INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA

GATHERING
What are Research Instruments?

Research Instruments are measurement

tools designed to obtain data on a topic of
interest from research subjects.
What are the qualities of a good research instrument?

The qualities of a good research instrument are:

(1) validity-- the degree to which an instrument

measures what it intends to measure

(2) reliability—the extent to which a research

instrument is dependable, consistent and stable

(3) usability – a degree to which a research instrument is

beneficial and fits the purpose of the researcher
Data Collection
Instruments
Documentary Analysis
-used to analyze primary and
secondary sources that are available
mostly in churches, schools, etc.
Interviews – this is used to express
the interviewees thoughts and
experiences
Types of Interview
A. Unstructured
B. Structured
C. Semi Structured
Observation – enables the researcher
to participate actively in the conduct
of research.
The instrument used is called the
observation guide or observation
checklist
Observation must be done in a
quiet and inconspicuous manner
as to get realistic data
Two Types of Observation
1. Structured
2. Unstructured
Physiological measures
-involves the collection of
physical data from the subjects
Psychological Tests – this includes
personality inventories and
projective techniques.
Questionnaires – the most commonly
used instrument. It is a list of
questions about a particular topic. It
is less expensive, yields more
honesty, guarantees confidentiality
and minimizes biases.
Types of Questions
Recognition Type – alternate
responses are already provided, and
the respondents simply choose
among the answers.
Example:
Specialization in Technical Vocational
Track
____Home Economics
____Agriculture
____Welding
____Hair Culture
Completion type – the students are
asked to fill in the blanks with the
necessary information. Questions are
open-ended.
Example:
When I see a misbehaving student, I
will, as a teacher, _______________.

In order to pass my failing subjects, I

will _______________________
Coding Type – numbers are assigned
to names, choices and other
pertinent data. This entails
knowledge of statistics on the part of
the researcher, as the application of
statistical formulas is necessary to
arrive at the findings.
Example:

On a scale of 1 to 10, how will you

rate the skills of your manager?
Subjective Type – the respondents
are free to give their opinions about
an issue of concern.
Example:

What can you say about the teachers

who are deeply committed to their
work?
Ranking Questions – this lets the
respondents rank their choices.
Combination type – the
questionnaire is a combination of
two or more types of questions.
Scales Commonly Used in an
Instrument
Likert Scale – common scaling
technique which consist of several
declarative statements that express a
viewpoint on a topic.
Semantic Differential Scale – the
respondents are asked to rate
concepts in a series of bipolar
adjectives.
Tips for Developing and Testing Questionnaires/Instruments
Introduction. Questionnaires are the most frequently used data
collection method in educational and evaluation research.
Step 1--Background. ...
Step 2--Questionnaire Conceptualization. ...
Step 3--Format and Data Analysis. ...
Step 4--Establishing Validity. ...
Step 5--Establishing Reliability. ...
Conclusions. ...
References.
:
1. If there are available instruments in the
internet, make use of them.
2. Simplify the process for the students.
3. Let students identify the instrument for each of
the research questions