CH. 10 DATA COLLECTION METHODS

Sources of Data Primary sources Secondary sources Primary data refer to information obtained firsthand by the researcher on the variables of interest for the specific purposes of the study Secondary sources Secondary data refer to information gathered from sources already existing

Primary Sources of Data Individuals Focus groups Aimed at obtaining respondents’ impressions, interpretations, and opinions. Provides only qualitative and not quantitative information Can not be considered to be truly representative Focus groups are used for (1) exploratory studies, (2) making generalizations based on the information gathered by them, and (3) conducting sample surveys Videoconferencing

Primary Sources of Data Cont’d) Panels Whereas focus groups meet for a one-time group session, panels meet more than once. Static or dynamic Typically used when several aspects of a product are to be studied from time to time Unobtrusive Measures Originate from a primary source that does not involve people

Secondary Sources Advantage of seeking secondary data sources is savings in time and costs of acquiring information. Drawbacks: obsolete, not meeting the specific needs of a particular situation or setting

Data Collection Methods Interviews Questionnaires Observation Unobtrusive Methods

Interviewing Unstructured interviews Interviewer does not enter the interview setting with a planned sequences of questions to be asked of the respondent The objective: to bring some preliminary issues to the surface so that the researcher can determine what variables need further in-depth investigation

Interviewing (Cont’d) Structured interviews Those conducted when it is known at the outset what information is needed. The interviewer has a list of predetermined questions to be asked of the respondents

Interviewing (Cont’d) Some tips Biases could be introduced by: Interviewer Interviewees Situational Biases can be minimized: Establishing credibility and rapport, and motivating individuals to respond Questioning techniques: funneling, unbiased questions, clarifying issues, helping the respondents to think through issues, taking notes

Face-to-face Interviews Advantages: Adapt the questions as necessary, clarify doubts, and ensure that the responses are properly understood Pick up nonverbal cues from the respondent Any discomfort, stress, or problems that the respondent experiences can be detected Disadvantages: Geographical limitations Vast resources needed High costs Respondents might feel uneasy about the anonymity of their responses

Telephone Interviews Advantages: Disadvantages: A number of differently different people can be reached in a relatively short period of time It would eliminate any discomfort on respondents Disadvantages: Respondents could unilaterally terminate the interview without warning or explanation, by hanging up the phone. Researcher will not be able to read the nonverbal communication

Questionnaires Personally administered questionnaires Advantages: Researcher can collect all the completed responses within a short period of time Clarify any doubts Less expensive and consumes less time than interviewing Mail questionnaires Wide geographical area can be covered

Questionnaires (Cont’d) Guidelines for questionnaires design Principles of wording Content and the purpose of the questions Language and wording of the questionnaires Type and form of questions Sequencing of questions Classification data or personal information

Questionnaires (Cont’d) Pretesting of Structured Questions To ensure that the questions are understood by the respondents There are no problems with the wording or measurement

Other Methods Observational surveys Nonparticipant and participant observer Structured and unstructured