GROUP 1:

TOPIC: ​ TYPES AND METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION;

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

GROUP MEMBERS:
Akshaya Dev
Amritha Santhosh
Anu Prasad
Devika Rajendran
Jubil Jose
Revathy A
Sajna Mol
Sneha Saji

TYPES AND METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION ;ADVANTAGES

AND DISADVANTAGES

What is meant by data ?

Data is a set of values of subjects with respect to qualitative or quantitative
variables.

What is meant by data collection? ​:-

Data collection​ is defined as the procedure for collecting,measuring ,and
analysing accurate insights for research using standard validated techniques .

A variety of methods are used for collecting data.

Data collection falls under 2 broad categories:-

● Primary data collection

● Secondary data collection.

PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION

Primary data are original in nature and directly related to the issue or problem and current
data. These are the information collected by a researcher specifically for a research
assignment through various methods like ​interviews, surveys, questionnaires​ .It could
be further analyzed into two segments;

•Qualitative research &

•Quantitative data collection methods.

Quantitative Data Collection Methods Qualitative Data Collection Methods

Fixed and more structured techniques Semi structured or unstructured techniques

Instrument or test based Not instrument or test based

Number-based to collect information Text -based to collect information

Usually measurable Not usually measurable

Used for statistical tests Not used for statistical tests

 Usually large sample size Usually small sample size

Employs string scientific control Lacks strong scientific control

Data type is usually rational or interval Data is usually ordinal or nominal

Interviews forms include closed -ended Interview forms include open -ended
questions questions

☆​ ​Qualitative Data Collection Methods:

●Online forums

online forums (web message boards) are prominent in terms of allowing asynchronous
interactions, through which participants can join in the discussions at their convenience
unlike other methods requesting synchronous interactions.

●​Groups
 Focus group discussions are useful to examine how social knowledge is produced. The
researcher stimulates discussion in order to examine how knowledge and ideas develop
and operate in a given group.

●​Web Survey Chat

Web surveys or internet surveys are defined as a data collection method where surveys
or questionnaires are sent over the internet to a sample of respondents and they can
respond to this survey over the world wide web.In web surveys, respondents answer the
questionnaire with the help of a web browser and the survey responses are stored in
web-based databases.

●Online Communities

An online community research is a community, deployed online, to carry out research

using various market research methods.There are three main reasons that have led to the
widespread adoption of online community research.
1)Online Research Community gives Access to Customers
2)Engagement Through Collaboration
3)Adoption of Social Media Networks

●In Depth Interviews

In depth interview allows person to person discussion.It can lead to increased insight to
people's thoughts,feelings and behavior on important issues.

Advantages of qualitative data collection:

•Provides depth and detail :

Looks deeper than analysing ranks and counts by recording attitudes, feelings and
behaviours

•Creates openness:
Encouraging people to expand on their responses can open up new topic areas not
initially considered
•Simulates people's individual experiences: A detailed picture can be built up about why
people act in certain ways and their feelings about these actions

•Attempts to avoid pre-judgements:

If used alongside quantitative data collection, it can explain why a particular response
was given.

Disadvantages of qualitative data collection:

•Usually fewer people studied:

Collection of qualitative data is generally more time consuming than quantitative data
collection and therefore unless time, staff and budget allows it is generally necessary to
include a smaller sample size.

•Less easy to generalise:

Because fewer people are generally studied it is not possible to generalise results to that
of the population. Usually exact numbers are reported rather than percentages.

•Difficult to make systematic comparisons:

Dependent on skills of the research in the case of conducting interviews, focus groups
and observation.

☆Quantitative Data Collection Methods:-

Interviews

An interview is a data-collection method

in which an interviewer (the researcher or someone working for the researcher) asks
questions of an interviewee (the research participant).

The interviewer collects the data from the interviewee, who provides the data.

Interviews that are done face-to-face are called in-person interviews; interviews
conducted over the telephone are called telephone interviews.

Face-to-face interviews​ (in-person interview)

Advantages:
● Enables the researcher to establish rapport with potential participants and
therefore gain their cooperation.

● Yields the highest response rates in survey research.

● Allows the researcher to clarify ambiguous answers and when appropriate, seek
follow-up information.
Disadvantages:
● Impractical when large samples are involved
● Can be time consuming and expensive.
​Telephone interviews

This can be used for collecting data verbally and written on fax from respondents located
away from the researcher .

​Advantages:
● Less time consuming
● Less expensive
● Researcher has ready access to anyone who has a landline telephone.
● Higher response rate than the mail questionnaire

Disadvantages:
● The response rate is not as high as the face-to-face interview.
● Higher response rate than the mail questionnaire.
● Can be fully automated using CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing)
saving data processing time.
Questionnaire

A questionnaire is a self-report data-collection instrument that each research participant

com-
pleats as part of a research study.

Researchers use questionnaires to obtain information about the thoughts, feelings,

attitudes, beliefs, values, perceptions, personality, and behavioral intentions
of research participants.

In other words, researchers attempt to measure many different kinds of characteristics

using questionnaires.

Structured questionnaires have been used with different types of questions such as closed
ended and open ended.
 ​ ail questionnaires
M
For collection of data from respondents who are located at long distance and do not have
any communication facility .They can be contacted through mail questionnaires.
​Advantages:
● Can be sent to a large number of people.
● Saves the researcher time and money compared to interviewing.
● People are more truthful while responding to the questionnaires regarding
controversial issues in particular due to the fact that their responses are
anonymous.

Disadvantages:
● In most cases, the majority of people who receive questionnaires don't return them.
Therefore:
● Over-sampling may be necessary if doing a one-time mail out in order to get
enough completed questionnaires to be generalizable to the population.
● Follow-up reminders to participants encouraging them to complete the
questionnaire may be necessary, thereby increasing the time and cost to conduct
the study.
● May need to offer incentives to increase response rate.
​Time – mail surveys take longer than other types of surveys.

Web-based questionnaires​:
A new and inevitably growing methodology is the use of Internet based research. This would
mean receiving an e-mail on which you would click on an address that would take you to a
secure web-site to fill in a questionnaire.
Advantages:
● T ​ his type of research is often quicker and less detailed.
● Very cost effective.
Disadvantages:
● Excludes people who do not have a computer or are unable to access a computer.
● Need to have access to email addresses.

● The validity of such surveys may be in question as people might be in a hurry to

complete it and so might not give accurate responses.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF QUANTITATIVE DATA

COLLECTION
Advantages of quantitative data collection​:
● Produce results that are easy to summarize,compare and generalize

● allow for a broader study, involving a greater number of subjects, and enhancing
the generalisation of the results
● can allow for greater objectivity and accuracy of results. Generally,quantitative
methods are designed to provide summaries of data that support generalisations
about the phenomenon under study. In order to accomplish this, quantitative
research usually involves few variables and many cases, and employs prescribed
procedures to ensure validity and reliability
● It provides scientific respectability. Some people believe generating and analysing
quantitative data is the only valid form of research.
● The analysis is based on well-established techniques, and tests of significance give
you confidence in your findings.
● The analysis is based on measured quantities, not subjective impressions, and the
statistical tests can be checked by others.
● Large volumes of data can be analysed quickly using software programs

Disadvantages of quantitative data collection:

● Survey instruments are vulnerable to errors such as mistakes in
measurement and flawed sampling techniques
● Quantitative method involves number,but some topics are difficult in
quantifying through numbers
● Collect much narrower and sometimes superficial database
● Results are limited as they provide numerical description rather than
detailed and generally provide less elaborative accounts of human
perception
● Data may not be enough to explain complex issues
● Difficult to understand context of a phenomenon
● Quantitative study requires extensive statistical analysis,which can be
difficult to perform for researchers from non-statistical backgrounds
● This method is very expensive
● Individual characteristics dont always apply to the general population
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION

Advantages Disadvantages

Data collected are original and relevant Respondents can give fake sometimes
socially acceptable responses to cover up the
reality

A lot of methods are used for data collection Time consuming and effortful process
(interviews, focal groups, surveys)

Primary data is current and give a realistic Difficulty in designing surveys

view of topic

Data is collected from a large population and More researchers are required to cover a
wide geographical wider population

Reliability of the data is high

SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION

It is the collection of second hand data by an individual who is not

the original user.

● This data may be already analysed

Secondary data may either be ​published data or unpublished data.​

Published data​ are available in: -

● various publications of the central, state are local governments;

● various publications of foreign governments or of international bodies and
their subsidiary organisations
● Technical and trade journals
 ● Books, magazines and newspapers
● Reports and publications of various associations connected with business
and industry, banks, stock exchanges, etc.;
● Reports prepared by research scholars, universities, economists in different
fields
● Public records and statistics, historical documents

The sources of ​unpublished​ data

● Diaries, letters, unpublished biographies and autobiographies

It is easier to collect and less expensive​ and easier .

Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Data Collection

Advantages Disadvantages
Ease of Access Quality of research
Low cost to acquire Not specific to researcher's needs
Clarification of Research Question Incomplete information
May answer research question Not timely

References

Portney,Leslie G.(2015).Foundations of Clinical Research :Applications to Practice,

3rd Edition
Formplus Blog. (2020 June 25​). ​7 Data Collection Methods and Tools for Research 
.​ ​Retrieved from
https://www.formpl.us/blog/data-collection-method

Syed Muhammad Sajjad Kabir.(2016 July).​Methods of data collection.  

Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325846997_METHODS_OF_DATA_COLLEC
TION

Quantitative data collection method :-

https://www.questionpro.com/blog/quantitative-data-collection-methods/amp/#referrer=h
ttps://www.google.com
Methods of data collection in Q,quantitative qualitative and Mixed Research
106363_book_item_106363.pdf

Muhammad Sabith K. ​Methods of data Collection​.

Retrieved from

https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/muhammedsabithk/methods-of-data-collection-researc
h-methodology

Qualitative Research:Data collection

http://www.emgo.nl/kc/qual-data-collection/

Kumar,Ranjit.(2011). RESEARCH METHODOLOGY a step-by-step guide for beginners

http://www.sociology.kpi.ua/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Ranjit_Kumar-Research_Meth
odology_A_Step-by-Step_G.pdf
Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary data collection : Formplus Blog- What is
Secondary Data? + [Examples, Sources, & Analysis]
https://www.formpl.us/blog/secondary-data