Primary Data

Information collected a fresh and for the first time, and thus happen to be original in character.

Advantages of Primary Data

Answers a specific research question

Data are current

Source of data is known

Secrecy can be maintained

Disadvantages of Primary Data

Expensive Quality declines if interviews are lengthy Reluctance to participate in lengthy interviews

Types of Primary Data Gathering

1. Interview Research 2. Observational Research

Interview Method
The interview method of collecting data involves presentation of oral verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oralverbal responses. This method can be used through personal interviews and, if possible, through telephone interviews.

Personal Interviews:
This method requires a person known as interviewer asking questions generally in a face to face contact to the person or persons

Advantages of Personal Interview

More information and that too in a greater depth can be obtained

Personal information can as well be obtained easily under this method The interviewer can usually control which person will answer the question Observation method can as well be applied to recording verbal answers to various questions

Disadvantages of Personal Interview

It is a very expensive method This method is relatively more time consuming Interviewing at times may also introduce systematic errors Under the interview method the organization required for selecting, training and supervising the field staff is more complex with formidable problems

Telephone Interviews
This method of collecting information consists in contracting respondents on telephone itself It is not a very widely used method, but plays important part in industrial surveys

Advantages

It is more flexible in comparison to mailing method

It is faster than other methods i-e quick way of obtaining information

Recall is easy; callbacks are simple and economical

Interviewer can explain requirements more easily No field staff is required

It is cheaper than personal interviewing method; here cost per response is relatively low

Disadvantages

Little time is given to respondents for considered answers; interview period is not likely to exceed five minutes in most cases Surveys are restricted to respondents who have telephone facilities
Questions have to be short and to the point; probes are difficult to handle Possibility of the bias of the interviewer is relatively more

Observation Research

A research method that does not involve personal interaction between interviewer and subject.

Observational Research Disadvantages

1. Data collection costs are high 2. Subjective, unsolicited info is limited 3. No insight on the problem that you didnt think to consider

Advantages
1. Eliminates bias from the interviewing process 2. Does not relay on the respondent's willingness to provide data

This method is quite popular, particularly in case of large enquires It is being adopted by private individuals, research workers, private and public organizations and even by governments In this method a questionnaire is sent(usually by post) to the person A questionnaire consists of a number of questions printed or typed in a definite order on a form or a set of form The respondents have to answer the questions on their own

Advantages

There is 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

Disadvantages

It can be used only when respondents are educated and cooperating

The control over questionnaire may be lost once it is sent

It is difficult to know whether willing respondents are truly representative

This method is likely to be the slowest of all

Main Aspects of Questionnaire

General form Question sequence Question formulation and wording

General form
General form can be structured or unstructured questionnaire Structured questionnaire are those questionnaire in which there are definite, concrete and pre-determined questions The questions are presented with exactly the same wording and in the same order to all respondents The form of question may be either closed (i-e.,of the type yes or no) or open (i-e.,inviting free response) Structured questionnaire may have fixed alternative questions in which response of the informants are limited to the stated alternatives

Contd:

In an Unstructured questionnaire, the interviewer is provided with a general guide on the type of information to be obtained, but the exact question formulation is largely his own responsibility and the replies are to be taken down in the respondents own words to the extents possible; in some situations tape recorders may be used to achieve this goals

Question sequence
In order to make the questionnaire effective and to ensure quality to the replies received, a researcher should pay attention to the question sequence in preparing the questionnaire A proper sequence of questions reduces considerably the chances of individual questions being misunderstood Questions which are easier to answer is being put in the beginning The opening questions should be such as to arouse human interest

Contd:

The following type of questions should generally be avoided as opening questions in questionnaire: a) Questions that put too great a strain on the memory or intellect of the respondents b) Questions of the personal character c) Questions related to personal health,weath,etc

Question formulation and wording

Each question must be very clear for any sort of misunderstanding can do irreparable harm to a survey In general,all questions should meet the following standard: a. Should be easily understood b. Should be simple i-e,should convey only one thought at a time c. Should be concrete and should conform as much as possible to the respondents way of thinking(for instance, instead of asking.How many razor blades do you use annually? The more realistic questions would be to ask, "How many razor blades do you used last week? d. Simple words, which are familiar to all respondents should be employed e. Words with ambiguous meanings must be avoided f. Danger words, catch-words or words with emotional connotations should be avoided

Essential of a good questionnaire

To be successful, questionnaire should be comparatively short and simple i-e,the size of a questionnaire should be kept to the minimum 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 in a questionnaire Questions may be dichotomous(yes or no answers),multiple choice(alternative answers listed) or open-ended Adequate space should be provided for answers in the questionnaire to help editing and tabulation The quality of paper, along with its colour,must be good so that it may attract the attention of recipients

Collection of data through schedules

Schedules are being filled in by the enumerators who are specially appointed for the purpose These enumerators along with schedules, go to respondents, put to them the questions from the proforma in the order the questions are listed and record the replies in the space meant for the same in the proforma In certain situations, schedules may be handed over to respondents and enumerators may help them in recording their answers to various questions in the said schedules The enumerators should be trained to perform their job well and the nature and scope of the investigations should be explained to them thoroughly so that they may well understand the implications of difficult questions put in the schedule Enumerators should be honest,sincere,hardworking and should have patience Population census all over the world is conducted through this method

Difference between questionnaire and schedules

Questionnaire
Generally sent through post or mail Data collection is cheap and economical Non-response is usually high in this because many people do not respond and many return the questionnaire without answering all questions In case of questionnaire, it is not always clear as to who replies

Schedules
These are filled out by the research worker or the enumerator Data collection is more expensive since considerable amount of money has to be spent in appointing enumerators and importing training to them Non-response is very low in this because these are filled by enumerators who are able to get answers to all questions In case of schedule the identity of respondents is known

Contd:Questionnaire
The questionnaire method is likely to be very slow Personal contact is generally not possible Questionnaire method can be used only when respondents are literate and cooperative Risk of collecting incomplete and wrong information is relatively more under the questionnaire method

Schedules
In case of schedules the information is collected well in time Direct personal contact is established with respondents In case of schedules the information can be gathered even when the respondents happen to be illiterate In case of schedules, the information collected is generally complete and accurate