STATISTICS

• Recommended Texts
1. Title: Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers
Author(s): Douglas C. Montgomery, George C. Runger and Norma Faris Hubele
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
ISBN: 978-0470631478

2. Title: Miller & Freund's Probability and Statistics for Engineers

Author: Richard A Johnson
Publisher: Pearson
ISBN: 978-0321640772

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 1

 STATISTICS

Steps of collecting data

• Clarify your data collection purposes
• Define the target population
• Decide the information need to be collected
• Decide the target accuracy level of the data
• Choose the data collection method
• Prepare questionnaire/ schedule
• Design of sampling
• Selection and training of field workers
• Pre-test and revise
• Organization of field work
• Collect the data
• Summarizing of Data
• Presentation
• Analysis of Data
• Interpretation

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 2

 STATISTICS

Before preparing a questionnaire/ schedule …

• Clarify your data collection purposes
• Define the target population
• Decide the information need to be collected
• Decide the target accuracy level of the data
• Choose the data collection method

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 3

 STATISTICS

• Clarify your data collection purposes/goals

1. Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey was designed to measure the levels and trends of
employment, unemployment and labour force in Sri Lanka. This survey is being
conducted quarterly, since the first quarter of 1990.
-Department of Census and Statistics

2. The purpose of the study is to understand and evaluate the importance of Soft
Skills for undergraduates in public universities in Sri Lanka and data is collected
from lecturers' perspective.
-Staff member , USJ

3. Accordingly, UGC decided to obtain the details of the employability status of all
the graduates at the Convocation without limiting it to graduates of the Faculty of
Arts, ….
-UGC –August 2021

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 4

 STATISTICS

• Define the target population

to measure the levels and trends of employment, unemployment and labour force in
Sri Lanka

Age< 15 years

Employed persons Unemployed persons

Labour force = Employed + Unemployed
Age>= 15 years
Target population Persons in Sri Lanka
ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 5
 STATISTICS

• Define the target population

• The Economically Active Population: The economically active population
or the labour force comprises all persons of working age who are either
“employed” or “unemployed” during the reference period (The week
before the survey period).
Labour force = Employed + Unemployed

• Employed: During the reference period, persons, who worked as paid

employees, employers, own account workers or contributing family
workers are said to be employed. This also includes persons with a job but
not at work during the reference period.

• Unemployed: Persons available and/or looking for work, and who did not
work and taken steps to find a job during last four weeks and ready to
accept a job given a work opportunity within next two weeks are said to
be unemployed.

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 6

 STATISTICS

• The purpose of the study is to understand and evaluate the

importance of Soft Skills for undergraduates in public
universities in Sri Lanka and data is collected from lecturers'
perspective

Lecture’s in public universities

Target population

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 7

 STATISTICS

• to obtain the details of the employability

status of all the graduates at the Convocation

Students of the last passed-out batch

Target population

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 8

 STATISTICS

• Decide the information need to be collected

Agricultural Household Survey (AHS) introduced by the Department of Census and
Statistics (DCS) presents key findings of current status of agricultural households in Sri
Lanka. DCS conducted the survey with collaboration of the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) for the cultivation year 2016/17. …

With the technical and financial support given by the ADB and the government of Sri
Lanka, DCS could improve agriculture data collection using handheld devices. AHS
questionnaire was prepared for find out age, sex, level of education, economic
activities and trainings received for agricultural household population. Further, it
inquired agricultural operators to find out cost of production, mode of consumption,
awareness and access to inputs, agricultural assets, and uses of agricultural
production.

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 9

 STATISTICS

• Decide the target accuracy level of the data

• Accuracy level Required data Cost

Low Less Low
High More High

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 10

 STATISTICS

• Choose the data collection method

Secondary data Primary data

Direct personnel interviews
Direct observations
Telephone/Online interviews
Mailed/Online questionnaire

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 11

 Difference between questionnaire and STATISTICS

schedules
• The questionnaire consists of a series of written
questions along with alternative answers.
• The schedule is a formalized set of questions,
statements, and spaces for answers, provided to
the interviewer. Interviewer asks questions and
note down the answers.
• While a questionnaire is filled by the respondent
themselves, interviewers fill the schedule on
behalf of the respondent.
ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 12
 STATISTICS

Exercise:
Questionnaire Schedule

Delivery method

Filled by

Success relies on

Response Rate

Cost

Usage

Observations

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 13

 STATISTICS

Questionnaire Schedule

Delivery method by post or mail Interviewer goes to the respondent with

the schedule.
Filled by Respondents Interviewers

Success relies on Quality of Questionnaire Competency of the interviewer

Response Rate Low High

Cost Economical Expensive

Usage Only with literate people With both literate and illiterate people

Observations Not applicable Applicable

Attractiveness Needed Not specifically needed

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 14

 STATISTICS

Design of questionnaire
• Covering letter
 Introduce the institute/ person that doing the survey,
 objective of the survey,
 Assure the confidentiality of the data
 motivation to reply,
 the way reply back
 Contact details if any clarification needed
 Due date

• Questions
 Not many questions-Should not too long nor too short
 Not complex
 In correct order
 Meaningful questions
 Avoid personnel questions if possible
 Instructions/ examples should be provided appropriately
 No mathematical calculations
 Use appropriate question types
 Clear language

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 15

 STATISTICS

Question types
• Open-ended response questions
 Allow considerable freedom in answering for the respondent .
 Expect the respondent to elaborate on their points, instead of giving a simple
answer as 'yes' or 'no‘.

E.g: What kind of improvements would you like to see in our customer services?

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 16

 STATISTICS

• Fixed alternative questions(close-ended question)

Allow to choose relevant answers from the set of possible answers given under a question

E.g. Type of industry

Energy
Materials
Machinery Transportation
Apparel
Media
Retailing Food and Beverage
Household goods
Health Care
Electronic
Electrical
Telecommunication

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 17

 STATISTICS

• Multiple choice questions

E.g: Highest educational level
Primary education
Secondary education
Basic degree
Masters
M.Phil or higher

• Rating scales
E.g: The module covers considerable subject area.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree or disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 18

 STATISTICS

• Matrix questions

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 19

 STATISTICS

• Design of sampling
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified random sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Systematic sampling
• Judgment sampling
• Quota sampling
• Convenience sampling

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 20

 STATISTICS

Pre-test and revise

We want to make sure that everyone in the population can
complete the questionnaire.
Check if
• The questionnaire is too long, too short, or about right
• The questionnaire covers the topic adequately
• Are there any sensitive questions that may affect our
response rate
• The questionnaire has adequate quality

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 21

 STATISTICS

After collecting data…

• Summarization and presentation of data
• Analysis of data
• Interpretation

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 22

 STATISTICS

Summary
• Steps of data collection
• Methods of data collection
• Design of questionnaires and schedules

ETC 1052 /BTC 1052/ ITC 1032 Principles of Statistics 23