RESEARCH TOOL &
DATA COLLECTION
METHOD
INTRODUCTION
 Tools
 Tools
need to be strong enough to support
what the evaluations find during research.
 Depending
on the nature of the information to
be gathered, different instruments are used to
conduct the assessment forms for gathering
data.
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are instruments used to collect
information for performance assessments,
self-evaluations, and external evaluations.
DEFINITION OF TOOL:
 It
 It
is an instrument or machine that aids
in accomplishing a task.
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is a testing device for measuring a given
event, such as , a questionnaire, an
interview or a set of guidelines or
checklist for observation.
MEANING OF RESEARCH TOOLS:
Research tools are:
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the Instruments used for the purpose of data
collection,
 are measurable and observable for data
analysis & interpretation
 constructed
by researcher according to
objectives.

PRINCIPLES FOR CONSTRUCTION
OF RESEARCH TOOL:
questioning
words must be
concise, complete
and definite.
Principles
Tool must not be
too long or too
short. It should
complete within
25-30 minutes.
Should be
attractive in
appearance.
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Keep in mind the
sequence and
order of question
i.e. psychological
order.
One question
should not
influence the
other.
WHAT IS DATA?
“Data is a collection of facts.”
Such as numbers, words, measurements, observations or even
just descriptions of things.
Qualitative data is
descriptive information
(it describes something)
Quantitative data, is
numerical information
(numbers).
Discrete data can only take
certain values (like whole
numbers)
Continuous data can
take any value (within
a range)
DEFINITION OF DATA
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Data collection is a systematic process of
collecting detail information about desire
objective from selected sample under controlled
settings.
EXERCISE
What type of data is it (about dog)?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
He has 4 legs
He has lots of energy
He is brown and black
He weighs 25.5 kg
He has 2 brothers
He has long hair
He is 565 mm tall
DATA COLLECTION:
personal
contact
observations is
needed
no direct
contact to
gather
information.
face to face
contact with the
participants is
required.
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Primary data
collection
Secondary
data
collection
SOURCES OF DATA
1.
Primary Data

2.
The data collected first hand by researcher for his research
Secondary Data


The data which is already collected by someone
It is readymade data
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION:
• to gain general answers to basic
questions.
Direct
observation
• When the researcher is directly
involved with the study group.
Interviews
Focus groups
• used to gain more in depth answers
to complex questions.
• certain sample groups are asked
their opinion about a certain subject
or theory.
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In-person
surveys
CONTD……..


E.g. Socio-economic surveys, studies related to rural
or tribal communities, nursing research, hospital
management studies, knowledge awareness practice
studies etc.
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
These data collection tools:
allow for a true measurement of accuracy and let
the researcher obtain any unspoken observations
about the participants while conducting research.
Sources of Data
Collection
Primary Source
Observation
Interview
Questionnaire
Schedules
Secondary
Source
Unpublished
Published
Books
Websites
Other
Warranty Cards
Distributor Audit
Pantry Audits
Consumer Panels
Mechanical Devices
Projective Techniques
Depth Interviews
Content analysis
Newspapers
Magazines
Journals
Government Reports
Publications
Research reports
SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION:
Postal
mail
Electronic
mail
when very large group of
population is required.
When Personal contact is
not possible for the
researcher to collect the
data.
e.g: Institutional survey,
organizational research
etc.
Telephone
Web-based
surveys
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It is done :
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION:
 Method
(1) observation method
(2) interview method
(3) Questionnaire
(4) physiological measurement
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refers to the way of gathering
data, a tool is an instrument used for the
method.
 ONE OR MORE METHODS HAS/HAVE TO BE
CHOSEN. THE CHOICE OF A METHOD DEPENDS
UPON THE FOLLOWING FACTORS:
 The
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nature of the study of the subject-matter.
 The unit of enquiry.
 The size and spread of the sample.
 Scale of the survey.
 The educational level of respondents.
 The type and depth of information to be
collected.
 The availability of skilled and trained manpower.
1) OBSERVATION TECHNIQUE:




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
One of the basic method and oldest
method.
Data is obtained by investigator own
direct observation without asking from
the respondent.
If observation is systematically planned
and recorded can be used to checked for
their validity and reliability.
Assessed through senses with or without
mechanical devices.
Commonly used for behavioral studied.
Types of Observation Technique:
STRUCTURED
• The observation
does not take place
as in structured
observation.
• E.g. Explanatory
studies
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• Standardized
condition of
observation.
• Careful definition of
units to be observed.
• The style of recording
the observed
information
• E.g. Descriptive
studies
UNSTRUCTURED
Instruments/
Tools for
observation method:
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Field notes
Anecdotes
Checklist

FIELD NOTES

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Refers to notes created by the researcher during
the act of qualitative fieldwork to remember and
record the behaviors, activities, events, and other
features of an observation. Field notes are
intended to be read by the researcher as evidence
to produce meaning and an understanding of the
culture, social situation, or phenomenon being
studied. The notes may constitute the whole data
collected for a research study [e.g., an
observational project] or contribute to it, such as
when field notes supplement conventional
interview data.
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ANECDOTES

A short and amusing or interesting story about a
real incident or person
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Advantages & Disadvantages of
Observation Technique:
Advantages
Disadvantages
1) An expensive method
2) Relates to what is
currently happening.
2) Information is very
limited
3) Independent of
respondent.
3) Unforeseen factors
may interfere with the
observational task.
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1) Subject bias is
eliminated.
2) INTERVIEW METHOD
 The
 It
can be used through personal
interviews and if possible, through
telephone interview
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interview method of collecting of data
involves presentation of oral stimuli and
reply in terms of oral response.
CLASSIFICATION
2.2. Telephonic
interview
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2.1. Personal interview
A. Structured
B. Unstructured
C. Focused
D. Clinical
E. Non-directive
2.1 Personal interviews:
 Asking
 The
sort of investigation may be in the
form of direct personal investigation or
may be indirect .
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question generally in a face to
face to collect the information.
a) Structured interview:
Involve the use of a set of predetermined
questions and of highly standardized
techniques of recording.
Disadvantage
Require less knowledge
and skill
Provide only superficial
information
Less time consuming
More rigid hence no
freedom
More systematic and
authentic
Not possible in all
situations
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Advantage
b) Unstructured interviews:


Advantage:
Disadvantage
Allow greater freedom to ask
question
It demands knowledge and
greater skill
Methods provide flexibility
according to situation
Difficult to analyze the
information
Data are more adequate and
accurate
Time consuming
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Flexibility of approach to questioning.
It doesn’t follow a system of predetermined
questions and standardized techniques of
recording information.
c) Focused interview:

To focus attention on the given experience of
the respondent and its effects.

it is concerned with broad underlying feelings
of individual's life experience.
e) Non-directive interview:

encourage the respondent to talk about the
given topic with a bare minimum of direct
questioning
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d) Clinical interview:
II. Telephone interview:
 collecting
information consists in contacting
respondents on telephone.
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Advantage:
 It is more flexible in comparison to mailing
method
 It is faster than other methods
 Recall is easy, call back are simple and
economical
Disadvantage:
 Shortage of time for respondents to reply
 Restricted to respondents who have
telephone facilities
3) QUESTIONNAIRE:
It
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comprises a series of questions prepared
by the researcher that are answered and
filled by all the respondent.
This is usually popular self report or selfadministered method.
It commonly used to get demographic
data.
It allow the collection of larger data from
large no. of sample quickly and
inexpensively.
Structure of Question:
Open ended question
Close
ended/fixed/alternative
•Limited respond.
• difficult to analyze.
•Easy to analysis
e.g. Why did you choose to take
your graduate work at this
university?
e.g. Have you ever taken a course
in statistics?
( ) yes
( ) No
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•When researcher want
more information.
ADVANTAGES
Can
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be posted, e-mailed or faxed.
Can cover a large number of people or
organizations.
Wide geographic coverage.
Relatively cheap.
No prior arrangements are needed.
Avoids embarrassment on the part of the
respondent.
Respondent can consider responses.
DISADVANTAGES:
Design
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problems.
Questions have to be relatively simple.
Historically low response rate (although
inducements may help).
Time delay whilst waiting for responses to be
returned.
Require a return deadline.
Several reminders may be required.
Assumes no literacy problems.
No control over who completes it.
Not possible to give assistance if required.
TYPES OF CLOSED ENDED QUESTION
A.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
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B.
Dichotomous questions
Multi choice questions
Cafeteria questions
Rank order questions
Rating scale
Checklist
Visual analogue scales[VAS]
A. Dichotomous questions
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It makes the respondent to make a
choice between two responses such
as “Yes/No” “Male/Female”
E.g. Have you been hospitalized?
B. Multi-choice questions


1.
2.
3.
4.
E.g. how important is to you to avoid a pregnancy
at this time
Extremely important
Very important
Somewhat important
Not at all important
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
It offers more than two response alternatives
Graded alternatives are preferable for opinion
or attitude questions that give more
information
C. Cafeteria questions

These are special type of MCQ that ask
respondents to select a respondent’s response
that most closely corresponds to their view.
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E.g. People have different opinion or attitude about
use of estrogen replacement therapy for women
in menopause, which of the following statements
best represents our joint view?
1.
Estrogen replacement is dangerous and should
be banned
2.
Estrogen replacement has some side effects
that suggest need for caution
3.
I am undecided about view of Estrogen
replacement therapy
4.
Estrogen replacement has many beneficial
effects
D. Rank-order questions
 It

E.g. people value different things about life. Below is a
list of principles or ideas that are often cited when people
are asked to name things they value most by putting
1,2,3.etc.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Achievement and success
Family relationship
Health
Money
Religion
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asks respondents to rank target concept along
some continuum such as most favorable or most
to least important.
 Respondents are asked to mark 1,2,3,4….
According to their importance and their should
not be more than10 alternatives
F. Rating scale
 It
asks the respondent to judge something
along an order dimension.
Extremely dissatisfied
0 1
2
3
4
Extremely satisfied
5
6
7
8
9
10
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e.g. How satisfied are you with the nursing
care during your hospitalization?
G. VISUAL ANALOG SCALE
 It
is useful for assessing perception of
physic stimuli such as pain, sleep, quality
and shortness of breath.


It is easy to develop for researcher.
Widest possibility range of expression.
 Disadvantage

It includes concern with reliability and
validity.
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 Advantage
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4) PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT:
It
can be classified as In Vivo and In Vitro.
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In Vivo includes measurements of those
which are performed directly within or
living organisms themselves; such as blood
flow determination through radiography,
IVP, cholecystography.
An In Vitro measurement by contrast is
performed outside the organism’s body,
such as blood glucose, blood urea, serum
Na+, K+.

Physiological
measurement can also be
classified as listed below:
Physical
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measurement – Temperature,
volume, pressure, electrical measures.
Chemical measurements – hormones
levels, sugar, urea, Hb%, potassium level, etc.
Microbiological measurement – bacterial
counts and identification.
Anatomical and Cytological
measurement – X-rays, tissue biopsies,
tomography, CAT scan, etc.
Thank
you
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