Research methods

Chapter five: Methods of Data Collection

2017
Outline
 Methods of Data Collection
- Types of Data
- Sources of Data
- Selection of Appropriate Method for Data
Collection
Types of Data
Qualitative: Expressed in the form of verbal descriptions
rather than numbers
Quantitative: expressed in numerical form

How do you decide which type of data you want?

1.The purpose for which the data is required
2.The subject matter (sociology vs finance)
Sources of Data

Primary vs. secondary

 primary: collected for the first time
: are original
But expensive in terms of time and money

Secondary: Information extracted from an existing

source
: Is not always up-to-date
: less costly and less time
Collection of Primary Data
-Experiment or survey
1.Experiment: involves the manipulation of one variable and
measure the effects on the other variable.
Eg. Gambling to study risk behaviour
2. survey:  ”ask (many people) a question or a series of
questions in order to gather information about what most
people do or think about something” WEBSTER Dic.
:can be census or sample
 involves obtaining information from respondents
 can be either cross-sectional or longitudinal
1. Cross- sectional survey
- Is when data is collected at one time
- Generalization is made only for that particular time
considered.
 Cross-sectional survey is most appropriate if;
• the aim of the research is single-time description
(political attitude, work motive, etc at one time).

• the aim of the research involves sub-set description

(political attitude and work motives based on
gender—men and women).
2. A longitudinal survey
-takes place over time with two or more data collections
- measuring change over time
 Types of longitudinal data
i.A trend survey
-Population is surveyed over different time period
-Sample units may vary ,,, but should represent the same
population
-Eg. Satisfaction of Haramaya university students over 10
years
-Price of teff over 25 years
Study variable of interest over time
ii. A cohort (group) survey
 group of people used in a study who have something
(such as age or social class) in common
-a specific population is studied over time.
-fresh samples are taken each time data are collected.
Eg. gender attitude in Ethiopia
“Women should stay at home and men should be bread
winners.”
Age 1950 1970 1990
20-30 70% 75% 85%
30-40 60% 70% 75%
40-50 55% 62% 70%
50+ 45% 48% 52%
iii. A panel survey
-The same sample is measured two or more times.
-We can control unobserved heterogeneity
-High cost
-Attrition rate
-Complicated analysis especially when time is too long.

Eg.
•Food security status
•Technology adoption (do they continue to use the
technology)
Methods of Collecting Primary Data
i.Observation
ii.Interview method
iii.Questionnaire
iv.Schedules
v.Focus Group Discussion /FGD/method
vi.Case study method
i. Observation:
- Most common in behavioral science
- is useful when studying subjects who are not capable of
giving verbal reports of their feelings for one reason or
another. (Eg. animals)
Advantages of observation method:
- Information obtained is related to what is happening at
the time of observation
- Is not affected by past experience or future expectation
- Not influenced by the willingness of respondents
Disadvantages:
-Expensive
-the information obtained is limited ;
-Sometimes unforeseen factors may interfere with the

observational task.
 Types of observation
1.Structured observation:
observer has a clear definition of the units:
-to be observed.
-the style of recording the observed information
2.Non-structured observation: the opposite of what is
mentioned under structured observation
Based on the nature of the observer, Observation
can be classified as
i. Secretive - where the subjects of the study are
unaware that they are being observed.
ii. Non-participant: where the subjects of the study are
aware that they are being observed but the observer
takes no part in the behavior being observed.
iii. Participant: when the subject and the observer
interact.
ii. Interview method
-Involves a verbal communication in collecting data.
-Can be done via personal interview or phone interview.
Personal interviews: involves face to face contact
between the interviewer and interviewee.
-Can be structured (predetermined questions and
sequence of questions) or unstructured (random
discussion) based on the type of questions.
-Unstructured interview allows more flexibility
Advantages of personal interviews:
-More information and in greater depth can be obtained
-The interviewer by his own skill can overcome the
resistance, if any, of the respondents
-There is greater flexibility especially in case of
unstructured interviews
-personal information can be obtained easily
-Low non response
-the language of the interview can be adopted to the
ability or educational level of the person interviewed
weaknesses of personal interview method:
-It is very expensive, specially when large and widely spread
geographical sample is taken.
-The possibility of the bias of interviewer and the respondent
-Certain types of respondents may not be easily
approachable (eg. Important officials or executives, people
in high income groups)
-It is relatively more time consuming
Telephone interviews: involves collecting info via
Telephone.
-It is not a very widely used method
Advantages:
-It is faster than other methods.
- It is cheaper than personal interview method; the cost
per response is relatively low.
-Replies can be recorded without causing
embarrassment to respondents
-No field staff is required (less personnel cost)
Limitations:
-Surveys are restricted to respondents who have
telephone facilities.
-It is not suitable for intensive surveys where
comprehensive answers are required.
-Questions have to be short and to the point.
iii. Questionnaire
-consists of a number of questions printed or typed in a
definite order on a form or set of forms.
Advantages:
-it is free from the bias of the interviewer
-respondents have adequate time to give well thought
out answers
-respondents who are not easily approachable can also
be reached conveniently (mail or email the
questionnaire)
Limitations:
-It can be used only when respondents are educated and
cooperating
-The control over questionnaire may be lost once it is sent
-There is also possibility of ambiguous replies or omission of
replies altogether to certain questions
-Targeted respondent might not complete the
questionnaire
iv. Schedules:
- are similar with questionnaire except in this case the
questions are filled by enumerators.
-enumerators should be very carefully selected and trained
-they should be honest, sincere, hardworking, and
should have patience.
Essentials of a good questionnaire:
-Questionnaire should be comparatively short and simple
-Questions should proceed in logical sequence moving from
easy to more difficult questions.
-Personal questions should be left to the end
-Technical terms and vague expressions capable of
different interpretations should be avoided
-Less open ended questions as they could be difficult to
interpret.
V. Focus Group Discussion /FGD/method
-Data about a community is collected by discussion with
important parties of the community.
-The group usually includes 6-12 persons.
-Too small groups can be dominated by few big mouths and
too large groups can be difficult to manage.
-This method is appropriate when there is homogeneous
society.
-This is why it is the best way to study rural areas
FGD data can be used
-To support data obtained from other methods (survey
for e.g.)
-To understand the way respondents respond to the
other methods (questionnaire for e.g.).
-Less costly info can be obtained.
Vi. Case study method (checklist)
-Case study is an intensive study of a case which may be an
individual, institutions, a system, a community, an
organization, an event, or even the entire culture.
-It is an in-depth study of the case not in breadth.

NB. Case study is not a method of data collection;

rather it is a research strategy, or an empirical inquiry
that investigates a contemporary phenomenon by using
sources of evidence.
Characteristics of case study method:
•A researcher can take one single social unit or more of such
units for his study purpose
•The selected unit is studied intensively.
•A researcher has to make complete study of the social unit
covering all facets
•The approach happens to be qualitative and not quantitative
•The effectual interrelationship of causal factors
•The behavioral pattern of the concerning unit is studied directly
and not by an indirect and abstract approach
Major phases involved in case study:

-Checklist preparation

-Meeting with the cases

-Discussion

-Write up of information

-Write up final document

Collection of Secondary Data
- When the researcher uses an already existing data.
Sources of Secondary data:
Different Central Statistical Authority Publications;
Different Publications by Regional Governments;
Various publications by the different Ministries;
Publications of the National Bank of Ethiopia;
Online and Electronic Data Bases;
Reports and publications of various associations,
business organizations, etc.
Various publications of international, multilateral and non-
governmental Organizations;
Report of research scholars and consultants;
Historical documents, archives, maps, photographs,
letters, biographies, autobiographies, diaries, textbooks,
periodicals;
Popular media (Newspapers, magazines, Radio and
television).
Points to consider while using secondary data

-Reliability : who collected them? When were they

collected? What methods of data collection were used?

-Suitability : weather the data could serve for another

purpose other than the one for which they were collected.

-Adequacy: in terms of area coverage, level of accuracy,

number of respondents, etc.

Selection of Appropriate Method for Data Collection

1.Nature, scope and object of inquiry

2.Availability of funds

3.Time factor

4.Precision required