DATA GATHERING

DATA GATHERING
Definition: The process by which the researcher collects the
information needed to answer the research problem.

the researcher must decide:

• Which data to collect
• How to collect the data
• Who will collect the data
• When to collect the data

Given a project or research topic to investigate, you are ready to

commit time and resources to it, to enable you accomplish the task.

The first headache to overcome is the question of “what means should

I use to gather information bearing on my problem so that I can carry
out my intentions.”

You will usually have some choice

 DATA GATHERING
However, you should not lose sight of the total possibilities, which
include but are not limited to the following areas:

• Calling upon your memory

• Searching the Literature

• Generalizing from particulars and particularizing from

generalities.

• Inspecting local sites and facilities

• Administering a Questionnaire
 DATA GATHERING

• Checking Customer Attitudes and Requirements

• Interviews

• Letters of Inquiry

• Performing calculations and Analyses

• Reviewing the Information Already Gathered

 DATA COLLECTION

The methods of data gathering vary according to:

• Degree of structure

• Degree of quantifiability

• Degree of obtrusiveness (tending to bother people by appearing where

you are not welcomed or invited)

• Degree of objectivity (based on facts rather than feelings or opinion)

The task of data gathering begins after a research problem has been
defined and research design
 TYPES OF DATA
PRIMARY DATA: Are those which are collected a fresh and for the
first time and thus happen to be original in

SECONDARY DATA: Are those which have been collected by

someone else and which have already been passed through the
statistical process

GATHERING OF PRIMARY DATA

There are several methods of collecting primary data, particularly in
surveys and descriptive researches. In descriptive research, we obtain
primary data either through observation, direct communication with
respondents in one form or another or through personal interviews,
questionnaire etc.
 TYPES OF DATA
GATHERING OF SECONDARY DATA
These are already available i.e. they refer to the data which have already been
collected and analyzed by someone else.

➢ Secondary data may either be published or unpublished data. Researcher

must be very careful in using secondary data, because the data available
may be sometimes unsuitable

Secondary Data can also be:

• Data gathered and recorded by someone else prior to and for a purpose
other than the current project

• Secondary data is data that has been collected for another purpose.

• It involves less cost, time and effort

• Secondary data is data that is being reused.

 TYPES OF DATA
SOURCES OF SECONDARY DATA

 INTERNAL SOURCES
• Internal sources of secondary data are usually for marketing
application: Sales Records, Marketing Activity, Cost Information,
Distributor reports and feedback, Customer feedback etc.

 EXTERNAL SOURCES
• External sources of secondary data are usually from Journals, Books,
Magazines, Newspaper, libraries, the Internet, etc.
 TYPES OF DATA
Generally, Secondary Data Sources of data are:

• 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, economist

• Public Records
 TYPES OF DATA
Factors to be considered before using secondary data
Reliability of data – Who, when, which methods, at what time etc.
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,
Area differences then data is not adequate for study

Considerations for Selection of proper method for gathering of Data

• Nature, Scope and object of inquiry
• Availability of Funds
• Time Factor
• Precision Required (exactness or accuracy)
 ILLUSTRATING TECHNICAL WRITING
Essentially a means for conveying information, and in the more
concrete form

It can also be regarded as something that can be reproduced in some

form, with or without accompanying text or verbal matter.

It is intended to attract the user and enable him to grasp the message
easily

TYPES OF ILLUSTRATION/VISUAL AIDS

Illustrations or visual aids are generally divided into two categories:

1) Tables; and

2) Figures.
 ILLUSTRATING TECHNICAL WRITING

Recommendations for Tables

A table should not exceed one page

Large tables should be split

Tables must be numbered sequentially using Arabic numerals

Each table must have a concise title

Column heading must be brief. Units should be in parentheses.

The word “Table” should not be abbreviated

 ILLUSTRATING TECHNICAL WRITING
FIGURES
A figure is any visual aid that is not a table, a category that includes
graphs, drawings, diagrams, and photographs

Recommendations for Figures

Figure must be numbered

❑ Lettering in figures must be legible
❑ Units must be stated
❑ Each figure must have title
❑ No grid lines on graphs (exceptions…)
❑ Use distinguishable symbols for data sets.
❑ Refer to Fig. As Figure 1, Fig.1, Fig. 4.1.
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GRAPHS
A number of graphs (Cartesian, semi-log log-log, Bar graph or divided bar graph and
circle graph) are in use and each serves a special purpose

Making a Good Graph

➢ Correct Labeling: The axis of the graph must be correctly labelled with units. For
example, time (hr); pressure ( psi)

➢ Proper Scaling: Choosing the scale of a graph is important. The scales should be
chosen such that unnecessary subdivision of the grids in the graph paper is avoided.
It is convenient to choose the grid spacing such that each unit represents 1, 2, 5, 10,
etc.

➢ Data Points: Data points on any graph should be made conspicuous using symbols
such as , , , etc. The practice of representing data points with dots should be
discontinued because once a line passes through such points, the position of the
point may be obscure. We are more interested in the points and not in the line. In
addition, each data set should be represented using the same type of symbol.
Different data sets should be represented with different symbols.
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Pie Chart
➢ Type of graph in which cycle is divided into sectors that each
represent a proportion of a whole

➢ It is a useful way to recognize data in order to see the size of

components relative to the whole and are particularly good at showing
percentage or proportion of data

➢ It can also be a circular statistical graphic, which is divided into slices

to illustrate numerical proportion

➢ In pie chart, the arc length of each slice is proportional to the quantity
it represents
➢ Mainly used when trying to wor out the composition of something
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Bar graph

❑ A diagram in which the numerical values of variables are represented

by the height or length of lines or rectangles of equal width

❑ It is a graphical display of data using bars of different heights

❑ Used to display or compare the number, frequency or measure (e.g,)

for different discrete categories of data
 ILLUSTRATING TECHNICAL WRITING

Histogram

➢ Is an accurate representation of the distribution of numerical data

➢ It differs from a bar graph, in the sense that a bar graph relates two
variables, but a histogram relates only one.

➢ To construct a histogram, the first step is to divide the entire range of

values into a series of intervals and then count how many values fall
into each interval

➢ The intervals are often but not required to be of equal size

➢ It is used to show distributions of variables while bar charts are used
to compare variables