Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Data collection is a systematic approach to
gather information from a variety of sources to
get a complete and accurate picture of an area
of interest.
Data collection
Methods
Primary Data
Collection
Methods
Secondary
Data Collection
Methods
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Primary Data Collection
Methods
 The primary data are those which are
collected afresh and for the first time, and thus
happen to be original in character.
 These are also called first hand information.
 It is original, problem or project specific, and
collected for serving a particular purpose. Its
authenticity or relevance is reasonably high.
 Different primary data collection methods are:
 Questionnaire
 Schedule
 Interview Method
 Observation Method
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Merits and Demerits of Primary
data collection method:
Merits:
 Targeted issues are addressed
 Data interpretation is better
 Latest data is collected
 Greater Control (over type of respondants)
Demerits:
 High cost
 Time consuming
 Inaccurate feedback
 More number of resources are required
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a written list of questions which are
answered by a number of people in order to provide
information for a report survey.
Features of a good questionnaire:
 Questions should be simple and clear, not vague
 Write an introduction to the questionnaire
 Order of the questions should be in logical sequence
 Delicate questions should be kept at last
 Design for easy tabulation
 Design to achieve objectives
 Questions should not of repetitive nature
 Too long questions should be avoided
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Types of
Questionnaire
Open ended
questionnaire
Close ended
questionnaire
Mixed
questionnaire
Pictorial
questionnaire
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Open Ended Questionnaire
 Respondent is free to
express his views and the
ideas.
 Used in making intensive
studies of the limited
number of the cases.
 Merely an issue is raised
by such a questionnaire.
 Do not provide any
structure for the
respondent’s reply.
 The questions and their
orders are pre –
determined in the nature.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Closed ended questionnaire
 Responses are
limited to the
stated alternatives.
 One of the
alternatives is
simply YES or NO,
agree or disagree,
satisfied or not
satisfied, like or
dislike etc.
 Respondent
cannot express his
own judgment.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Mixed Questionnaire
 Questions are both
close and open ended.
 Used in field of social
research.
Pictorial questionnaire
 Used very rarely.
 Pictures are used to
promote the interest in
answering the questions.
 Used in studies related
to the social attitudes
and for the children.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Schedule
 Schedule is the tool or instrument used to
collect data from the respondents
while interview is conducted.
 Schedule contains questions, statements and
blank spaces/tables for filling up the
respondents.
 The schedule is presented by the interviewer.
The questions are asked and the answers are
noted down by him.
 The list of questions is a more formal document,
it need not be attractive.
 The schedule can be used in a very narrow
sphere of social research.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Types of Schedule
 Rating Schedules is a schedule used to obtain opinions,
preferences etc, of respondents over statements on the
phenomenon studied. The schedule consists of positive
and negative statements of opinion on the phenomenon. It
include the questions with answers like agree/disagree,
like dislike etc.
 Observation Schedule: This is a form on which
observations of an object or a phenomenon are recorded.
The items to be observed are determined with reference
to the nature and objectives of the study. They are
grouped into appropriate categories and listed in the
schedule in the order in which the observer would observe
them.
 Interview schedule: The researcher along with
schedules, go to respondents, put to them the questions
from the Performa in the order the questions are listed
and record the replies in the space meant for the same in
the Performa.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Difference between questionnaire and
schedule
 The questionnaire is generally sent through mail to informants to be answered as specified
in a covering letter, but otherwise without further assistance from the sender. The schedule
is generally filled out by the research worker or the enumerator, who can interpret questions
when necessary.
 Questionnaire is relatively cheap and economical since we have to spend money only in
preparing the questionnaire and in mailing the same to respondents. Here no field staff
required. To collect data through schedules is relatively more expensive since considerable
amount of money has to be spent in appointing enumerators and in importing training to
them. Money is also spent in preparing schedules.
 Non-response is usually high in questionnaire as compared to schedule
 Identity of the respondent is not very clear in questionnaire while it is clear in schedule.
 The questionnaire is slow as compared to schedule since many people do not reply even
after sending many reminders.
 No personal contact in case of questionnaire while there is personal contact in case of
schedule
 Questionnaire method can be used only when the respondent is literate and have
knowledge about the area of research while in case of schedule even illiterate people can
be a part of sample
 Wider area of sample can be taken in case of questionnaire while schedule method can
cover only narrow area.
 Risk of collecting incomplete and wrong information is more in case of questionnaire as
compared to schedule method.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Interview Method
Interview is the verbal conversation between
two people with the objective of collecting
relevant information for the purpose of
research.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Types of Interview
 Structured Interview/ Closed Interview: In structured interview,
Researcher asks the question in a fixed sequence or structure. He
ask only the set of questions being prepared in advance before going
for interview.
 Unstructured Interview/ Open Interview:
It is an interview in which questions are not prearranged. It allow
questions based on the respondants response and proceeds like a
friendly conversation. However, because each respondant is asked a
different series of questions, this style lack
the reliability and precision as in structure interview.
 Semi-Structured Interview: A semi-structured interview is open,
allowing new ideas to be brought up during the interview as a result
of what the interviewee says. A certain parameters are pre fixed
before conducting the interview but the researcher has the liberty to
make changes in the same. A semi-structured interview is a
qualitative method of inquiry that combines a pre-determined set of
open questions with the opportunity for the interviewer to explore
particular themes or responses further. A semi-structured interview
does not limit respondents to a set of pre-determined answers
 Interview method can also be classified on the basis of number of
respondents i.e. Individual interview and Group Interview
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Observation Method
Researchers use all of their senses to examine people in natural settings or
naturally occurring situations. Example: Watching the life of street-children
provides a detailed description of their social life.
OBSERVATION involves looking and listening very carefully. We all
watch other people sometimes, but we don't usually watch them in
order to discover particular information about their behavior. This is
what observation in social science involves. – By Langley, P
The following are the characteristics of observation :
 Behaviour is observed in natural surroundings.
 It enables understanding significant events affecting social relations of
the participants.
 It determines reality from the viewpoint of the observed
person/Researcher.
 It avoids manipulations in the independent variables.
 Recording of data is not selective.
Prepared by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Types of Observation
 Classification on the basis of control
 Controlled/ Systematic observation: When the observation is
pre-planned and definite, it is called controlled observation.
 Uncontrolled/ Unsystematic observation: It takes place in natural
setting without the influence of external or outside control
 Classification on the basis of observer’s role
 Participant Observation: Participant observation "combines
participation in the lives of the people being studied with
maintenance of a professional distance that allows adequate
observation and recording of data" – By Fetterman, 1998,
 Non- Participant Observation: Non-participant observation is
observation with limited interaction with the people one
observes. This data collection approach results in a detailed
recording of the communication and provides the researcher with
access to the contours of talk as well as body behavior (e.g.
facial expression, eye gaze). Even a great observer cannot
record these aspects in detail. Observing by video or audio
recording
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Secondary Data Collection
Secondary data means data that are already available i.e.,
they refer to the data which have already been collected and
analyzed by someone else.
Characteristics of Secondary Data:
 It is a summary of a book or a set of records.
 Collection of Secondary data is less time consuming.
 It provides a larger database of information.
 The data can not be personally checked and verified.
 In some cases that data is not reliable.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu

Types of Secondary Data:
 PUBLISHED DATA:
 various publications of the central, state are local governments
 various publications of foreign governments or of international
bodies and their subsidiary organisations.
 technical and trade journals
 books, magazines and newspapers
 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, and other
sources of published information.
 UNPUBLISHED DATA:
 they may be found in diaries, letters, unpublished biographies and
autobiographies
 available with scholars and research workers, trade associations,
labour bureaus and other public/ private individuals and
organisations.
Made by Dr. Gurinder Sandhu