A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions (or other types of

prompts) for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. The questionnaire was invented
by the Statistical Society of London in 1838.[1][2]
Although questionnaires are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not
always the case.
Questionnaires have advantages over some other types of surveys in that they are cheap, do not
require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone surveys, and often have
standardized answers that make it simple to compile data. However, such standardized answers
may frustrate users. Questionnaires are also sharply limited by the fact that respondents must be
able to read the questions and respond to them. Thus, for some demographic groups conducting a
survey by questionnaire may not be concrete.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionnaire
An interview is a conversation where questions are asked and answers are given.[1] In common
parlance, the word "interview" refers to a one-on-one conversation between an interviewer and
an interviewee. The interviewer asks questions to which the interviewee responds, usually so
information may be transferred from interviewee to interviewer (and any other audience of the
interview). Sometimes, information can be transferred in both directions. It is a communication,
unlike a speech, which produces a one-way flow of information.
Interviews usually take place face-to-face and in person, although modern communications
technologies such as the Internet have enabled conversations to happen in which parties are
separated geographically, such as with videoconferencing software,[2] and telephone interviews can
happen without visual contact. Interviews almost always involve spoken conversation between two
or more parties, although in some instances a "conversation" can happen between two persons who
type questions and answers back and forth.
Interviews can range from Unstructured interview or free-wheeling and open-ended conversations in
which there is no predetermined plan with prearranged questions,[3] to
highly structured conversations in which specific questions occur in a specified order.[4] They can
follow diverse formats; for example, in a ladder interview, a respondent's answers typically guide
subsequent interviews, with the object being to explore a
respondent's subconscious motives.[5][6] Typically the interviewer has some way of recording the
information that is gleaned from the interviewee, often by writing with a pencil and paper, sometimes
transcribing with a video or audio recorder, depending on the context and extent of information and
the length of the interview. Interviews have a duration in time, in the sense that the interview has a
beginning and an ending.
The traditional two-person interview format, sometimes called a one-on-one interview, permits direct
questions and followups, which enables an interviewer to better gauge the accuracy of responses. It
is a flexible arrangement in the sense that subsequent questions can be tailored to clarify earlier
answers. Further, it eliminates any possible distortion by having third parties present.
Face to face interviewing makes it easier for people to interact and form a connection, and it helps
both the potential employer and potential hire who they might be interacting with.[7] Further, face to
face interview sessions can be more enjoyable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview
Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. In living beings,
observation employs the senses. In science, observation can also involve the perception and
recording of data via the use of scientific instruments. The term may also refer to any data collected
during the scientific activity. Observations can be qualitative, that is, only the absence or presence of
a property is noted, or quantitative if a numerical value is attached to the
observed phenomenon by counting or measuring.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observation
A test or examination (informally, exam or evaluation) is an assessment intended to measure a
test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics
(e.g., beliefs).[1] A test may be administered verbally, on paper, on a computer, or in a predetermined
area that requires a test taker to demonstrate or perform a set of skills. Tests vary in style, rigor and
requirements. For example, in a closed book test, a test taker is usually required to rely upon
memory to respond to specific items whereas in an open book test, a test taker may use one or
more supplementary tools such as a reference book or calculator when responding. A test may be
administered formally or informally. An example of an informal test would be a reading test
administered by a parent to a child. A formal test might be a final examination administered by a
teacher in a classroom or an I.Q. test administered by a psychologist in a clinic. Formal testing often
results in a grade or a test score.[2] A test score may be interpreted with regards to
a norm or criterion, or occasionally both. The norm may be established independently, or
by statistical analysis of a large number of participants. An exam is meant to test a persons
knowledge or willingness to give time to manipulate that subject.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support, refute, or validate a hypothesis. Experiments
vary greatly in goal and scale, but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the
results. There also exists natural experimental studies.
A child may carry out basic experiments to understand gravity, while teams of scientists may take
years of systematic investigation to advance their understanding of a phenomenon. Experiments and
other types of hands-on activities are very important to student learning in the science classroom.
Experiments can raise test scores and help a student become more engaged and interested in the
material they are learning, especially when used over time.[1] Experiments can vary from personal
and informal natural comparisons (e.g. tasting a range of chocolates to find a favorite), to highly
controlled (e.g. tests requiring complex apparatus overseen by many scientists that hope to discover
information about subatomic particles). Uses of experiments vary considerably between
the natural and human sciences.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiment
Secondary data refers to data which is collected by someone who is someone other than the
user.[1] Common sources of secondary data for social science include censuses, information
collected by government departments, organizational records and data that was originally collected
for other research purposes.[2] Primary data, by contrast, are collected by the investigator conducting
the research.
Secondary data analysis can save time that would otherwise be spent collecting data and,
particularly in the case of quantitative data, can provide larger and higher-quality databases that
would be unfeasible for any individual researcher to collect on their own. In addition, analysts of
social and economic change consider secondary data essential, since it is impossible to conduct a
new survey that can adequately capture past change and/or developments. However, secondary
data analysis can be less useful in marketing research, as data may be outdated or inaccurate.[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_data
In research of human subjects, a survey is a list of questions aimed at extracting specific data from
a particular group of people. Surveys may be conducted by phone, mail, via the internet, and
sometimes face-to-face on busy street corners or in malls. Surveys are used to increase knowledge
in fields such as social research and demography.
Survey research is often used to assess thoughts, opinions, and feelings.[1] Surveys can be specific
and limited, or they can have more global, widespread goals. Psychologists and sociologists often
use surveys to analyze behavior, while it is also used to meet the more pragmatic needs of the
media, such as, in evaluating political candidates, public health officials, professional organizations,
and advertising and marketing directors. A survey consists of a predetermined set of questions that
is given to a sample.[1] With a representative sample, that is, one that is representative of the larger
population of interest, one can describe the attitudes of the population from which the sample was
drawn. Further, one can compare the attitudes of different populations as well as look for changes in
attitudes over time. A good sample selection is key as it allows one to generalize the findings from
the sample to the population, which is the whole purpose of survey research.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_(human_research)