Sunday, 29 March 2020

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

Data can be regarded as information. It can be given out or taken for the purpose of making interferences in research. In this case, it may include numerical or statistical results or figures such as percentages. It may also include verbal materials like newspaper accounts, scholastic essay etc. we can therefore say that any collection of verbal or numerical information from which inferences or conclusions can be drawn or analyzed is regarded as data. It means that data can be quantitative or qualitative. 

Any information which comes in numbers, figures, measures or quantities is said to be quantitative. Where as any information which comes as a verbal description of attribute or characteristics is regarded as qualitative. So when you have evidences obtained from other research studies, observations made from the field and laboratory settings, information extracted from records and documents, score collected from tests of various types etc; you say you have data. 

Remember that you go to the field to collect data for the purpose of using the data carefully collected from your subject, to test your hypotheses in order to draw your inferences and conclusions. These inferences and conclusions are about rejecting the hypotheses or supporting them as away of providing answers to your problem of study. Therefore, the data you collect and the tools which you use for collecting them must be relevant to your hypotheses and research design. According to Tolbert (1967) all data gathering devices should be closely related to the design of the study. You can conveniently describe data collection then, as a research activity involving the process of gathering relevant information with reference to the stated hypotheses, variables and design

TYPES OF DATA USED IN RESEARCH INVESTIGATIONS 
There are basically two categories data collected and used in research. These, according to Gupte (1979) are: - Primary data and Secondary data

Primary data: These are information, facts or statistical materials which you as a researcher originate for the purpose of the inquiry on hand. This is sometimes popularly called the “First hand information” or “information from the horses mouth”. They are referred to as eye witness account of an event or phenomenon. Such information is extracted from the actual participants themselves. It may be through oral interviews or discussions or through written diaries, minutes, proceedings, pictures, objects etc

 Secondary data: These refer to information, facts or statistical materials which are not originated by you as the researcher or investigator. These are materials from someone else‟s records or other documents like books, journals, newspaper reports and other research works that may be got from the libraries. In the simplest form, secondary data are not first hand information.

QUESTIONNAIRE METHOD OF COLLECTING DATA 
Let us start this section by letting you know that any time you want to collect data. You will need to consider some factors before you choose the suitable method. These factors include: Purpose, problem and hypothesis of the study Time required for the study The accuracy desired of the study Funds available for the study Other facilities available and The nature of the person conducting the research in terms of the level of training. 

Most researchers, who conduct survey researches, make use of the questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. The questionnaire is generally a form containing some questions which the respondents fill out without any help or comment from the researcher. It enables data to be collected from large samples

According to Okpata, Onuoha and Oyedeji (1993) a questionnaire is a self reporting instrument that has received a good use in educational, researches, psychological and social science researches, programme evaluation etc. it is described as the most common type of research instrument.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD QUESTIONNAIRE 
The characteristics of a good questionnaire are: 
- A questionnaire deals with a significant topic:. The topic or problem should be such that any respondent will recognize it as important enough to warrant spending his time on. Therefore, the significance should be clearly and carefully stated either on the questionnaire or in the accompanying letter. 
 - It seeks only such information which cannot be obtained from other sources like financial reports, census data etc. 

 - It is as short as possible, and only long enough to get the essential data. Do not make the instrument very long. This is because most people find it time wasting. Most of the times, long questionnaires find their ways into the waste basket. Therefore, make the questionnaire response clear and very easy to complete. Keep the writing required to a minimum. 

 - It is attractive in appearance. It is neatly arranged and clearly printed or produced.

 - Instructions are clear and complete. Important terms are defined. Each item deals with a single idea and is worded as simply and possible.

CONSTRUCTION OF A QUESTIONNAIRE 
According to Okpala, et al (1995) a researcher is faced with respondents who have great amount of information that could go untapped unless the questionnaire items are valid and reliable enough to elicit the required information. Henderson et al (1978) suggested eight steps to which the process of developing and using a questionnaire can be divided. 
These are; 

  • Identifying the programmes objectives and specific information to be obtained. 
  • Select a response format 
  • Identifying the frame of reference of the respondents. 
  • Writing the items/questions 
  • Preparing a data summary sheet 
  • Critiquing the questions, trying them out and revising them 
  • Assembling the questionnaires 
  • Administering the questionnaires
TYPES OF QUESTIONNAIRES 
There are two main types of questionnaires based on two basic types of question formats. These are closed ended questions and open-ended questions. Closed ended questions and those that provide respondent with fixed set of alternatives from which they are to choose. For instance, the response format of multiple choice-items and scales are all closed-ended. Where as open-ended questions are those questions to which the respondents write their own response, as it is in an essay examination questions. 

Article posted by Monday Desmond

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