DATA COLLECTION METHODS
Data collection is a process of collecting information from all the relevant sources to find answers to the research problem, test the hypothesis and evaluate the outcomes. Data collection methods can be divided into two categories: primary methods of data collection and secondary methods of data collection.
Primary Data Collection Methods
Primary data are information collected by a researchers specifically for a research assignment. In other words, primary data are information that a researcher must gather because no one has compiled and published the information in a forum accessible to the public. Researcher generally take the time and allocate the resources required to gather primary data only when a question, issue or problem presents itself that is sufficiently important or unique that it warrants the expenditure necessary to gather the primary data. Primary data are original in nature and directly related to the issue or problem and current data.
Primary Data
Primary data is a type of data that is collected by researchers directly from main sources through surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments. Primary data are usually collected from the source—where the data originally originates from and are regarded as the best kind of data in research.
The sources of primary data are usually chosen and tailored specifically to meet the demands or requirements of particular research. Also, before choosing a data collection source, things like the aim of the research and target population need to be identified.
For example, if a researcher conducts a survey to gather information on consumer preferences for a new product, the responses obtained directly from the surveyed individuals constitute primary data. This data is specific to the researcher’s study and is collected for the first time to address the research objectives.
Role of primary data in social research
Primary data plays an important role in social research by providing original, accurate, and tailored information. It allows researchers to collect firsthand data, ensuring relevance to specific research objectives. The control over the data collection process enhances accuracy, and the flexibility of methodologies enables a targeted approach. Primary data also offers in-depth insights into attitudes and behaviors, addressing gaps not covered by existing sources. Overall, it is essential for obtaining current, focused, and precise information in social research.
Importance of Primary data:
Primary data is considered as very important in any statistical survey or any other.
1. Validity: You can’t ignore the significance of primary data in this era. The validity of this data depends on the efforts kept while doing research that makes it trustworthy and scientific.
2. Authenticity: It depends on the actuality of the research. It will not provide you proper results if researchers do some malpractices by adding some misleading information.
3. Reliability: It specifies the certainty of the research made; for instance, if researchers conclude a certain parameter that must be based on the conducting experiment on the real-time scenario, it should not be based on assumptions.
Primary sources of primary data are-
Experiments, Survey, Questionnaire, Interview, and Observations.
Advantages of primary data
Advantages of primary data are as follows:
1. The primary data are original and relevant to the topic of the research study so the degree of accuracy is very high.
2. Primary data is that it can be collected from a number of ways like interviews, telephone surveys, focus groups etc. It can be also collected across the national borders through emails and posts. It can include a large population and wide geographical coverage.
3. Moreover, primary data is current and it can better give a realistic view to the researcher about the topic under consideration.
4. Reliability of primary data is very high because these are collected by the concerned and reliable party.
Disadvantages of primary data:
Following are the disadvantages of primary data:
1. For collection of primary data where interview is to be conducted the coverage is limited and for wider coverage a more number of researchers are required.
2. A lot of time and efforts are required for data collection. By the time the data collected, analyzed and report is ready the problem of the research becomes very serious or out dated. So the purpose of the research may be defeated.
3. It has design problems like how to design the surveys. The questions must be simple to understand and respond.
4. Some respondents do not give timely responses. Sometimes, the respondents may give fake, socially acceptable and sweet answers and try to cover up the realities.
5. With more people, time and efforts involvement the cost of the data collection goes high. The importance of the research may go down.
6. In some primary data collection methods there is no control over the data collection. Incomplete questionnaire always give a negative impact on research.
7. Trained persons are required for data collection. In experienced person in data collection may give inadequate data of the research.
Primary data collection methods can further be divided into two groups: quantitative and qualitative.
a. Quantitative data collection methods are based in mathematical calculations in various formats. Methods of quantitative data collection and analysis include questionnaires with closed-ended questions, methods of correlation and regression, mean, mode and median and others.
Quantitative methods are cheaper to apply and they can be applied within shorter duration of time compared to qualitative methods. Moreover, due to a high level of standardization of quantitative methods, it is easy to make comparisons of findings.
b. Qualitative research methods, on the contrary, do not involve numbers or mathematical calculations. Qualitative research is closely associated with words, sounds, feeling, emotions, colours and other elements that are non-quantifiable.
Qualitative studies aim to ensure greater level of depth of understanding and qualitative data collection methods include interviews, questionnaires with open-ended questions, focus groups, observation, game or role-playing, case studies etc.
Secondary Data Collection Methods
Secondary data is a type of data that has already been published in books, newspapers, magazines, journals, online portals etc. There is an abundance of data available in these sources about your research area in business studies, almost regardless of the nature of the research area. Therefore, application of appropriate set of criteria to select secondary data to be used in the study plays an important role in terms of increasing the levels of research validity and reliability.
These criteria include, but not limited to date of publication, credential of the author, reliability of the source, quality of discussions, depth of analyses, the extent of contribution of the text to the development of the research area etc.
Secondary data is classified in terms of its source – either internal or external. Internal, or in-house data, is secondary information acquired within the organization where research is being carried out. External secondary data is obtained from outside sources.
Secondary Data
Secondary data is the data collected by others with a different purpose in mind and which is readily available from other individuals. Secondary data is the primary data for any other purpose, but it’s reused for other purposes in any statistical survey or research. It’s readily available and can be gathered from multiple sources such as- pieces of literature, compilations from computerized databases and information systems, industry surveys, and digital or mathematical instances of environmental procedures.
Importance of Secondary data
1. Compared to primary data, secondary data is less critical, but it has its significance.
2. There are certain circumstances where you can’t get any means to collect the primary data; that time, it will be beneficial to make use of secondary data.
3. Sometimes even though you have primary data, respondents are not ready to share that data in such situations also secondary can help you in overcoming the challenge you’re facing.
Sources of secondary data:
Published printed sources, Books, Journals/periodicals, magazine/Newspapers, published electronic sources (E-journals, general websites, weblogs) unpublished public records (diaries, letters), Government records, and public sector records.
Advantages of Secondary Data
Advantages of secondary data are following:
1. The primary advantage of secondary data is that it is cheaper and faster to access.
2. It provides a way to access the work of the best scholars all over the world.
3. Secondary data gives a frame of mind to the researcher that in which direction he/she should go for the specific research.
4. Secondary data save time, efforts and money and add to the value of the research study.
Disadvantages of Secondary data:
Following are the disadvantage of secondary data:
1. The data collected by the third party may not be a reliable party, so the reliability and accuracy of data go down.
2. Data collected in one location may not be suitable for the other one due variable environmental factor.
3. With the passage of time the data becomes obsolete and very old.
4. Secondary data collected can distort the results of the research. For using secondary data, a special care is required to amend or modify for use.
5. Secondary data can also raise issues of authenticity and copyright.
Keeping in view the advantages and disadvantages of sources of data requirement of the research study and time factor, both sources of data i.e. primary and secondary data have been selected. These are used in combination to give proper coverage to the topic.
As can be seen from the above discussion that primary data is an original and unique data, which is directly collected by the researcher from a source according to his requirements. As opposed to secondary data which is easily accessible but are not pure as they have undergone through many statistical treatments. Sources of secondary data are government publications, websites, books, journal articles, internal records.
Post a Comment