Research methodology: Data Collection

1. Research methodology: Data Collection

2. introduction • The concerning link to the world reality for the researcher • An integral part of the research activity and is relevant for analysis in a meaningful manner • An act performed by the researcher that provides a deeper understanding and exploration of live experiences and reality from real world (Strauss & Corbin, 1998)

3. aim and purpose of data collection • To gather real descriptions of related field in order to produce clear and accurate descriptions of a particular aspect of human experiences (Creswell, 2011; Singh, 2007; Tashakkori & Teddle, 1998). • To explore the personal sense, facts, understanding and central themes with reflection on the respondents’ views.

4. No One Best Way • Decision Depends On: • What you need to know • numbers or stories • Where the data reside • environment, files, people • Resources and time available • Complexity of the data to be collected • Frequency of data collection

5. Data Collection General Rules • Use available data if they already exist • If using available data, be sure to find out how they: • collected the data • defined the variables • ensured accuracy of the data • If you must collect original data: • establish procedures and follow them • maintain accurate records of definitions and coding • pre-test, pre-test, pre-test • verify accuracy of coding, data input

6. Which Data?

7. How to Decide on Data Collection Approach • Choice depends on the situation • Each technique is more appropriate in some situations than others • Caution: All techniques are subject to bias • Combinations • Can use a variety of data collection approaches to answer different questions or for multiple sources • Triangulation: collect same information using different approaches

8. Data and its types • The building block of any research • The values collected through record-keeping or polling, observing measuring • Different forms of data- numbers, transcripts of interviews, maps, photographs, videotapes of social interaction • Categories of data • Subjective vs objective • Qualitative vs quantitative • Primary vs secondary

9. Data and its types • Collected or expressed in two forms: • Facts and opinions • Facts: usually describe tangible things • Example: 18 students in this class • Opinions: a view or judgment formed in the mind about a particular matter; a belief stronger than impression and less stronger than positive knowledge • Example: In my view “loktantra le janatalaikehisochejastoparibartandiyen”

10. Data, information and knowledge • Operational or transactional data • Such as sales, cost, inventory, payroll, and accounting • Non-operational data • Such as industry sales, forecast data, economic or political indicators, agricultural statistics, and macroeconomic trends • Meta data • Such as logical database designs

11. Sources of data • Secondary sources • Primary sources

12. Important considerations for data collection • Cost • Implementation time • Availability of sample • Response rate • Technology available • Sensitive questions • Size and complexity

13. Secondary sources Documents and records Written documents -original records, notice and publications -websites and internets -Committee reports -books, journal, newspaper and research reports Non-written records -CD-ROMs, Films, tape interviews -TV and radio recordings -Picture and drawings Secondary Data Surveys Censuses -population-land holding-industrial-employment-agricultural Regular and occasional surveys -price index-family income and spending-labor market-import and export-organizational surveys-international indexes- attitude surveys-occupational surveys

14. Primary data: sources and methods • Original data gathered by the researcher expressly to solve the problem under consideration at the time

15. questionnaire • Questionnaire is a device for securing answer to questions using a form which respondent fills in himself/herself • A means of gathering information by having the respondents fill in answer to printed questions • A set of questions, which the researcher seeks from respondents in order to gain knowledge about certain specific matters.

16. Close-ended Questionnaire • When there is a provision of answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or choosing one of the alternatives, it is closed-ended questionnaire. Open-ended Questionnaire • When there is a provision of inviting free response of the respondents, it is called open-ended questionnaire. • The respondents are free to send his ideas in such questionnaire. Pictorial Questionnaire • When the questions and their answers of the questionnaire are presented in the form of pictures, it is known as pictorial questionnaire. • Commonly used for less educated or uneducated people.

17. Principles of questionnaire writing • Target the vocabulary and grammar to the population be surveyed • Avoid ambiguity, confusion and vagueness • Determine the content of individual questions • Avoid leading questions • Avoid double-barreled questions • Don’t assume the respondents are experts on themselves • Avoid asking recall-dependent questions • Be careful of inadequate alternatives

18. Principles of questionnaire writing • Ask for only one piece of information at a time • Ensure those ask questions have necessary knowledge • Sensitive issues • End the questionnaire in a gentle and friendly manner

19. Guide to questionnaire construction • Identify the data needs • Formulate questions • Organize the questionnaire • Pre-test the questionnaire • Select paper and type carefully • Send a letter of introduction with the questionnaire

20. Research interview • A verbal method of securing data especially in the field of search connected with social problems • A two-way purposeful conversation initiated by and interviewer to obtain information that is relevant to research purpose • The process of interaction between interviewer and interviewee, in which interviewee provides information to the interviewer • The gestures, glances, facial expressions, pauses modulation of voice, intonation, rare of speech etc also a part of interview.

21. Interview-steps • Preliminary Preparation • This step is undertaken to select the respondents for the collection of their addresses and so on. • An interviewer needs proper persons who can provide correct or reliable information. • It needs to select proper respondents as per the need of subject matter. • First Visit To conduct the interview in a well way, it is better to contact the respondents firstly and explain them the purpose of our forthcoming visit. • Visit for Interview The researcher should visit the respondent on the proper date and time given to the respondents. This gives an impression that the researcher is sincere of the time of respondents.

22. Beginning of Interview • The interviewer should begin asking questions in full seriousness. • The researcher must patiently wait for and listen to the answers. In addition, should conduct the interview with limited subject matter and without being bias. • Encouragement Once the interview has begun, the respondents should be encouraged to provide answer of any enquiries of the researchers without any fear. • Concluding the Interview • The interviewer should ask the respondents at the end if s/he has anything more to tell. • The respondents sometimes feel uneasy since they may think that they have passed on some secret information of their private lives. • Under such circumstances, the interviewee should be given a firm assurance that the interview is strictly confidential. • The respondents should be thanked at last for the time they have spared.

23. Interview-types Directive Interview • Known as the structured interview. • The responses are collected through well-structured questions known as interview schedule. • This helps the interviewers to confine themselves to the topic only rather than asking about some irrelevant questions. • This type of interview is also useful to make careful tabulations and comparisons of the answers. • The main weakness of this interview technique is that it cannot be applied in all situations and the questions that are used may fail to drag the real opinions of the respondents

24. The Repeated Interview • As its name, this type of interview is applied repeatedly. • It is very useful in an attempt to study the specific development of social or psychological process i.e. progressive action. • Paul Lazarasfeld and his associates used this method to study the voting behavior of US people in American Presidential Election. • Although it is very useful to study the developmental side of an issue, it is an expensive in terms of time, energy and money.

25. Other types of interview • Focused group interview • Face to face interview • Telephone interview • Computer-assisted interview • In-depth Interview

26. Internet Data collection (IDC) • What is Internet Data Collection(IDC) • Features of Internet Data Collection form • Save as draft function • Validation checks • Other checks • Displayed information • IDC Respondent Role • Advantages of Internet Data Collection • System Requirement

27. Form design guidance • Notification • Verification • Enumeration • Incomplete Forms • Confirmation

28. Security issue in handling IDC • Security Threats • Security of Data Transmission • Authentication • Encryption

29. Delphi Technique • Enables experts who live in different locations to engage in a dialogue • Experts asked specific questions • Answers are returned to a central source for the evaluator to summarize and feed it back to the experts for further comments • No one knows who said what so conflict is avoided • Experts can agree or argue with others’ comments

30. Advantages and Challengesof Delphi Technique • Advantages • Inexpensive • Conducive to independent thinking • Allows sharing of information • Challenges • Judgments of a selected group only • Tendency to eliminate extreme positions • Time consuming and requires skill in communication • Requires adequate time and participant commitment