Topic 1:

OBTAINING DATA
1.1. Methods of Data Collection
1.2. Planning and Conducting Surveys
1.3. Planning and Conducting Experiments: Introduction to Design of Experiments

Learning Activity per Topic:

1. Discuss the Overview of the Basic Statistics

2. Discuss the methods of collecting data through surveys, and experiments.
3. Explain basic ways on planning and conducting experiments through different statistical designs.

Lecture Notes:
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

📊 Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest, in an
established systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research questions, test hypotheses,
and evaluate outcomes.

TYPES OF DATA
🔹 PRIMARY DATA – data which are collected afresh and for the first time and thus happen to be original
in character and known as PRIMARY DATA.
🔹 SECONDARY DATA – data which have been collected by someone else and which have already been
passed through the statistical process.

➤ METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION: PRIMARY DATA

1. Observation
2. Interview
3. Questionnaire
4. Case Study
5. Survey

➤ METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION: PRIMARY DATA - OBSERVATION

👁️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.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Subjective bias eliminated Time consuming
Current information Limited information
Independent to respondent’s variable Unforeseen factors

TYPES OF OBSERVATION: STRUCTURED AND UNSTRUCTURED

1. Structured Observation – when observation is done by characterizing style of recording, the observed
information, standardized conditions of observation, definition of the units to be observed, selection of
pertinent data of observation.

Example: An auditor performing inventory analysis in store

2. Unstructured Observation – when observation is done without any thought before observation.
Example: Observing children playing with new toys.
TYPES OF OBSERVATION: PARTICIPANT AND NON-PARTICIPANT

1. Participant – when the observer is a member of the group which is being observed.
Advantages:
1. Observation of natural behavior
2. Closeness with the group
3. Better understanding

2. Non-participant – when observer is observing people without giving any information to them.
Advantages:
1. Objectivity and neutrality
2. More willingness of the respondent

TYPES OF OBSERVATION: CONTROLLED AND UNCONTROLLED

1. Controlled – when the observation takes place in natural condition. It is done to get spontaneous
picture of life and persons.

2. Uncontrolled – when observation takes place according to definite pre-arranged plans, with
experimental procedure then it is controlled observation generally done in laboratory under controlled
condition.

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION: PRIMARY DATA – INTERVIEW METHOD

📌 INTERVIEW METHOD – This method of collecting data involves presentation of oral-verbal stimuli and
reply in terms of oral-verbal responses.
Interview Method is an oral-verbal communication where interviewer asks questions (which are aimed to
get information required for study) to respondent.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW

 Personal interviews: The interviewer asks questions generally in a face-to-face contact to the
other person or persons.
 Structured interviews: in this case, a set of pre-decided 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 or with the course
of individual’s life experience, rather than with the effects of the specific experience, as in the
case of focused interview.
 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 interviews him.
 Selection interviews: done for the selection of people for certain jobs.
 Depth interviews: it deliberately aims to elicit unconscious as well as other types of material
relating especially to personality dynamics and motivations.
 Telephonic interviews: contacting samples on telephone.
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION: PRIMARY DATA – QUESTIONNAIRE METHOD

📌 QUESTIONNAIRE METHOD – This method of data collection is quite popular, particularly in case of
big enquiries.

The questionnaire is mailed to respondents who are expected to read and understand the questions
and write down the reply in the space meant for the purpose in the questionnaire itself. The respondents
have to answer the questions on their own.

ADVANTAGES vs. DISADVANTAGES (Questionnaire Method)

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Low cost even if the geographical area is

Low rate of return of duly filled questionnaire.
too large

Answers are in respondent’s word so free

Slowest method of data collection.
from bias.

Difficult to know if the expected respondent has filled the

Adequate time to think for answers.
form or it is filled by someone else.

Non-approachable respondents may be

conveniently contacted.

Large samples can be used so results are

more reliable.

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION: PRIMARY DATA – CASE STUDY METHOD

CASE STUDY METHOD is essentially an intensive investigation of the particular unit under
consideration.

ADVANTAGES vs. DISADVANTAGES (Case Study Method)

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

They are less costly and less time-consuming; they are

advantageous when exposure data is expensive or hard to They are subject to selection bias.
obtain.

They are advantageous when studying dynamic populations in They generally do not allow calculation
which follow-up is difficult. of incidence (absolute risk).

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION: PRIMARY DATA – SURVEY METHOD

📊 SURVEY METHOD is one of the common methods of diagnosing and solving of social problems; it is
that of undertaking surveys.
ADVANTAGES vs. DISADVANTAGES (Survey Method)
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Respondents may not feel encouraged to provide

Relatively easy to administer
accurate, honest answers

Can be developed in less time (compared to Surveys with closed-ended questions may have a lower
other data-collection methods) validity rate than the other question types.

Cost-effective, but cost depends on survey

Data errors due to question non-responses may exist.
mode

➤ SECONDARY DATA: SOURCES OF DATA

 Publications of Central, state, local government

 Technical and trade journals
 Books, Magazines, Newspaper
 Reports & publications of industry, bank, stock exchange
 Reports by research scholars, Universities, economists
 Public Records

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE USING SECONDARY DATA

 Reliability of data – Who, when, which methods, at what time.

 Suitability of data – Object, scope, and nature of original inquiry should be studied, as if the
study was with different objective then that data is not suitable for current study.
 Adequacy of data – Level of accuracy

SELECTION OF PROPER METHOD FOR COLLECTION OF DATA

 Nature, Scope and object of inquiry

 Availability of Funds
 Time Factor
 Precision Required

DESIGNING A SURVEY

✔ Surveys can take different forms. They can be used to ask only one question or they can ask a series
of questions. We can use surveys to test out people’s opinions or to test a hypothesis.

When designing a survey, the following steps are useful:

1. Determine the goal of your survey: What question do you want to answer?
2. Identify the sample population: Whom will you interview?
3. Choose an interviewing method: face-to-face interview, phone interview, self-administered
paper survey, or internet survey.
4. Decide what questions you will ask in what order, and how to phrase them. (This is
important if there is more than one piece of information you are looking for.)
5. Conduct the interview and collect the information.
6. Analyze the results by making graphs and drawing conclusions.
Example:

Martha wants to construct a survey that shows which sports students at her school like to play the most.

 Step 1: List the goal of the survey

 Step 2: What population should she interview?
 Step 3: How should she administer the survey?
 Step 4: Create a data collection sheet that she can use to record her results

Step 1: GOAL

The goal of the survey is to find the answer to the question: "Which sports do students at Martha’s
school like to play the most?"

Step 2: POPULATION

A sample of the population would include a random sample of the student population in Martha’s school.
A good strategy would be to randomly select students (using dice or a random number generator) as
they walk into an all-school assembly.

Step 3: METHODS

Face-to-face interviews are a good choice in this case. Interviews will be easy to conduct since the survey
consists of only one question which can be quickly answered and recorded, and asking the question face
to face will help eliminate non-response bias.

Step 4: DATA

Sport

 Basketball
 Baseball
 Football
 Soccer

Example:

1. Juan wants to construct a survey that shows how many hours per week the average student at
his school works.
Step 1: List the goal of the survey
Step 2: What population should he interview?
Step 3: How should Juan administer the survey?
Step 4: Create a data collection sheet that she can use to record her results

Step 1: GOAL

The goal of the survey is to find the answer to the question "How many hours per week do you work?"
Step 2: POPULATION

Juan suspects that older students might work more hours per week than younger students.
He decides that a stratified sample of the student population would be appropriate in this case. The strata
are grade levels 9th through 12th. He would need to find out what proportion of the students in his
school are in each grade level, and then include the same proportions in his sample.

Step 3: METHODS

Face-to-face interviews are a good choice in this case since the survey consists of two short questions
which can be quickly answered and recorded.

Step 4: DATA
Grade Level Number of Hours Worked

9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

12th grade

THE BASIS OF CONDUCTING AN EXPERIMENT

1. With an experiment, the researcher is trying to learn something new about the world, an
explanation of ‘why’ something happens.
2. The experiment must maintain internal and external validity, or the results will be useless.
3. When designing an experiment, a researcher must follow all of the steps of the scientific
method, from making sure that the hypothesis is valid and testable, to using controls and
statistical tests.

ASSESSMENT 1.

1. Choose a subject matter which you find interesting to research (e.g., COVID-19, flexible learning,
TikTok Saga, etc.). Get to know the data collection methods introduced in topic 1. Formulate
three different aims (related to the chosen subject matter) and define the subject matter in a way
that the research could be made with three of the data collection methods introduced in topic 1.
Then, collect data using the data collection method you chose. (You may encode or write your
answer in a clean sheet of paper)