Planning Data

Collection Procedure
 Data collection refers to the process of gathering
information. The data that you will collect should be able
to answer the questions you posed in your Statement of
the problem.

There are various methods that you can use in collecting

data for a research study. Each has its advantages and
disadvantages and as a researcher you should be able to
identify when it is appropriate to employ each of the data
collection procedures. All these techniques are expected to
generate numerical calculations. The data are collected,
recorded, organized and translated to measurement scales
and entered into a computer database for statistical
computation, using appropriate software packages like
EXCEL, SPSS, SAS, etc.
Types Of Quantitative Data
Collection Procedures
A. OBSERVATION
This method of gathering data is usually used in
situations where the respondents cannot answer the
researcher's question to obtain information for a
research study. The observation is structured to elicit
information that could be coded to give numerical
data. As a researcher, you have to prepare a checklist
using an appropriate rating scale that may categorize
the behaviour, attitude or attribute that you are
observing to answer the questions posed in your study.
As you observe, you will record your observation by
using checkmarks or cross marks on your checklist.
B. SURVEY
Quantitative data can be collected using four (4) main types
of survey:

 Sample survey
The researcher collects data from a sample of a
population to estimate the attributes or characteristics
of the population. Example of sample survey pertains to
customer satisfaction, health care, politics, market
research, academic or education surveys. At the current
time surveys concerning feedbacks from parents and
teachers on the K-12 implementation are very timely.
 Administrative data

This is a survey on the organization's day-to-

day operations. This kind of data is now
supported with various ICT tools and
softwares making it easy for organizations
especially government, schools, industry, NGO
to update records efficiently and effectively
and put up their own Management
Information Systems (MIS).
 Census
The researcher collects data from the selected
population. It is an official count on survey of a
population with details on demographics, economic and
social data such as age, sex, education, marital status,
household size, occupation, religion, employment data,
educational qualifications, and housing, the collected
data are usually used by government or private firms
for planning purposes and development strategies.
In the Philippines, census of this kind is conducted by
the National Statistics Office (NSO) for civil
registration system, Bureau of Labor and Employment
Statistics (BLES), Philippine Statistical Association
(PSA), COMELEC and other, national agencies.
 Tracer studies
This is a regular survey with a sample of those surveyed
within a specific time or period. In school settings, tracer
studies are used by educational institutions to follow up
their graduates. The survey is usually sent to a random
sample after one or two years after graduation from
their courses.
Tracer studies gather data on work or employment
data, current occupation and competencies needed in the
workplace to determine gaps in curriculum and other
related activities between academe and industry.
C. QUANTITATIVE INTERVIEW
The interview may be used for both quantitative and
qualitative research studies. Both research methods involve
the participation of the researcher and the respondent.

In conducting a quantitative interview, the researcher

prepares an interview guide or schedule. It contains the list
of questions and answer options that the researcher will
read to the respondent. The interview guide may contain
closed-ended questions and a few open-ended questions as
well, that are delivered in the same format and same order
to every respondent.
 This method of collecting data involves gathering of
information from a large representative sample, which is
quite laborious. Using a recorder during the interview will
lessen not only the time required to record the answers
but will also lessen the interview effect on the
respondents. Likewise, it gives the researcher an
opportunity to explain or clarify some questions which may
be confusing to the respondent. However, it is time
consuming and expensive than administering questionnaires.
Data from quantitative interviews can be analyzed by
assigning numerical values to the responses may be entered
into a data analysis computer program where you can run
various statistical measures.
D. QUESTIONNAIRE
A questionnaire may be standardized or researcher-made.
A standardized questionnaire has gone through the process
of psychometric validation, has been piloted and revised.

Sauro (2012) provided the advantages of standardized

usability questionnaire:
Validity
It has undergone the process of validation procedures. That
is it determines how well the questionnaire measures what
it is intended to measure.
Reliability
The repeatability of the questionnaire has been tested. It
refers to how consistent responses are to the questions.
Sensitivity
It is often measured using resampling procedures to see how
well the questionnaire can differentiate at a fraction of the
sample size.
Objectivity
To attain this measure, practitioners or experts are
requested to verify statements of other practitioners in the
same field.
Quantification
The standardized questionnaire has undergone statistical
analysis.
Norms
The standardized questionnaire have normalized references
and databases which allow one to convert raw scores to
percentile ranks.
For a researcher-made questionnaire that has been developed
by the researcher specifically for a research study, the
following should be discussed:
1. the corrections and suggestions made on the draft to
improve the instrument
2. the different persons involved in the correction and
refinement of research instrument
3. the pre-testing efforts and subsequent instrument
revisions
4. the type of items used in the instrument
5. the reliability of the data and evidence of validity
6. the steps involved in scoring, guidelines,
for interpretation
The following discussion will guide you in formulating good
questions in a questionnaire:
Avoid leading questions.
Be specific with what you like to measure.
For example, if you want to evaluate a program, be
specific with what aspect or measurement you like to
evaluate in the program, quality? effectiveness?
Avoid unfamiliar words that the respondents might not
be familiar with
Multiple choice categories should be mutually exclusive to
elicit clear choices
Avoid personal questions, which may intrude into the
privacy of the respondents like those questions pertaining
to income, family life, beliefs, like religions or political
affiliation
Make your questions short and easy to answer
Reported By:
Jannah Grace A.
Abrantes