Lesson-11: Nature And Role Of Data In Research

Data are facts, on the basis of which a

researcher researches knowledge
In common language a fact is considered as
something that is true for all the time
The researcher knows that facts can change and
what has been collected is true only at a certain
place and time and for this the word data is used
Data are ever-changing
E.g. opinion polls about outcome of an election
at different points in time

Primary and Secondary Data

Primary Data
Data collected by observing a phenomenon directly
e.g., reporting the summary of the cricket match at the
end of the day by actually watching the match
Secondary Data
It is the derived data.
e.g., reading the newspaper report about a cricket match

Quality of Research
Quality of research depends upon the nature of data
Quality of solutions to the problem on hand is higher if
data collected is primary data
Research that uses secondary data is to some extend
subject to suspect and may not be completely
dependable
It is many times difficult to obtain first-hand primary
data
Even at times first hand data may not be accurate
Researcher must state the limitations right the outset and
acknowledge that the research may be weak in certain
aspects

Nature of Data and Research Methodology

Researcher needs to collect, measure, organize and

interpret the data on the basis of appropriate research
methodology

It is the nature of the data that will determine the

methodology

The data can be divided into following categories:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Written accounts
Descriptive observations
Numerical observations
Comparative observations

Written Accounts
This is historical data
It describes what happened in the past
Written accounts data is also known as
literary or critical data

Descriptive Observations
This is similar to written accounts.
The observer observes something and
writes a description.
Observations have a direct research purpose
unlike written accounts which may have
been written by people who may not have
any direct research purpose in their mind.
Descriptive observations are also called as
normative survey or descriptive survey.

Numerical Observations
These are observations which have been
quantified and exist in numerical form.
These observations result from the application of
measurement techniques
The surveys wherein numerical observations are
collected are called analytical surveys and the data
is called statistical data

Comparative Observations
These result from a careful comparison or contrast
of one set of observations with another set of
observations
The two observations may be made under different
conditions, one strictly controlled and the other
not controlled
These data are usually called experimental data

Choice of Methodology
Do the data result from application of methodology or
exist independent of it?
It is obvious that data, as facts, are something over the
existence of which you do not have any control
Only to extract the data for your own use, you will
have to use an appropriate method for data collection

Data Collection Methods

Historical Method
It is appropriate for those data that are primarily in
the form of documents or books
Descriptive Survey Method
It is also called normative survey, it is appropriate
for those data that are derived from simple
observational situations. The observation may be
direct or in the form of questionnaires or polling
techniques

Data Collection Methods

Analytical Survey Method
It is appropriate for data that are quantitative in nature
and that need statistical assistance to extract meaning
Experimental Method
It is appropriate for data derived from an experimental
control situation or a pre-test / post-test design, in
which two separate groups are involved. The findings
with regard to the control group are compared with
those obtained from the experimental group to draw
inferences

Classification of Research
Action Research
This approach tries to find out if something actually
works
e.g., playing music during working time will
improve the performance of workers
Case-And-Field-Study Research
This is a descriptive research in which data are
gathered directly from the individuals in their
natural environment for studying interactions,
attitudes etc.
e.g., medical studies

Classification of Research
Correlational Research
This is a statistical investigation of the relationship
between one factor and certain other factors. This
research does not necessarily look at the causal
connections, but it simply establishes the relationship
between two factors
Descriptive or Normative Survey
This refers to observations with insight through
research instruments such as questionnaires, interviews
and so on, assemble the collected data, examine and
ascertain the data through a sample

Classification of Research
Developmental Research
This is similar to the descriptive-normative
research but stretches over a period of time
and so it is called the longitudinal study
Causal-Comparative Research
This is a type of experimental research. In
this, we observe existing conditions and
search back through the data for causal
factors

Classification of Research

Historical Research
In this research, we examine the records left behind by people who
have lived during certain times
These may be books, diaries and so on
The researcher tries to find out which events took place and attempts
to establish why they took place from these records

True Experimental Research

Test something and record the results
Change a few factors, test that thing again and record the results
This is also called case and effect, pre and the post test or laboratory
method of research

Classification of Research
Quasi-Experimental Research
The experimental method attempts to account for the
influence of one factor or of multiple factors in a given
situation
In any good research design, randomization is
extremely important, however, proper randomization is
impossible
The experimental method used in reality is called as
quasi-experimental method

Lesson-11: Exercise
Discuss with examples nature and role of
data in research
Discuss different research methodologies
with hypothetical situations