Data aquisition unit iii final

DATA ACQUISITION
UNIT III
K B BINDU
Assistant Professor,
Department of Geography,
H M College, Manjeri

CONTENT
 INTRODUCTION
 TYPES OF DATA
 SECONDARY DATA
 PRIMARY DATA
 DATA FROM ALTERNATIVE SOURCES
 QUESTIONAIRES
 SCHEDULE
 INTERVIEW

INTRODUCTION
 Once the purpose of the investigation has been clearly
defined.
 The problem of collecting the data arises.
 Data are classified into primary and secondary data.
 Data originally collected in the process of the
investigation are known as primary data, those collected
by other persons are called secondary data.

Data can be defined as the quantitative or qualitative
values of a variable. Data is plural of datum which literally
means to give or something given. Data is thought to be the
lowest unit of information from which other measurements
and analysis can be done. Data can be numbers, images,
words, figures, facts or ideas. Data in itself cannot be
understood and to get information from the data one must
interpret it into meaningful information. There are various
methods of interpreting data. Data sources are broadly
classified into primary and secondary data.
DATA

There are two sources of data collection
techniques. Primary and Secondary data collection
techniques, Primary data collection uses surveys,
experiments or direct observations. Secondary data
collection may be conducted by collecting information
from a diverse source of documents or electronically
stored information, census and market studies are
examples of a common sources of secondary data. This
is also referred to as "data mining."
DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES

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SECONDARY DATA
 It means data that are already available.
 They refer to the data which have already been collected
and analyzed by someone else
 This data in research in which an author has evaluated and
summarized previous research

It can also be classified into two
 Published data sources
 Unpublished data sources
TYPES OF SECONDARY DATA

 various publications of the central, state are local
governments
 various publications of foreign governments/
international bodies & their subsidiary organizations
 technical and trade journals
 books, magazines and newspapers
PUBLISHED SECONDARY DATA

 reports and publications of various associations
connected with business and industry, banks, stock
exchanges, etc.
 reports prepared by research scholars, universities,
economists, etc. in different fields
 public records and statistics, historical documents

 Books, journals, and periodicals
 Abstracts: brief summaries of the contents of the research study
or article
 Dissertation and thesis
 Hand books, year book, and encyclopedias
 Newspaper, conference and seminar papers
 Microfiche: form of data storage where the pages of a book,
journal or news paper are photographed and reduced in size. It
is a sheet of film containing micro images of printed material.
EXAMPLES OF PUBLISHED SECONDARY DATA

a) diaries
b) letters
c) unpublished biographies
d) autobiographies
Also may be available with scholars and research workers,
trade associations, labour bureaus and other public/ private
individuals and organizations
UNPUBLISHED SECONDARY DATA

Inexpensive
Easily accessible
Immediately available
Will provide essential background and help to clarify or
refine research problem – essential for literature review
Secondary data sources will provide research method
alternatives.
Will also alert the researcher to any potential difficulties.
ADVANTAGE OF SECONDARY DATA

Expensive
Not immediately available – takes time to define problem,
sampling frame, method and analysis.
Not as readily accessible
Incomplete Information
Validity or reliability
Suitability of data/ availability of data
Adequacy of data
DISADVANTAGE OF SECONDARY DATA

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PRIMARY DATA
 means original data that has been collected specially for the
purpose in mind. It means someone collected the data from
the original source first hand. Data collected this way is
called primary data.
 data has not been published yet and is more reliable,
authentic and objective. Primary data has not been changed
or altered by human beings; therefore its validity is greater
than secondary data.

•Survey
Survey is most commonly used method in social
sciences, management, marketing and psychology to some
extent. Surveys can be conducted in different methods.
•Questionnaire
Questionnaire is the most commonly used method in
survey. Questionnaires are a list of questions either an open-
ended or close -ended for which the respondent give
answers. Questionnaire can be conducted via telephone,
mail, live in a public area, or in an institute, through
electronic mail or through fax and other methods.
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION METHOD

•Interview
Interview is a face-to-face conversation with the
respondent. It is slow, expensive, and they take people away
from their regular jobs, but they allow in-depth questioning and
follow-up questions.
•Observations
Observations can be done while letting the observing person
know that he is being observed or without letting him know.
Observations can also be made in natural settings as well as in
artificially created environment.

Data interpretation is better.
Targeted Issues are addressed.
Efficient Spending for Information.
Decency of Data.
Addresses Specific Research Issues.
Greater Control.
Proprietary Issues
ADVANTAGE OF PRIMARY DATA

High Cost
Time Consuming
Inaccurate Feed-backs
More number of resources is required
DISADVANTAGE OF PRIMARY DATA

QUESTIONNAIRES
 Questionnaire is described as “a document that
contains a set of questions, the answers to which are
to be provided personally by the respondents”.
 In this method a questionnaires is sent to the persons
concerned with a request to answer the questions and
return the questionnaire.
 It consists of a number of questions printed or typed
in a definite order.

low cost even when the universe is large and is widely
spread geographically.
It is free from the bias of the interviewer; answers are in
respondents’ own words.
Respondents have adequate time to give well thought out
answers.
Respondents, who are not easily approachable, can also
be reached conveniently.
Large samples can be made use of and thus the results
can be made more dependable and reliable.
ADVANTAGE OF QUESTIONNAIRES

Low rate of return of the duly filled in questionnaires; bias due
to no- response is often indeterminate.
Respondents are educated and cooperating.
The control over questionnaire may be lost once it is sent.
The possibility of ambiguous replies or omission of replies
altogether to certain questions; interpretation of omissions is
difficult.
It is difficult to know whether willing respondents are truly
representative.
This method is likely to be the slowest of all.
DISADVANTAGE OF QUESTIONNAIRE

MAIN ASPECTS OF A QUESTIONNAIRE
1.General form
 considered either be structured or unstructured
questionnaire.
 Structured questionnaires are concrete and pre-
determined questions.
 The form of the question may be either
closed(‘Yes’ or ‘No’) or open (I.e. ., inviting free
response).
 Structured questionnaires may also have fixed
alternative questions.

2. Question sequence
 Make the questionnaire effective and to ensure
quality to the replies received.
 A proper sequence of questions reduces considerably
the chances of individual questions being
misunderstood.
 The question-sequence must be clear and smoothly.
 The first few questions are particularly important
because they are likely to influence the attitude of the
respondent.

Avoided questions in a questionnaire
 Questions that put too great a strain on the memory or
intellect of the respondent.
 Questions of a personal character.
 Questions related to personal wealth.

3.Question formulation and wording
 Questions should be constructed with a view to their
forming a logical part of a well thought out tabulation
plan.
 All questions should meet the following standards.
(a) should be easily understood.
(b) Should be simple.
(c) should be concrete.

 Two principal- Multiple choice question and the open-
end question.
 Multiple choice question- the respondent selects one of
the alternative possible answers.
 Advantages of multiple choice questions are easy
handling, simple to answer, quick and relatively
inexpensive to analysis.
 most amenable to statistical analysis.
 Open-end question- supply the answer in his own
words.

ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD QUESTIONNAIRE
 It should be comparatively short and simple.
 Questions should proceed in logical sequence moving
from easy to more difficult questions.
 Personal and intimate questions should be left to the end.
 Technical terms and vague expressions capable of
different interpretations should be avoided.
 Questions may be multiple choice or open-end.

 Questions may be dichotomous (Multiple choice or
open-ended).
 A question designed to determine the consumption of
particular material may be asked first in terms of
financial expenditure later in terms of weight.
 Sentimental questions should be avoided.
 Adequate space for answers should be provided in the
questionnaire to help editing and tabulation.
 It should look attractive.

SCHEDULE
“The schedule has been used for collection of personal
preference, social attitudes, beliefs, opinions, behaviour
patterns, group practices and habits and much other data”
- P.V. Young
“Schedule is the name usually applied to set of
questions which are asked and filled in by an interviewer
in a face to face situation with other person”- Goode and
hatt
“a formal list, a catalogue or inventory and may be a
counting device, used in formal and standardized
inquiries, the sole purpose of which is aiding in the
collection of quantitative cross- sectional data” - Webster

OBJECTIVES OF SCHEDULE
• According to P.v. Young a researcher “makes the
schedule a guide, a means of delimiting the sense
of his enquiry, a memory tickler, a recording
device”.
1.Aids to delimit the scope of the study
• Schedule always focuses on a definite item of
inquiry , single and isolated subject, rather than a
subject in general.
• Schedule delimits and specifies the subject of
inquiry.
• It also focuses the attention of the interviewer on
salient points of the study.

2. Acts as a memory tickler
• It act as a memory tickler.
• While during this the interviewer may forget to ask
a wide range of questions to the respondent.
• During the interview may forget some important
research problem.
• Usually most persons do not have good memories.
• but in schedule method an interviewer is not
dependent upon his memory.
• Because schedule is planned written document.
• It save time, money and effort.

3. Helps in classification and analysis
• Another objective is to help in the work of
tabulation classification and analysis.
• In case of narrative interview the interviewee
provides the information in a story form.
• It is very difficult.
• The schedule puts the entire thing in a
structured form and facilitates in better
tabulation and analysis.

4.Standardised device
• Schedule provides a standardized observation
and interview.
• In a structured schedule every respondent gives
reply to the same question, put in the same
language, in the same sequence.
• Comparable and helps in an objective study.

TYPES OF SCHEDULE
Schedule classified into five types.
1.Observation method
2.Rating schedule.
3.Document schedule.
4.Institutious or evolution schedule.
5.Interview schedule.

OBSERVATION METHOD
• Schedule is the important tools for objective and
standardized observation.
• Usually these schedules are used for observation
as a objectifying device.
• Here it consists of several blank tables where
the observer can fill up various events which he
has observed.
• According to P.v Young an observation schedule
usually serves several purposes simultaneously.
• They are -

1.It is a specific memory tickler.
2.It is an objective recording device which makes
possible accurate accumulation of large
quantities of data.
3.It is a standardized device.
4.It aids to delimit the scope of the study.
ADVANTAGE OF OBSERVATION METHOD

RATING SCHEDULE.
• It is used for economic, social, and
psychological research.
• To assess the performances, attitudes, ideas,
thought, view etc.of the people.
• These schedules measured value and trend of
the above mentioned qualities.

DOCUMENT SCHEDULE
• Used for securing data from various written
documents like autobiography, biography, diary, case
history or official records maintained by the Govt.
• “According to P.V. Young, items included in this
schedule are limited to those that can be uniformly
secured from large number of case histories or other
records.”
• For e.g. in order to study the criminal behaviour.
• In this case data collected through document
schedule.
• It study the items such as the types of offence,
number and types of their earlier crime, the personal
data of criminals like their school leaving age, age at
the time of first time of first crime etc.

INSTITUTIONS OR EVALUATION
SCHEDULE
• This schedule as is evident from the name is
used to gather data about specialized institutions
or agencies.
• It is used to analyse the problems faced by a
given type of institutions.

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
• Used for interview purposes.
• Common and important schedules used by many
researchers.
• It consist of some standard questions.
• Questions asks to the respondents and then fill up the
form after getting the information from the
respondents.

STEPS OR PROCEDURES FOR FORMING
A SCHEDULE
• A good schedule requires certain planning and
preparation.
• Most of the cases schedule is combinedly used with
the interview method.
• This is more than a series of casual questions and
their replies.
• Rather it is a dynamic, interpersonal, experience that
has to be done carefully.

1.Knoweledge about the different aspects of
problem.
 While forming the schedule the first step is to have proper
knowledge about the different aspects of the problem.
 Thought plays a great role to understand the research
problem.
 Following are the some of the necessary factors,
1.The researcher must have interest in the topic of research.
2.The nature of the problem or topic must have some social
reference.
3.He should understand the problem thoroughly.
4.The problem must be defined in clear and explicit manner.
5.Existing literature on the subject should be studied.

2.Knowledge about the information to
be studied
• Second step is to decide what information is
necessary for a valid generalization on each
aspect of the problem.
• Extensive literature survey usually help the
researcher to get a proper knowledge about the
research problem.

3.Framing the actual questions
 Third step is the framing of the actual questions.
 This is the essential part of the schedule.
 While forming the actual questions in schedule the
following one step must consider.
1.Nature of questions to be given.
2. Some questions to be avoided.
3.Language.
4.Sequence of questions.
5.Content of schedule.
6.General layout of the schedule
7.Testing the validity of schedule.

MERITS OF SCHEDULE
1.Higher percentage of responses.
2.Personality of research worker motivates respondents.
3.Personal contact.
4.Creates a proper atmosphere for getting responses.
5.Scheule requires less time to filled.
6.Human touch.
7.Minimises errors.
8.Applicable to all.

DEMERITS OF SCHEDULE
1.Expensive.
2.Time consuming.
3.Adverse effect to personal presence.
4.Less area.
5.Uncomfortable for respondents.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
QUESTIONNAIRE AND SCHEDULE
1. Questionnaire and schedule can be taken to be the same
method but from the technical point of view there is
difference between them.
2. The questionnaire is generally sent through mail to
informants to be answered as specified in a covering letter
.The schedule is generally filled out by the research worker.
3. To collect data through questionnaire is relatively cheap and
it save time. To collect data through schedule schedule is
relatively more expensive and it require field staff.

4. Non- response is usually high in case of questionnaire as many
people do not respond and many return the questionnaire
without answering all questions. Non response is generally
very low in case of schedules
5.In case of questionnaire it is not always clear as to who replies
but in case of schedule the identity of respondent is known.
6.The questionnaire method is likely to be very slow but in case
of schedules the information is collected well in time.
7.Personal contact is generally not possible in case of the
questionnaire but in case of schedules direct personal contact
is established with respondents.

8. Questionnaire method can be used only when respondents are
literate and cooperative but in case of schedules the
information can be gathered even when the respondents happen
to be illiterate.
9. Wrong information is relatively more in questionnaire method
but in case of schedules the information is generally complete
and accurate.
10.The success of questionnaire method lies more on the quality
of the questionnaire itself but in case of schedules much
depends upon the honesty and competence of enumerators.
11.Questionaire is impersonal in character, where as schedule is
personal in character.

55
INTERVIEW
 A purposeful discussion between two or more
people. It can help you to gather valid and
reliable data that are relevant to your research
question and objectives.

56
TYPES OF INTERVIEW
 Structured interview: using standardized
questions.
 Unstructured interview: informal, there is no
prepared questions before interview. It is used to
explore in depth a general area in which you are
interested.
 Semi-structured interview: mix between the two.

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 Another classification based on the form of
interaction between interviewer and
interviewees:
 Qualitative interviews: divided into two
groups:
1. One to one: face-to-face, telephone interviews.
2. One to many: focus group interviews.

58
Links between types of interviews and research
purpose
 Structured: used usually in survey research and it
will be subject to quantitative analysis. It is used in
descriptive and exploratory studies.
 Semi-structured: used usually in explanatory
studies.
 In depth: used usually in exploratory studies.
 You may incorporate more than one type of
interview in your study.

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Situations favoring qualitative research interviews
1. The nature of the approach to research. Is it exploratory or
descriptive approach.
2. The significance of establishing personal contact. Some
interviewees (e.g., managers) usually prefer personal
interviews than filling questionnaire.
3. The nature of the data collection questions. Interview is best
used in the following circumstances: large number of
questions, the questions complex or open-ended, the order
of the questioning need to be varied.
4. Length of time required and completeness of the process.
The interview is the best.

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Key measures to overcome bias in qualitative
interviews
1. The preparation and readiness for interview.
2. The appropriateness of your appearance at the interview.
3. Level of information supplied to the interviewee.
4. Your approach to questioning. Phrased clearly
5. The impact of your behavior during the course of the
interview. How to create the atmosphere of relaxation.
6. You ability to demonstrate attentive listening skill.
7. Your approach to recording information.

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TELEPHONE INTERVIEW
 The benefit of this may be easy access, speed and low cost.
 Issues militate against this type:
1. The importance of establishing personal contact. Especially
in terms of sensitive questions.
2. Out of reach to explore participant’s responses. Non-verbal
behavior.
3. The ability to control the pace of a telephone interview and
to record any data may be difficult.
 Telephone interview is likely to be appropriate in particular
circumstances:
Short, follow-up interview to clarify the meaning of some data
where you have already undertaken a face-to-face. long
distance.

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GROUP INTERVIEWS
 The researcher act as a facilitator or moderator of
the discussion that occur.
 This is likely to be unstructured.
 It may lead to a rich flow of data. Several
participants.
 High level of skills is needed by the interviewer.
 Suitable for complexity and in case of limited data
available.
 How to insure the success of group interview?

Data aquisition unit iii final

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