the other mediums because respondents
usually tend to trust the surveyors and provide honest and clear
feedback about the subject in-hand.
• Telephone Surveys
Telephone surveys require much lesser investment than face-to-face
surveys. Depending on the required reach, telephone surveys cost as
much or a little more than online surveys. Contacting respondents via
the telephonic medium requires less effort and manpower than the
face-to-face survey medium.
Pointers to keep in Mind
• Understand the most popular survey research questions
• Filter obtained results using the cross-tabulation technique
• Evaluate the derived numbers
• Draw conclusions
Survey Data Analysis Methods
• Cross-tabulation: Cross-tabulation is the most widely used data
analysis methods. It uses a basic tabulation framework to make sense
of data. This statistical analysis method helps tabulate data into easily
understandable rows and columns, and this helps draw parallels
between different research parameters. It contains data that is
mutually exclusive or have some connection with each other.
• Trend analysis: Trend analysis is a statistical analysis method that
provides the ability to look at survey-data over a long period of time.
This method helps plot aggregated response data over time allows
drawing a trend line of the change, if any, of perceptions over time
about a common variable.
• Gap analysis: Gap analysis uses a side-by-side matrix question type
that helps measure the difference between expected performance
and actual performance. This statistical method for survey data helps
understand the things that have to be done to move performance
from actual to planned performance.
• SWOT analysis: SWOT analysis, another widely used statistical
method, organizes survey data into data that represents the strength,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization or product
or service that provides a holistic picture of competition. This method
helps to create effective business strategies.

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