METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

Dr.S.Babyvanitha
Professor
Department of Pharmacology
St.James College of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
DATA COLLECTION
• It is the process by which the researcher collects the information needed to answer the
research problem.
• The task of data collection begins after a research problem has been defined and research
design chalked out.
• The researcher must decide;
❑Which data to collect?
❑How to collect the data?
❑Who will collect the data?
❑When to collect the data?
The selection of a method for collecting information depends upon the;
➢Resources available
➢Credibility
➢Analysis and reporting
➢Resources
➢And the skill of the evaluator.
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION
Two types;
Primary data: primary data are those which are collected for the first time and are
original in character. Primary data are information that is developed or gathered by
the researcher specifically for the research project at hand.
Advantages of primary data:
It is original source of data
It is possible to capture the changes occurring in the course of time.
Extensive research study is based on primary data.
Disadvantages
Expensive to obtain
It is time consuming
Requires extensive research personal who are skilled
It is difficult to administer
Collection of Primary data
Primary data may be collected through;
❖Experiments
❖Surveys (sample surveys or census surveys)
❖Interviews
❖Observation
❖Questionnaires
❖Schedules
OBSERVATION METHOD
Observation method is a method under which data from the field is collected with
the help of observation by the observer or by personally going to the field.
Structured Observation:
Style of recording the observed information
Standardized conditions of observation
Selection of related data of observation
Unstructured Observation:
When it takes place without the above characteristics
Participant Observation:
When the observer is member of the group which he is observing then it is
participant Observation.
Non-Participant Observation: when observer is observing people without giving
any information to them then it is non-participant observation.
INTERVIEW METHOD
• The interview method of collecting data involves presentation of oral-verbal
stimuli and reply in terms of oral-verbal responses.
• Interviewer asks questions which are aimed to get information required for study
to respondent.
Structured interviews: In this case, a set of predecided questions are there.
Unstructured interviews:
In this case we don’t follow a system of pre-determined questions
Focused interviews: Attention is focused on the given experience of the respondent
and its possible effects.
Clinical Interviews: Concerned with broad underlying feelings or motivations with
the course of an individual’s life experience.
Group Interviews: a group of 6 to 8 individuals is interviewed.
Qualitative and Quantitative interviews: divided on the basis of subject matter.
i.e. whether qualitative or quantitative.
Individual Interviews: Interviewer meets a single person and interview him.
Selection of Interviews: Done for selection of people for certain jobs.
QUESTIONNAIRES
A Questionnaires is sent by post or by mail to the persons concerned with a request to
answer the questions and return the questionnaire consists of a number of questions printed
in a definite order on a form.
Classification
Open-ended questions: This gives the respondents the ability to respond in their own
words.
Close-ended or fixed alternative questions
This allows the respondents to choose one of the given alternatives.
Types: Dichotomous questions and Multiple questions
Essentials of Good Questionnaire
➢Should be short and simple
➢Follow a sequence of questions from easy to difficult one.
➢Technical terms should be avoided
➢Should provide adequate space for answers in questionnaire
➢Directions regarding the filling of questionnaire should be given. Physical appearance:
Quality of paper, color.
➢Sequence must be clear.
SCHEDULES

• Very similar to Questionnaire method

• The main difference is that a schedule is filled by the enumerator who is specially
appointed for the purpose.
• Enumerator goes to the respondents, asks them the questions from the
questionnaire in the order listed and records the responses in the space provided.
• Enumerator must be trained in administering the schedule.
QUESTIONNAIRE VS SCHEDULE

QUESTIONNAIRE SCHEDULE
Generally sent through mail and no Schedule is filled by the enumerator or
further assistance from sender research worker
Cheaper method Costly it require field workers
Non-response is high Non-response is low
Incomplete and wrong information is Depends on honesty of the enumerator
more
Depends on the quality of questionnaire Relatively more correct and complete.
Secondary data: Secondary data are those which have already been collected by someone
else and which have through some statistical analysis. Data which are not originally
collected but rather obtained from published or unpublished sources are known as
secondary data.
Uses of Secondary data:
➢Identify the problem
➢Better define the problem
➢Develop an approach to the problem
➢Formulate an appropriate research design
➢Answer certain research questions and test some hypothesis
➢Interpret primary data more insightfully.
Classification of Secondary data:
Internal – Ready to use
Requires further information
External – Published materials
Computerized databases
Syndicate services.
INTERNAL SECONDARY DATA
• Internal secondary data are data that have collected within the firm such as;
- Sale records
- Purchase requisitions
- Invoices
Internal secondary data files, records, reports is used for database marketing.
Database marketing is the process of building , maintain customer databases and
other database the purpose of contacting, transacting and building the relationships.
There is practice of maintaining a customer database of:
Name and address
Past purchases
Responses to past efforts
Data from numerous other outside sources.
EXTERNAL SECONDARY DATA
External data are supplied by organizations outside the firm such as online
information databases.
Bibliographic databases are composed of citations to articles
Numeric databases contain numerical and statistical information.
Full-text databases contain the complete text of the source documents comprising
the database.
Directory databases provide information on individuals, organizations and services.
Special purpose databases provide specialized information.
Syndicated services External secondary data:
Syndicated services data are provided by firms that collect data in a standard format
and make them available to subscribing firms.
• Syndicate services are companies that collect and sell common pools of data of
known commercial value designed to serve a number of clients.
• Syndicated sources can be classified based on the unit of measurement.
• Household or consumer data may be obtained from surveys, diary, panels or
electronic scanner services.
• Institutional data may be obtained from retailers, wholesalers, or industrial firms.
CLASSIFICATION OF SYNDICATE SERVICES
RATING SCALE
• The rating scale is a closed-ended survey question used to represent respondent
feedback in a comparative form for specific particular features/ products/services.
• 1 to 5 Numerical rating scale. This is straight forward numeric scale where
respondents rate something on a numerical scale from 1 to 5 with 1 representing
the lowest or worst option and 5 representing the highest or best option. It is used
for quick and simple assessments.