Lesson 2: Data Collection PDF

LESSON 2 DATA COLLECTION LEARNING OUTCOMES ly At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:...

LESSON 2 DATA COLLECTION LEARNING OUTCOMES ly At the end of the lesson, you should be able to: On Cognitive: 1. Describe two main categories of data 2. Specify where to get data se 3. Enumerate and explain the different methods of data collection Affective: 4. Understand why there is a need to collect data Psychomotor: yU 5. Properly collect data using the different methods of data collection str Data Data (singular) refers to the measurement/s of the response variables with one element of a population or sample. ti Example: Freeway space – 8 mm. Intercanine dimension – 32 mm. en Data (Plural) refers to the set of measurements collected for the response variable from each of the elements belonging to the sample. BD Example: DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) rates of 42 subjects Why collect data? rU - Reliable and systematic decision making - Helps in planning and analysis - Helps in prioritizing groups - Proper allocation of resources Fo - Guide in implementation and monitoring A Self-regulated Learning Module  What type of data do we need to collect? Where? The answer to this question is largely dependent on the objectives and type of study. 2 main categories of data (according to source): A) Primary data ly - Collected first hand by the investigator - Originally collected and used by person or agency that collected the data On B) Secondary data - Derived data - Already in existence (previously collected) - Need to be checked for accuracy and validity se *Note: Do your further readings and identify as many examples of each category or data. yU Guidelines in checking quality and utility of secondary data: A) Under what conditions were the data collected and for what purpose/s? B) How reliable were the collectors or informants? str C) Were the data gathered on the basis of first hand knowledge or from hearsay? D) Are the data suitable for answering the questions under current investigation? ti Desired characteristics of statistical data: en A) timeliness (updated) B) completeness C) accuracy (closeness of measurement to its true value) BD D) precision (repeatability, stability, consistency) Methods of Data Collection rU A. Methods of collecting Primary Data: - Questionnaire - Interview schedule/guide Fo - Observation - Experimental method A Self-regulated Learning Module  Questionnaire: - Self-administered or completed by the respondent - All instructions contained in it are meant for the respondent - Questions are usually standardized and tested in a similar group to determine if expected answers will be elicited from the respondents. Advantages of the Questionnaire: ly - Wide coverage – it can be administered simultaneously - Economical – less time and personnel investment On - Respondent’s anonymity can be maintained - Less pressure on the part of the respondent to answer - Particularly useful when questions are of fixed alternative type (i.e., where response categories follow the questions; respondent selects categories appropriate to his/her se experience). Limitations of the Questionnaire: yU - The respondent might not answer the questions himself or herself - Low response rate (10%) of targeted population; hence, follow-ups are necessary - Questions may be misinterpreted by the respondent, it is important that respondents are reasonably literate str - It is difficult to check the reliability of responses - Needs a long period of study as the return of responses could be slow - If respondents don’t like the questions or feel antagonized, they just leave them blank ti Interview Schedule: en Involves a personal conference between a respondent and an interviewer using a similarly worded list of questions to be addressed by an interviewer to help aid the respondent in answering questions. BD The interview schedule is used by the interviewer to establish the sequence of survey questions asked of the respondent. It may contain prompting information, skip instructions or other information of use to the interviewer but not read to the respondent. rU Advantages of Interview Schedule: - It can be applied to different types of respondents (including the illiterate) Fo - Higher response rate (as it is easier to convince the cooperation of respondents) - There is a chance to re-phrase difficult questions - Interviewer can observe the social setting of the interview - It is more powerful when generating responses to open-ended questions; follow-up questions are possible A Self-regulated Learning Module An interview schedule may not be preferred for the following reasons: - More costly - Human factors may distort the returns—answers to questions will be highly dependent on the interviewer’s interpretation - Requires proper training and supervision of interviewers - Time of field work have to be adjusted to maximize chances of catching desired respondent ly Observation: On - A classic form of data collection - Used when informants are unable to provide information (e.g. babies or experimental animals) - A record form is used which is more concise than a questionnaire or an interview se schedule - In general, only the labels or names of the variables being asked are indicated in the form instead of having a list of questions to be answered Advantages of Observation: yU - First hand account of behavior; hence, less distortion on recall - Appropriate for investigating areas of resistance to interviews str Limitations of Observation: - Limited to the time of observation ti - Fails to capture inner (or more in-depth) feelings en Experimental Method: - Induce deliberately and artificially the occurrence of the event. - All factors are equalized and controlled except for that which we are studying. BD - It is said to be the most powerful method of data collection because by varying conditions, we may obtain many and different answers. - Lesser number of subjects are needed and results are obtained within a shorter period of time. rU B. Methods of collecting Secondary Data: Fo - Documentary sources - Statistical records - Personal documents A Self-regulated Learning Module  Over-all advantages of collecting secondary data: - Economical - Can be retrieved anytime at the convenience of the researcher Disadvantage of collecting secondary data: - Limited according to the method and focus of the researcher ly Documentary Sources: - Use of records and reports On e.g., birth registries, school records, dental records - Necessitates the permission of record keepers of administrators Statistical Records: se - Information that is collected repeatedly throughout time - Enables conduct of trend/ longitudinal studies - These sources do not require the cooperation from individuals who are the primary yU sources of information Personal Documents: - Diaries, biographies, letters str - Provides richness and details not achievable by standardized methods - It gives insight into the personal characteristics, experiences and beliefs of the respondent - Disadvantages: ti a) Tends to be biased; limited within the range of interest of the reporter b) Unrepresentative of the target population and limited only to those who are articulate en c) Data may not be accessible *To help us decide which type of data collection method is more appropriate for a study, the BD following questions should be answered: 1. How much time have I got? 2. How extensive are my human and non-human resources (including funding)? 3. How soon do I need to produce the results of the study? rU Whether we are preparing to do an interview or bound to use a questionnaire, we can make use of the following guidelines in the development and formatting of questions: Fo 1. Remember that the aim of inquiry design is to obtain complete and accurate information which is relevant to the survey’s objectives. 2. Remember that the respondent is doing you a favor by participating in the survey. Do not exploit these good intentions. 3. Justify the relevance of each question placed in the list. Avoid extraneous or irrelevant questions and make sure that each question has some bearing on some specified or planned part of the analysis. A Self-regulated Learning Module 4. Be sensitive to concerns respondents may have regarding their privacy. 5. Think as a respondent when developing the questions (That is what we call “empathy”!). Guidelines on Question Wording: 1. Avoid questions which will require respondents to recall events or facts that occurred ly sometime in the past. e.g. “How many times during the last five years did you experience bleeding of the On gums?” 2. Use simple, generally familiar word which respondents might use in daily conversation. Avoid technical jargon, formal language or colloquial terms. e.g. “Have you ever used a Swartz Appliance in your mouth?” se 3. Avoid ambiguous questions and inadequate frame of reference. e.g. “Are you generally comfortable with your dentist?” 4. Avoid needless elaboration. yU 5. Avoid double-barelled questions. e.g. “Is your tooth painful when you drink cold beverages and is it a dull or a stabbing kind of pain?” 6. Avoid “leading” questions which push the respondent towards a certain answer. str e.g. “Don’t you agree that that an hour spent in a movie is more enjoyable than an hour in the dental office?” 7. Avoid emotionally charged words in questions which might arouse positive or negative ti feelings which might overshadow the specific content of the question. e.g. traumatic extraction, lousy operator, subversive en 8. Avoid threats or appeals to the respondent’s “self-esteem”. e.g. “Do you have a sexually transmitted disease?” 9. Avoid personalized questions that tend to find out what the respondent thinks and not BD what he feels best for society (as in impersonalized questions). e.g. “Do you think it is desirable for the dentists to increase dental fees?” Guidelines in Formatting of Questions: rU 1. When producing the sequence of questions, start with questions which are easy to administer and answer. The first questions should be an attempt to: a. Create interest and motivation Fo b. Build respondent’s confidence in the survey 2. Questions should be grouped according to subject areas to avoid an unnatural flow. 3. Respondents should be eased into embarrassing or sensitive questions by a series of lead-in questions. A Self-regulated Learning Module  In summary, a good questionnaire/schedule is: 1. Easy to understand – emphasize words or phrases by underlining them or printing in italics. USE CAPITAL LETTERS FOR INSTRUCTION TO INTERVIEWERS. 2. Easy to fill-out – there should be a minimum writing by the interviewer - there should be enough space to record answers 3. Easy to follow – adequate instructions - sequential numbering and indentation ly Note: Consider data processing when developing the questionnaire’s format and listing of response On options to close response questions. Open-ended questions that require indefinite answers are more difficult to analyze later. Activity se Review your lecture notes from your previous research subject regarding data gathering. Do further readings. Use the list of references in the syllabus, other reliable sources online, and also yU utilize the UB Library online and face to face services. ASSESSMENT str To be given during the face to face session. *Further assessment on the attainment of the objectives of the lesson is done in the worksheets. ti en BD rU Fo A Self-regulated Learning Module