Best Data Collection Methods for Quantitative Research

Posted on 15 June 2020 Catherine Chipeta

We explore quantitative data collection methods’ best use, and the pros and cons of each to help you
decide which method to use for your next quantitative study.

There are many ways to categorise research methods, with most falling into the fields of either
qualitative or quantitative.

Qualitative research uses non-measurable sources of data and relies mostly on observation techniques
to gain insights. It is mostly used to answer questions beginning with “why?” and how?”. Examples of
qualitative data collection methods include focus groups, observation, written records, and individual
interviews.

Quantitative research presents data in a numerical format, enabling researchers to evaluate and
understand this data through statistical analysis. It answers questions such as “who?”, “when?” “what?”,
and “where?”. Common examples include interviews, surveys, and case studies/document review.
Generally, quantitative data tells us what respondents’ choices are and qualitative tells us why they
made those choices.

Once you have determined which type of research you wish to undertake, it is time to select a data
collection method. Whilst quantitative and qualitative collection methods often overlap, this article
focuses on quantitative data collection methods.

The Nature of Quantitative Observation

As quantitative observation uses numerical measurement, its results are more accurate than qualitative
observation methods, which cannot be measured.

To ensure accuracy and consistency, an appropriate sample size needs to be determined for quantitative
research. A sample should include enough respondents to make general observations that are most
reflective of the whole population.
The more credible the sample size, the more meaningful the insights that the market researcher can
draw during the analysis process.

Surveys

Collecting data with surveys

Quantitative surveys are a data collection tool used to gather close-ended responses from individuals
and groups. Question types primarily include categorical (e.g. “yes/no”) and interval/ratio questions
(e.g. rating-scale, Likert-scale). They are used to gather information such based upon the behaviours,
characteristics, or opinions, and demographic information such as gender, income, occupation.

Surveys are traditionally completed on pen-and-paper but these days are commonly found online, which
is a more convenient method.

When to use

Surveys are an ideal choice when you want simple, quick feedback which easily translates into statistics
for analysis. For example, “60% of respondents think price is the most important factor when making
buying decisions”.

Build Online Surveys

Cost-effective way to conduct market research. Gather insights directly from your target audience.

Advantages

Speedy collection: User-friendly, optimal length surveys are quick to complete and online responses are
available instantly.

Wide reach: Online survey invites can be sent out to hundreds of potential respondents at a time.
Targeted respondents: Using online panels allows you to target the right respondents for your study
based on demographics and other profiling information.

Disadvantages

Less detail: Surveys often collect less detailed responses than other forms of collection due to the
limited options available for respondents to choose.

Design reliant: If survey design is not effective, the quality of responses will be diminished.

Potential bias: If respondents feel compelled to answer a question in a particular way due to social or
other reasons, this lowers the accuracy of results.

Interviews

Quantitative interviews

Quantitative interviews are like surveys in that they use a question-and-answer format. The major
difference between the two methods is the recording process.

In interviews, respondents are read each question and answer option to them by an interviewer who
records responses, whereas in surveys, the respondent reads each question and answers themselves,
recording their own response.

For quantitative interviews to be effective, each question and answer must be asked the same way to
each respondent, with little to no input from the interviewer.

When to use

Quantitative interviews work well when the market researcher is conducting fieldwork to scope
potential respondents. For example, approaching buyers of a certain product at a supermarket.

Advantages

Higher responsiveness: Potential respondents are more likely to say ‘yes’ to a market researcher in-
person than in other ways, e.g. a phone call.
Clearer understanding: Interviews allow respondents to seek classification from the interviewer if they
are confused by a question.

Less downtime: The market researcher can collect data as soon as the interview is conducted, rather
than wait to hear back from the respondent first.

Disadvantages

Interviewer effect: Having an interviewer present questions to the respondent poses the risk of
influencing the way in which the respondent answers.

Time consuming: Interviews usually take longer to complete than other methods, such as surveys.

Less control: Interviews present more variables, such as tone and pace, which could affect data quality.

Secondary Data Collection Methods

Secondary data for quantitative research

Published case studies and online sources are forms of secondary data, that is, data which has already
been prepared and compiled for analysis.

Case studies are descriptive or explanatory publications which detail specific individuals, groups, or
events. Whilst case studies are conducted using qualitative methods such as direct observation and
unstructured interviewing, researchers can gather statistical data published in these sources to gain
quantitative insights.

Other forms of secondary data include journals, books, magazines, and government publications.

When to use

Secondary data collection methods are most appropriately used when the market researcher is
exploring a topic which already has extensive information and data available and is looking for
supplementary insights for guidance.

For example, a study on caffeine consumption habits could draw statistics from existing medical case
studies.
Advantages

Easier collection: As secondary data is readily available, it is relatively easy to collect for further analysis.

More credibility: If collected from reputable sources, secondary data can be trusted as accurate and of
quality.

Less expensive: Collecting secondary data often costs a lot less than if the same data were collected
primarily.

Disadvantages

Differing context: Secondary data collected will not necessarily align with the market researcher’s
research questions or objectives.

Limited availability: The amount and detail of secondary data available for a particular research topic is
varied and not dependable.

Less control: As secondary data is originally collected externally, there is no control over the quality of
available data on a topic.

Takeaways

Quantitative research produces the most accurate and meaningful insights for analysis.

Surveys are a common form of quantitative data collection and can be created and completed online,
making them a convenient and accessible choice. However, they must be well-designed and executed to
ensure accurate results.

Interviews are an ideal choice for in-person data collection and can improve respondents’ understanding
of questions. Time and potential interview bias are drawbacks to this method.

Collecting secondary data is a relatively quick and inexpensive way of gathering supplementary insights
for research but there is limited control over context, availability, and quality of the data.
5 Data Collection Methods for Obtaining Quantitative and Qualitative Data

Free Data Collection Templates

Nemanja Jovancic

Apr 02 2019

18 Comments

In the age when “information is power,” how we gather that information should be one of our major
concerns, right? Also, which of the many data collection methods is the best for your particular needs?

Whatever the answer to the two questions above, one thing is for sure – whether you’re a business,
organization, agency, entrepreneur, researcher, student, or just a curious individual, gathering data
needs to be one of your top priorities.

Free Templates: 11 Quiz and Survey Data Collection Templates

Still, raw information doesn’t always have to be particularly useful. Without proper context and
structure, it’s just a set of random facts and figures after all. If you, however, organize, structure, and
analyze that data, you’ve got yourself a powerful “fuel” for your decision-making.

So, why do we collect data?

Why Collect Data

Data collection is defined as the “process of gathering and measuring information on variables of
interest, in an established systematic fashion that enables one to answer queries, stated research
questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes.”
There are numerous reasons for data collection, but here I’m going to focus primarily on business and
marketing related ones:

It helps you learn more about your customers

It enables you to discover trends in the way people change their opinions and behavior over time or in
different circumstances

It lets you segment your audience into different customer groups and direct different marketing
strategies at each of the groups based on their individual needs

It facilitates decision making and improves the quality of decisions made

It helps resolve issues and improve the quality of your product or service based on the feedback
obtained

Before we dive deeper into different data collection techniques and methods, let’s just briefly make a
difference between the two main types of data – quantitative and qualitative.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative data

Quantitative Data

This type of data deals with things that are measurable and can be expressed in numbers or figures, or
using other values that express quantity. That being said, quantitative data is usually expressed in
numerical form and can represent size, length, duration, amount, price, and so on.

Quantitative research is most likely to provide answers to questions such as who? when? where? what?
and how many?

Quantitative survey questions are in most cases closed-ended and created in accordance with the
research goals, thus making the answers easily transformable into numbers, charts, graphs, and tables.

quantitative data collection methods

The data obtained via quantitative data collection methods can be used to test existing ideas or
predictions, learn about your customers, measure general trends, and make important. For instance,
you can use it to measure the success of your product and which aspects may need improvement, the
level of satisfaction of your customers, to find out whether and why your competitors are outselling you,
and so on.

As quantitative data collection methods are often based on mathematical calculations, the data
obtained that way is usually seen as more objective and reliable than qualitative. Some of the most
common quantitative data collection techniques include surveys and questionnaires (with closed-ended
questions).

Compared to qualitative techniques, quantitative methods are usually cheaper and it takes less time to
gather data this way. Plus, due to a pretty high level of standardization, it’s much easier to compare and
analyze the findings obtained using quantitative data collection methods.

Qualitative Data

Unlike quantitative data, which deals with numbers and figures, qualitative data is descriptive in nature
rather than numerical. Qualitative data is usually not easily measurable as quantitative and can be
gained through observation or open-ended survey or interview questions.

Qualitative research is most likely to provide answers to questions such as “why?” and “how?”

How?

As mentioned, qualitative data collection methods are most likely to consist of open-ended questions
and descriptive answers and little or no numerical value. Qualitative data is an excellent way to gain
insight into your audience’s thoughts and behavior (maybe the ones you identified using quantitative
research, but wasn’t able to analyze in greater detail).

qualitative data collection methods

Data obtained using qualitative data collection methods can be used to find new ideas, opportunities,
and problems, test their value and accuracy, formulate predictions, explore a certain field in more detail,
and explain the numbers obtained using quantitative data collection techniques.
As quantitative data collection methods usually do not involve numbers and mathematical calculations
but are rather concerned with words, sounds, thoughts, feelings, and other non-quantifiable data,
qualitative data is often seen as more subjective, but at the same time, it allows a greater depth of
understanding.

Some of the most common qualitative data collection techniques include open-ended surveys and
questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, observation, case studies, and so on.

Data Collection Methods

Quantitative data collection methods

1. Closed-ended Surveys and Online Quizzes

Closed-ended surveys and online quizzes are based on questions that give respondents predefined
answer options to opt for. There are two main types of closed-ended surveys – those based on
categorical and those based on interval/ratio questions.

Categorical survey questions can be further classified into dichotomous (‘yes/no’), multiple-choice
questions, or checkbox questions and can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” or a specific piece of
predefined information.

Interval/ratio questions, on the other hand, can consist of rating-scale, Likert-scale, or matrix questions
and involve a set of predefined values to choose from on a fixed scale. To learn more, we have prepared
a guide on different types of closed-ended survey questions.

Once again, these types of data collection methods are a great choice when looking to get a simple and
easily analyzable counts, such as “85% of respondents said surveys are an effective means of data
collection” or “56% of men and 61% of women have taken a survey this year” (disclaimer: made-up
stats).

Here’s an example of a closed-ended image survey question created using LeadQuizzes:

If you’d like to create something like this on your own, here’s a guide on how to create your own survey.
And here’s a bunch of preloaded survey templates you can use right away.

Qualitative data collection methods

2. Open-Ended Surveys and Questionnaires

Opposite to closed-ended are open-ended surveys and questionnaires. The main difference between the
two is the fact that closed-ended surveys offer predefined answer options the respondent must choose
from, whereas open-ended surveys allow the respondents much more freedom and flexibility when
providing their answers.

Here’s an example that best illustrates the difference:

Closed vs. Open-Ended Question

When creating an open-ended survey, keep in mind the length of your survey and the number and
complexity of questions. You need to carefully determine the optimal number of question, as answering
open-ended questions can be time-consuming and demanding, and you don’t want to overwhelm your
respondents.

Compared to closed-ended surveys, one of the quantitative data collection methods, the findings of
open-ended surveys are more difficult to compile and analyze due to the fact that there are no uniform
answer options to choose from.

3. 1-on-1 Interviews

One-on-one (or face-to-face) interviews are one of the most common types of data collection methods
in qualitative research. Here, the interviewer collects data directly from the interviewee. Due to it being
a very personal approach, this data collection technique is perfect when you need to gather highly-
personalized data.

Depending on your specific needs, the interview can be informal, unstructured, conversational, and
even spontaneous (as if you were talking to your friend) – in which case it’s more difficult and time-
consuming to process the obtained data – or it can be semi-structured and standardized to a certain
extent (if you, for example, ask the same series of open-ended questions).

4. Focus groups

The focus groups data collection method is essentially an interview method, but instead of being done
1-on-1, here we have a group discussion.

Whenever the resources for 1-on-1 interviews are limited (whether in terms of people, money, or time)
or you need to recreate a particular social situation in order to gather data on people’s attitudes and
behaviors, focus groups can come in very handy.

Ideally, a focus group should have 3-10 people, plus a moderator. Of course, depending on the research
goal and what the data obtained is to be used for, there should be some common denominators for all
the members of the focus group.

Focus Groups

For example, if you’re doing a study on the rehabilitation of teenage female drug users, all the members
of your focus group have to be girls recovering from drug addiction. Other parameters, such as age,
education, employment, marital status do not have to be similar.

5. Direct observation

Direct observation is one of the most passive qualitative data collection methods. Here, the data
collector takes a participatory stance, observing the setting in which the subjects of their observation are
while taking down notes, video/audio recordings, photos, and so on.

Due to its participatory nature, direct observation can lead to bias in research, as the participation may
influence the attitudes and opinions of the researcher, making it challenging for them to remain
objective. Plus, the fact that the researcher is a participant too can affect the naturalness of the actions
and behaviors of subjects who know they’re being observed.

Conclusion
Above, I’ve presented you with 5 different data collection methods that can help you gather all the
quantitative and qualitative data you need. Even though I’ve classified the techniques according to the
type of data you’re most likely to obtain, many of the methods used above can be used to obtain both
qualitative and quantitative data.

Surveys, as you may have noticed, are particularly effective in collecting both types of data, depending
on whether you structure your survey questions as open-ended or closed-ended.

If you’d like to create your own survey now, just click on the button below to get access to our free
survey templates!

There are several methods by which you can collect quantitative data, which include:

Experiments.

Controlled observations.

Surveys: paper, kiosk, mobile, questionnaires.

Longitudinal studies.

Polls.

Telephone interviews.

Face-to-face interviews.

What are the 4 data collection methods in quantitative research?

Although there are many other methods to collect quantitative data, those mentioned above probability
sampling, interviews, questionnaire observation, and document review are the most common and
widely used methods either offline or for online data collection.

What are the qualitative and quantitative data collection methods?

Common quantitative methods include experiments, observations recorded as numbers, and surveys
with closed-ended questions. Qualitative research Qualitative research is expressed in words. It is used
to understand concepts, thoughts or experiences.

Following are the two sources of data:

External Source. When data are collected from outside the organisation, it is known as the external
source.

Qualitative data collection methods

Open-Ended Surveys and Questionnaires. Opposite to closed-ended are open-ended surveys and
questionnaires. ...

1-on-1 Interviews. One-on-one (or face-to-face) interviews are one of the most common types of data
collection methods in qualitative research. ...

Focus groups. ...

Direct observation.

What is the importance of data gathering?

It is through data collection that a business or management has the quality information they need to
make informed decisions from further analysis, study, and research. Without data collection, companies
would stumble around in the dark using outdated methods to make their decisions.