Methods

Methods and
and
Techniques
Techniques of
of Data
Data
Collection
Collection
 Primary Data — Collection
Methods
• First hand information collected by
the researcher is called as Primary
Data.
• Primary data collected without any
bias , are more reliable and
dependable, and are accurate and apt
for specified investigation.
 Primary Data —
Collection Methods
• Observation
• Questionnaires
• Experimentation
• Interviews
• Schedules
• Case Study Method
 Observations
• Is a scientific tool, as is systematically planned and
recorded and is subjected to checks and controls on
validity and reliability.
• Direct personal observation –
– prominent method.
– Situation can be observed in person
– Can result in unbiased observation
• In certain cases observations are not possible.
• Used when respondents are not capable of giving
verbal reports of their feelings.
 Examples
• Service stations:
– Pose as a customer, go to a service station and
observe.
• Supermarkets:
– What is the Best location in shelf?
• Hidden cameras used.
• Concealed Tape recorder helps to
determine sales arguments and find out
sales enthusiasm shown by various sales
men
 Adv of observation
• Subjective bias is eliminated, if
observation is done accurately.
• Current happenings can be noted.
• Independent of respondents.
Dis-Adv of Observation
• It is expensive.
• Information provided can be very
limited.
• Sometimes, some people are rarely
accessible to direct observation creates
obstacle for this method.
 Things to be noted:
• What should be observed?
• How the observations should be
recorded?
 Type of Observations
• Structured
– Characterized by careful definitions
– The style of recording information
– Standardized conditions of observation
– Selection of pertinent data of
observation
 Type of Observations
• Unstructured
– Observations without the above
characteristics to be planned in advance
 Questionnaires
• Asking questions in mailed or handed form
to the respondents and filled by him/her
without help of interviewer.
• Researcher has to ensure that the
questionnaire is relevant.
• Avoid double barreled questions.
• Should not be ambiguous
• Wording should match the educational
level of the respondents.
Construction of Questionnaire
• Following 9 steps are to be ideally
followed in construction of
Questionnaire:
– Decide what info is wanted.
– Decide what type of questionnaire (mail,
telephonic) to use.
– Decide on the content of individual
questions
– Decide on the type of questions (open,
multiple choice, dichotomous) to use
Construction of Questionnaire

– Decide on the wording of questions

– Decide on sequence of questions
– Decide on layout and method of
reproduction of questionnaire.
– Make a preliminary draft and pretest it.
– Revise and prepare the final questionnaire
 Questionnaires
• Can be:
– Open ended
• Mailed questionnaires
• All possible answers are not known to researcher
or he wishes to know from respondents.
• Respondents has to answer adequately, in detail
or to clarify answers.
• Being creative or self-expression on part of the
respondents is must
 Adv of open ended
questions
• Detailed answers can be collected.
• Gives more insight to the areas of
problem that has not yet been
explored by researcher.
• Allows the respondents to be more
creative and self-expressive.
 Dis –adv of open ended
questions
• May lead to collection of irrelevant info.
• Data collected is not standardized and can
vary from person to person.
– This may lead to difficulties in coding
• Requires much of the respondents time and
efforts.
– This may lead to refusal on part of respondents.
• Requires more writing and might make
questionnaire seem longer.
 Questionnaires
– Close ended
• Have standard answers that can help
comparison facility from one person to
other.
• Have answers that are easy to code and
analyze.
• Question as clear meaning.
 Adv of Closed ended
• Answers are relatively complete.
• Respondents find it easy to answer.
• Respondents find ease to choose the
question of his/her choice.
• Easy to code and analyze.
 Dis –adv of closed ended
• Respondents may randomly select
answers.
• Respondents may feel answers are not
of his/her choice.
• Too many categories can lead to
repetitive reading of questions
• Clerical errors are possible.
 Experimentation
• Used by Marketing Executives in following
situations:
– What is best method for training salesmen?
– What is best remuneration plan for salesman?
– What is the best shelf arrangement for
displaying a product?
– What package design should be used?
– What media are the most effective?
– Which version of a product would consumers
like best?
 Experimentation
• IN marketing experiment,
– the experimental units are consumers,
stores, sales , territories.
– The marketing variables under control
are price, packaging, display, sales
incentive plans, flavor, color ,shape
– Environmental factors – competitors
action, weather changes, in corporative
dealers.
 Interviews
• An interview can be an effective
informal verbal or non-verbal
conversation initiated for specific
purpose focused on certain planned
content areas.
 Characteristics of
Interviews
• Flexibility
• Response rate
• Control over Environment
• Spontaneity
• Completeness
• Reliability of result
• Promptness
• Cost
• Time
• Bias
• Inconvience
• Less Anonymity
 Interviews
• Methods of interview:
– Direct Personal
– Telephonic
– Video Conferencing
 Interviews
• Types of interviews
– Structured
– Unstructured
 Interviews
• Structured
– Based on predetermined & standardized
questions
– Number, nature, order of asking
questions etc. and response patterns is
highly standardized.
 Interviews
• Adv of structured Interviews:
– Easy to administer
– Uniformity and precision
 Interviews
• Disadv of structured Interview:
– It’s a rigid process
– Doesn't provides any flexibility.
– Can result in an artificial atmosphere
that results in psychological barriers.
 Interviews
• Unstructured:
– Allows freedom to choose the interview
form, depending on the specific
situation and the interview is adjusted
to the level of the respondent
– Creates congenial atmosphere that
allows effective communication.
 Types of unstructured
interviews
• Focused interview, which is directed
to focus attention of respondents to
some given expression and its
effects.
• Clinical Interviews, enables sample to
underlie their feelings /motivation in
much broaden perspective.
– Psychiatric clinics and in prison
administration
 Types of unstructured
interviews
• With a non-directive approach, the
initiative is completely left in hands of
respondents, example Psychoanalytical
research
 Interviews
• Adv of Unstructured interviews:
– Flexibility
– Effective communication
– The wording an d order of questions can
be changed on response pattern
 Telephonic Interviews
• Used for follow up of a mailed questions.
• Fast as compared to face to face.
• Cheaper
• Respondents remain anonymous
• Travel time eliminated
• Greater possibility of reaching customers
all over geography.
Drawbacks of Telephonic
Interviews
• Impossible to employ visual aids
• Exclusion of population who don’t
have telephone connections.
• Interviewee may discontinue
conversation in mid-way.
 Points to be considered
• Selection of telephone numbers.
• Call outcomes
• Call timing
• Call report
Depth Interviews (non-disguised)
• Attempts to get the respondents to talk about
subject of interest.
• Respondents are at ease & encouraged to
express any ideas on the subject.
• Respondents are free to expand their views on
particular ideas.
• Although no particular questionnaire is prepared,
interviewer has an outline in his mind.
• Interviewer should have background of social
psychology and field experience of 500 or more
interviews
• Group of 6 to 8 people are called for discussion.
 Projective Techniques
(disguised study)
• Respondents is given and ambiguous situation
and asked to describe it.
• Description given projects respondents
personality and attitudes to the situation
described.
• Most commonly used projective techniques
are
– Word association
– Sentence completion
– Story telling
 Focus Group Interviews
• Are survey research instruments which can be use
with or optional to PI.
• Used in qualitative research applications.
• In this method, an interviewer strives to led a
moderator to focus upon the issue of concern.
• The moderator directs the group towards the focus
of researcher, for obtaining information from groups
of people
• Moderator speaks little and encourages the group to
generate the information required by stimulating
discussion.
 Characteristics of FG
• Group of individuals are invited to attend
informal discussion.
• 6 to 8 participants are allowed.
• Discussion is for 1 - 2 hrs.
• Small groups may lose mutual simulation among
participants.
• Large groups are difficult to manage
• Group discusses among informal and relaxed
environment
• Discussions are recorded for future ref.
 Application of FG

• New product development

• Positioning of studies
• Assessment of packaging
• Attitude and language studies
• Advertising /copy evaluations
• Promotions evaluations
• Idea generation
 Schedules
• Performa containing a set of questions.
• Are filled in by the enumerators who are
specially appointed for the purpose.
• Is a standardized device or tool of
observations to collect the data in an
objective manner.
 Schedules
• Enumerators along with schedules go
to respondents
• They may also sometimes help
respondents to fill in answers.
• Enumerators explains aims and
objective of investigation.
 Schedules
• Useful in extensive enquiries
• Leads to fairly reliable results.
• Very expensive and adopted in
investigations conducted by
governmental agencies or by big
organizations
• Population Census all over the world is
conducted through this method
 Enumerators
• should be trained for same.
• Should be intelligent and must posses
the capacity of cross examination in
order to find out truth.
• Should be honest, sincere , hardworking
• Should have patience and perseverance.
 Purpose of Schedules
• Delimitation of topic
• Aid to Memorize
• Aid to classification and analysis
 Types of Schedules
• Observation Schedule – used for
observations and verifying info.
• Rating Schedule – used to assess the
attitudes, opinions, preferences,
perceptions of respondents.
• Document Schedule – used in exploratory
research.
• Institution Survey Schedule – used in
studying different problems of
Institutions
• Interview Schedule
 Merits of schedule
• Higher response
• Personal contact
• Human touch
• Deeper probe
• Defects in sampling are detected
• Removal of doubts
 Limitations
• Costly and time consuming
• Need of trained field
workers/enumerators
• Adverse effect of personal presence
• Organizational difficulties
 Characteristics of good
Schedule
• Accurate communication
• Accurate response
 Suitability of Schedule
method
• The field of investigation is wide and
dispersed.
• Where the researcher requires quick
result at low cost.
• Where the respondents are
educated.
• Where trained and educated
enumerators are available.
Case Study Method