Finding answers

through Data
Collection
OBSERVATION is a technique of gathering
data whereby you personally watch,
interact or communicate with the subject
of your research.
Observation is a method of collecting
research data, involves observing behavior
and systematically recording the results of
those observations.
 Types of Observation
 Participant observation : The observer takes
part in the situation he or she observes. (For
example, a doctor hospitalized with a broken
hip, who now observes hospital procedures
‘from within’.) To record your finding through
this type of observation , use the diary method
or logbook.
 Descriptive Observation
 Narrative Account
 Non-participant/Structured observation:
The observer watches the situation, openly
or concealed, but does not participate
 Recording this non – participation
observation happens through the use of
checklist, others called this checklist as an
observation schedule.
Methods of Observation
 Direct observation this involves the
observation of behavior as it occurs. This method
makes you see and or listen everything that
happens in the area of observation.

For instance ,things happening in a classroom

,court trial ,street trafficking and the like, come
directly to your senses. How ever to avoid the
waste of energy , time and effort in observing ,
you have to stick to the questions that your
research aim to answering.
 Indirect Observation this method is called behavior
archaeology. Often, referred to as unobtrusive
measures , occurs when the researcher uses evidence
of behaviors in order to demonstrate that specific
behaviors have occurred.

 The researcher creates a list of the types of possible

evidence of the occurrence of the behavior of
interest. This ,method observes the traces of past
events to get information or measure of behavior,
trait , or quality of your subject.
Methods of Indirect
Observation
 Continuous Monitoring or CM : Here, you
observe to evaluate the way people deal
with one another . As such, this is the main
data gathering technique use in behavioral
psychology, where people’s worries,
anxieties, habit and problems in shopping
malls, play areas, family homes , or
classrooms serves as the focus of studies in
the field of discipline.
 Spot Sampling : This was done first by
behavioral psychologists in 1920 with a focus on
researching the extent of children’s nervous
habits as they would go through their regular
personality development. For a continuous or
uninterrupted focus on the subjects , you record
your observations through spot sampling in an
oral manner , not in a written way.

 Named also as scan sampling or time sampling,

spot sampling comes in two types: time
allocation (TA) and experience sampling.
 Two Types of Spot Sampling
 Time allocation (TA) - In TA, what goes into the
record are the best activities of people you
observed in undetermined place and time.

 Experience Sampling – Lets you record people’s

response anytime of the day or week to question
their present activities , companions , feelings and
so on. Data gathering in this case is facilitated by
modern electronic and technological gadgets like
cell phone, emails and other online communication
methods and techniques.
 Advantages
  It uses simple data collection technique and data
recording method.
 It is inclined to realizing its objective because it just
depends on watching and listening to the subjects
without experiencing worries as to whether or not the
people will say yes or no to you observation activities.
 It offers fresh and firsthand of knowledge that will
help you come out with an easy understand and deep
reflection of data.
 It is quite valuable in research studies about
organizations that consider you , the researcher , a
part of such entity.
 Disadvantages
 It requires a long time for planning.
 Engrossed in participating in the subject
activities, you may eclipse or neglect the
primary role if the research.
 It is prone to your hearing derogatory
statements from some people in the group
that will lead to your biased stand toward
other group members
INTERVIEW :In research, interview is a data
gathering technique that makes you verbally
ask the subjects or respondents questions to
what your research study is trying to look for.

 Done mostly in qualitative research studies,

interview aims at knowing what the
respondents think and feel about the topic of
your research.
Types of Interview
 Unstructured interview : The interviewer uses at most an 'aide
memoir' - notes to jog the memory - rather than a list of questions.
The interview may be like a conversation, with the interviewer
responding to the interviewee and letting them speak freely.
 Semi-structured interview : The interviewer has a list of questions
or key points to be covered and works through them in a
methodical manner. Similar questions are asked of each
interviewee, although supplementary questions can be asked as
appropriate. The interviewee can respond how they like and does
not have to 'tick a box' with their answer.
 Structured interview : The interviewer asks the interviewee a
series of specific questions, to which a fixed range of answers are
possible ('ticking a box'). This is the typical form of interview used
in social survey research, and can provide quantitative data, as in a
questionnaire.
Methods of Interview
 Individual Interview : only one respondent is
interviewed here. The reason behind this one-on-
one interview is the lack of the interviewees have
among themselves. One example of this is the
refusal of one interviewee to let other
interviewees to get a notion of or hear his
responses to the questions. Hence, he or she
prefers to have individual interview separate from
others.
 This is a time- consuming type of interview you
have to interview a group of interviewees one by
one.
 Group Interview : In this interview approach, you ask the
question not to one person , but to a group of people at the
same time. The group members take turns in answering the
question. This approach is often used in the field of
business, specifically in marketing research. Researchers
in this field, whose primary aim in adhering to this interview
approach is to know people’s food preferences and
preferences and consumer opinions; they also call this as
focus group interview.

 The chances of having some respondents getting influenced

by the other group members are one downside of this
interview approach.(Denzin 2013; Feinberd 2013)
 Mediated Interview : No face to face interview is
true for this interview approach because this takes place
through electronic communication devices such as
telephones, mobile phones , email, among others.

 It is a synchronous mediated interview if you talk with

the subjects through the telephone, mobile phone, or
online chat and also find time to see each others.

 It is asynchronous if only two persons are interviewed

at different time through the Internet, email, Facebook,
Twitter, and other social network media
Interview Procedures
 Step 1 : Getting to know each other
The interview starts from the time you, the interviewer , and
your respondents see each other at the place of interview.
Naturally, seeing each other for the first time , your tendency
would be to talk with each other to establish friendship and a
relaxed mood for both of you.

 Step 2 : Having an Idea of the Research

This second step requires you to tell the respondents about
the nature of the interview its purpose, importance, scope,
and so on. Telling them of this salient features of the activity
enables them to anticipate not only the kind of questions they
will get to face ,but also the appropriate answers they will give.
 Step 3 : Starting the Interview
You open this step with a question to encourage the respondent to
talk about himself or herself, including his or her age , family,
current activities, and other think you think appear special or
interesting to him or her. Following these self- introduction
questions are questions on the subject’s thoughts, attitudes, or
performance of his/her job or any company assignment.

 Step 4 : Conducting the Interview Proper

Interview questions in this step are on the interview’s open and
extensive talking of things related to the research theme or
research questions and on those anticipated by him/her or
emanating from his/ her from his or her explanations , descriptions
or narrations of things. Open or unstructured questions asked in this
step of the interview aim at investigating the respondents interest
and eliciting substantial or profuse responses to questions
 Step 5 : Putting an end to the Interview

Signs of approaching end of the interview work to alert the

respondent in winding up with his or her talking . For instance using
words expressing your decision , wish or attempt to ask the very last
question serves as the clue for the respondent to think that the
interview is nearing its end. This step also reminds you of your
responsibility to let the respondent be free in airing whatever
doubts or questions he or she has the research design , method ,
interview time, and other aspects of interview. 

 Step 6: Pondering Over the Interview Afterthoughts

This last step of the interview gives the respondents the opportunity
to ask questions about the interview activity and let him or her have
and idea about what will happen next to the interview results.
A questionnaire is a research instrument
consisting of a series of questions for the
purpose of gathering information from
respondents. This prepared set of
questions elicits factual or opinioned
answer from the respondent’s through
his/her act of checking one chosen answer
from several options or of writing on a line
provided for any opinionated answer
 Types of Questionnaires
 POSTAL QUESTIONNAIRE : this type of questionnaire
goes to the respondent through postal service or
electronic mail. It is through the mail or postal system
that the accomplished will be sent back to the
researchers. In some cases, the researcher can
personally collect finished questionnaires.

 SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRE : this kind of

questionnaire makes you act as the interviewer and
interviewee at the same time. First, you ask question
either in person or through phone; then you will be
writing the interviewee’s answer on a piece of paper.
A questionnaire e like this structured kind of
interview. 
Purpose of Questionnaire

To discover people’s thoughts and feelings

about the topic of the research
To assist you in conducting effective face – to
– face interview with your respondents
To help you plan how to obtain and record the
answers to your questions.
To make the analysis , and coding of data
easier and faster.
 Advantages
  It is cheap as it does not require you to travel to hand
the questionnaires to a big number of respondents in
faraway places .
 It entails an easy distribution to respondents
 It offers more opportunity for the respondents to ponder
their responses.
 It enables easy comparison of answer s because of a
certain degree of uniformity among questions.
 It has the capacity to elicit spontaneous or genuine
answer from the respondents.
 Disadvantages
 There are possibilities that some questions you distributed do
not go back to you, and this prevents you from getting the
desired rate of response.
 Confusing and uninteresting questions to respondents fail to the
desired responses.
 Owing to individual differences the selected subjects and those
in the population, in general ,the questionnaire is hard up in
obtaining unbiased results to represent the characteristics of the
target population.
 It prevents you from being with respondents physically to help
them unlock some difficulties in their understanding of the
questions. 
The
end