Research data collection

methods and tools

Presented by
Likhila abraham
Data
Data are observable measurable
fact that provide information
about the phenomenon under
study .
Data sources

1.Primary sources
2.Secondary sources
a)internal
b)external
Selection of methods of data
collection

1.The nature of phenomenon

under study
2.Type of research subject
3)Purpose of research study
4)Size of study sample
5)Distribution of target
population
6)Time frame of the study
7)Literacy level of subjects
8)Avilability of resourses
and man power
9)Researchers
knowledge level and
compitence
Diamensions of data collection methods

Structure quantifiability

obtrusiveness objectivity
Methods of data collection

Self Observatio Biophysi

reports
n ological
methods
Self report methods
Unstructured and semi structured self
report techniques
Unstructured or loosely structured self
report method offer flexibility ,when
these methods are used the researcher
does not have a set of questions that
must be asked in a specific order and
worked in a given way.
 Interview
A method of data collection in
which one person ( interviewer)ask
the questions to another person
(respodent)which conducted either
face to face or telephonically
Characteristics of interview
1)Participants and interviewer will be
strangers
2)Verbal answers to the verbal questions
3)Investigator records the information's
from the respondents
4)With a specific purpose
5)Can be through telephone
6)It can be modified with situations
Types of interviews
1.Structured interviews
2)Unstructured interviews
3)Semi structured interviews
4)Focussed group interviews
5)Telephonic interviews
6)In depth interviews
Structured interview(directive
interview)
Formalized and has limited set of
questions
Presented with same questions in
same order
Not permitted to change any thing
Increases credibility and reliability
Minimize context effect
Merits
1.Data from 1 interview to next are
comparable
2.Recording or coding data does not
cause problem
3.Attention will not diverted
4.Time consuming
Demerits
Loose the spontaneity
Respondent views are
minimized
The scope of exploration
limitted
Semi structured
interview method
In depth interview
method
Focussed group
interview method
Interview process
Advantages
Useful to obtain people
perception,feelings,openions
High respondent rate
Own words are recorded
Detailed questioning
Disadvantages
Time consuming
Different
interviewers may
understand
differently
 Questionnaire

It is a self report paper

and pencil instrument
that a researcher asked to
complete
Formats of questions
Dichotomous
Multiple choice
Cafeteria
Rank order
Contingency
Rating
Importance
Likert
Bipolar
matrix
Guidelines
General points
Sequence of questions
Construction of questions
Methods
Postal phone
Electronic
personal
Advantages
Easy to analyse
Time consuming
Reduce bias
Cost effective
Disadvantages
Not suitable for all
Low response rate
Probbing not possible
Chanse of interpretation
Can lie
Scales and other
forms of self report
methods
Socio physiological
scales
Vignettes
Projective
techniques
Q sorts
Socio physiological scales
Composite scales
 Likert scale
It is a composite measure of
attitudes that involve
summation of score on set of
itemsto which respondents are
asked to indicate their
disagreement or agreement
Uses
To measure attitude
values and feelings of
people about specific
concepts ,
quantifying the
qualitative attributes
Characteristics
Psychological
measurement tool
Illustrative in nature
Neutral statement
Bipolar scaling methods
 Scoring
statement Stron Agree Uncer Disag Stron
gly tain ree gly
agree disag
ree
Positive 5 4 3 2 1

Negative 1 2 3 4 5
Advantages
Easy to construct
More reliable and
valuable
Easy to administer
Disadvantages
Respondent may feel force
to answer
Feeling of respondent is
not fully assessed
Casual approach providing
misleading data
Semantic differential
scales
It is a type of rating scale
designed to measure the
connotative meaning of objects
,events ,concepts (respondent
attitude towards events)
Uses
Patient satisfaction survey
Employee survey
Marketing survey
Personality measurement
Design
Bipolar adjective pairs are used
This adjectives are selected
according to the survey
Evaluation
Good-bad
Kind –cruel
Wise –foolish
Potency
Hard-soft
Heavy –light
Large-small
Activity
Active-passive
Fast –slow
Bright-dim
Advantages
Easy to administer
Provide reasonable valid reliable
data .
Convenient method
Disadvantages
Difficult to select the
adjective pairs
Time consuming
To asess the belief about HIV?
CU 1 2 3 4 5 6 DEA
RE TH

NO 1 2 3 4 5 6 PU
PU NIS
NIS HM
HM ENT
ENT
 VISUAL ANALOGOUS SCALE
DEFINITION
VISUAL ANALOGOUS SCALE IS A TOOL
USED TO HELP A PERSON TO RATE THE
INTENSITY OF SENSATION AND
FEELINGS
NO PAIN WORST
PAIN
USES
TO MEASURE PAIN, ANXIETY,
MOOD
TO MEAURE ALERTNESS AND
QUALITY OF SLEEP
TO CHOOSE RIGHT DOSE OF
MEDICINE
FOR RATING SOFT VARIABLES
SKILLS,CONFIDENCE QUALITY
ADVANTAGES
IT IS RELIABLE AND VALID
QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF
HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE
PHENOMENON
DISADVANTAGES
COMPARISON NOT
POSSIBILE
INCREASE OF FEELINGS
CANOT MEAURED
HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE