NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

College of Engineering
Chapter 1: Obtaining Data

I. OBTAINING DATA of the units to be observed, selection of pertinent

1. Methods of Data Collection data of observation.
2. Planning and Conducting Surveys Example: An auditor performing inventory analysis in
3. Planning and Conducting Experiments: store
Introduction to Design of Experiments b. Unstructured Observation
- When observation is done without any thought
Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring before observation.
information on variables of interest, in an established Example: Observing children playing with new toys.
systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research c. Participant
questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes. - When the Observer is member of the group
which he is observing.
TYPES OF DATA Advantages:
1. Primary Data 1. Observation of natural behavior
- Data which are collected a fresh and for the first 2. Closeness with the group
time and thus happen to be original in character 3. Better understanding
and known as PRIMARY DATA. d. Non-participant
- If you are researching something current, your - When observer is observing people without
primary sources can either be qualitative or giving any information to them.
quantitative data that you collect yourself Advantages:
- Example: 1. Objectivity and neutrality
Official documents 2. More willingness of the respondent
e. Controlled
2. Secondary Data - When the observation takes place in natural
- Data which have been collected by someone condition. It is done to get spontaneous picture of
else and which have already been passed life and persons.
through the statistical process. f. Uncontrolled
- When you cite a secondary source, it’s usually - When observation takes place according to
not to analyze it directly. Instead, you’ll probably definite pre-arranged plans, with experimental
test its arguments against new evidence or use procedure then it is controlled observation
its ideas to help formulate your own. generally done in laboratory under controlled
- Example: condition.
 Books, articles and documentaries that
synthesize information on a topic 2. Interview
 Synopses and descriptions of artistic - This method of collecting data involves presentation
works or oralverbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral-verbal
 Encyclopedias and textbooks that responses.
summarize information and ideas Interview Method is an oral verbal communication
 Reviews and essays that evaluate or where interviewer asks questions (which are aimed to
interpret something get information required for study) to respondent.

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION: TYPES OF INTERVIEW

PRIMARY DATA a. Group interviews
1. Observation - A group of 6 to 8 individuals is interviewed.
- is a method under which data from the field is b. Qualitative and quantitative interviews
collected with the help of observation by the observer - Divided on the basis of subject matter i.e.
or by personally going to the field. whether qualitative or quantitative.
c. Individual interviews
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES - Interviewer meets a single person and interviews
Subjective bias Time consuming him.
eliminated
Current information Limited information d. Selection interviews
- Done for the selection of people for certain jobs.
e. Depth interviews
Independent to Unforeseen factors - It deliberately aims to elicit unconscious as well
respondent’s variable as other types of material relating especially to
personality dynamics and motivations.
f. Telephonic interviews
TYPES OF OBSERVATION - Contacting samples on telephone.
a. Structured Observation
- When observation is done by characterizing style 3. Questionnaire Method
of recording the observed information, - This method of data collection is quite popular,
standardized conditions of observation, definition particularly in case of big enquiries.

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NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
College of Engineering
Chapter 1: Obtaining Data
- The questionnaire is mailed to respondents who SECONDAY DATA: SOURCES OF DATA
are expected to read and understand the • Publications of Central, state, local government
questions and write down the reply in the space • Technical and trade journals
meant for the purpose in the questionnaire itself. • Books, Magazines, Newspaper
The respondents have to answer the questions • Reports & publications of industry, bank, stock exchange
on their own. • Reports by research scholars, Universities, economist
Advantages Disadvantages • Public Records
Low cost even if the Low rate of return of
geographical area is too duly filled FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE USING
large questionnaire. SECONDARY DATA
• Reliability of data – Who, when, which
Answers are in Slowest method of
Methods, at what time etc.
respondents’ word so data collection.
• Suitability of data – Object, scope, and
free from bias.
Nature of original inquiry should be studied, as if the study was
Adequate time to think Difficult to know if the
with different objective then that data is not suitable for current
for answers. expected respondent
study
have filled the form or
• Adequacy of data– Level of accuracy,
it is filled by someone
• Area differences then data is not adequate for study
else.
Non approachable
SELECTION OF PROPER METHOD FOR COLLECTION OF
respondents may be
DATA
conveniently contacted.
• Nature, Scope and object of inquiry
Large samples can be
• Availability of Funds
used so results are
• Time Factor
more reliable.
• Precision Required
4. Case Study DESIGNING A SURVEY
- Case study method is essentially an intensive Surveys can take different forms. They can be used to ask only
investigation of the particular unit under one question or they can ask a series of questions. We can
consideration. use surveys to test out people’s opinions or to test a
Advantages Disadvantages hypothesis. When designing a survey, the following steps are
They are less costly and They are subject to useful:
less time-consuming; selection bias 1. Determine the goal of your survey: What question do you
they are advantageous want to answer?
when exposure data is 2. Identify the sample population: Whom will you interview?
expensive or hard to 3. Choose an interviewing method: face-to-face interview,
obtain. phone interview, self-administered paper survey, or
They are advantageous They generally do not internet survey.
when studying dynamic allow calculation of 4. Decide what questions you will ask in what order, and how
populations in which incidence (absolute to phrase them. (This is important if there is more than
follow-up is difficult. risk). one piece of information you are looking for.)
5. Conduct the interview and collect the information.
6. Analyze the results by making graphs and drawing
conclusions.

5. Survey Method DESIGNING A SURVEY SAMPLE PROBLEMS

- SURVEY METHOD is one of the common Example 1:
methods of diagnosing and solving of social 1. Martha wants to construct a survey that shows which
problems is that of undertaking surveys. sports students at her school like to play the most.

Advantages Disadvantages Step 1: List the goal of the survey

Step 2: What population should she interview?
Relatively easy to Respondents may not feel
Step 3: How should she administer the survey?
administer encouraged to provide
Step 4: Create a data collection sheet that she can use to
accurate, honest answers
record her results
Can be developed in less Surveys with closed-
time (compared to other ended questions may
Step 1: GOAL
data collection methods) have a lower validity rate
The goal of the survey is to find the answer to the
than other question types.
question:
Cost-effective, but cost Data errors due to
“Which sports do students at Martha’s school like to play
depends on survey mode question non responses
the most?”
may exist.
Step 2: POPULATION
A sample of the population would include a random
sample of the student population in Martha’s school. A

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NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
College of Engineering
Chapter 1: Obtaining Data
good strategy would be to randomly select students (using
dice or a random number generator) as they walk into an
all-school assembly.

Step 3: METHODS
Face-to-face interviews are a good choice in this case.
Interviews will be easy to conduct since the survey
consists of only one question which can be quickly
answered and recorded, and asking the question face to
face will help eliminate non-response bias.

Step 4: DATA
Sports:
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Soccer

Example 2:
Juan wants to construct a survey that shows how many
hours per week the average student at his school works.
Step 1: List the goal of the survey
Step 2: What population should she interview?
Step 3: How should she administer the survey?
Step 4: Create a data collection sheet that she can use to
record her results

Step 1: GOAL
The goal of the survey is to find the answer to the question
“How many hours per week do you work?”

Step 2: POPULATION
Juan suspects that older students might work more hours
per week than younger students. He decides that a
stratified sample of the student population would be
appropriate in this case. The strata are grade levels 9th
through 12th. He would need to find out what proportion of
the students in his school are in each grade level, and
then include the same proportions in his sample.

Step 3: METHODS
Face-to-face interviews are a good choice in this case
since the survey consists of two short questions which can
be quickly answered and recorded.

Step 4: DATA
NUMBER OF WORKED
GRADE LEVEL
HOURS
9th
10th
11th
12th

THE BASIS OF CONDUCTING AN EXPERIMENT

1. With an experiment, the researcher is trying to learn
something new about the world, an explanation of 'why'
something happens.
2. The experiment must maintain internal and external
validity, or the results will be useless.
3. When designing an experiment, a researcher must
follow all of the steps of the scientific method, from making
sure that the hypothesis is valid and testable, to using
controls and statistical tests

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