COLLECTION OF DATA

DATA TYPES
Primary: The data collected at first time either by the researcher or by someone else specially for
the purpose of the study
Secondary: Gathered earlier for some other purpose
Primary data collected by one person may become the secondary data for another
APPROACHES OF PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION
Communication
Observation
SELECTING DATA COLLECTION METHOD
SURVEY METHOD: COMMUNICATING WITH PARTICIPANTS
Communication approach involves surveying people and recording their responses for analysis.
TYPES OF METHODS
Personal Interview (Face-to-face):
In-home
Intercept
Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)
Telephone Interview
Traditional Telephone
Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)
TYPES OF METHODS
Self-administered Survey
Mail
Intercept
Computer- E-mail, Internet
PERSONAL INTERVIEWS
People selected to be part of the sample are interviewed in person by a trained interviewer.
PERSONAL INTERVIEWS: ADVANTAGES
Interviewer can answer questions about survey, probe for answers, use follow-up questions, and
gather information by observation.
Special visual aids can be used.
Illiterate respondents can be reached.
Prescreening ensures fitness to the population profile
PERSONAL INTERVIEWS: DISADVANTAGES
High cost compared to the other communication approach.
Need for highly trained interviewers.
Longer time needed in the field.
Follow-up is labour intensive.
Not all respondents are available or accessible.
Some places are difficult to visit.

Questions may be altered or respondent coached by interviewers.

THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
Introduction
Establishing a good relationship
Gathering the data
Recording the interview
THE INTEVIEW PROBLEMS
Non-response Errors
When the researcher cannot locate the predesignated person.
Unsuccessful in encouraging the respondent to participate.
Solutions
Callbacks
Weighting
Substitution
THE INTEVIEW PROBLEMS
Response Errors
Participant Initiated Error: Participant fails to answer fully either by choice or because of
incomplete or inaccurate knowledge.
THE INTEVIEW PROBLEMS
Interviewer Errors
Failure to secure full participation/ cooperation
Failure to consistently execute interview procedures
Failure to establish appropriate interview environment
THE INTEVIEW PROBLEMS
Interviewer Errors
Falsification of individual answer or whole interview
Inappropriate influencing behaviour
Failure to record answers accurately & completely
Physical presence bias
TELEPHONE INTEVIEW
People selected to be part of the sample are interviewed on the telephone by a trained
interviewer.
TELEPHONE INTEVIEW: ADVANTAGES
Lower costs than personal interview.
Expanded geographic coverage without dramatic increase in costs.
Uses fewer, more highly skilled interviewers.
Reduced interviewer bias.
Fastest completion time.
Better access to hard-to- reach respondents.

TELEPHONE INTEVIEW: DISADVANTAGES

Response rate is lower than for personal interview.
Higher costs if interviewing geographically dispersed persons.
Some target groups are not available by phone.
Illustrations cannot be used.
SELF-ADMINISTERED SURVEY
Questionnaires are:
Mailed or faxed to be self-administered
Computer delivered via intranet, internet
People intercepted via paper or computerized instrument in central location
SELF-ADMINISTERED SURVEY: ADVANTAGES
Allow contact with otherwise inaccessible respondents.
Often lowest cost option.
Expanded geographic coverage without increase in costs (a)
Requires minimal staff (a)
Perceived as more anonymous (a)
Allow time to think (a)
More complex instrument can be used (b)
SELF-ADMINISTERED SURVEY: ADVANTAGES
Fast access to the computer literate (b).
Rapid data collection (b,c)
Visuals may be used (b,c)
SELF-ADMINISTERED SURVEY: DISADVANTAGES
Low response rate in some modes.
No interviewer intervention available for probing or explanation (a).
Often respondents returning survey represent extremes of population-skewed responses (a)
Need for low distraction environment for survey completion
SELF ADMINISTERED SURVEY: NON-RESPONSE ERROR
High non-response error.
Reducing non-response error
Follow-ups
Preliminary notification
COMMUNICATION METHODS: STRENGTHS
Versatility- Abstract information of all types can be gathered
Information about past event is available.
More efficient and economical.
Larger geographic coverage at a fraction of time/cost required by observation

COMMUNICATION METHODS:WEAKNESSES
Quality and quantity of information depends on the ability & willingness of the participant to
cooperate.
Lack of knowledge of the participants
Misinterpretation
Participants feel obliged to express some opinion.