Module #5 - Data Collection Methods Flashcards
True or False: Data Collection frequently represents the highest cost in money and time of the primary research phase.
True
What is the objective of qualitative research?
Generating hypotheses and getting in-depth understanding of motivations, needs and attitudes.
Why is it important to use both qualitative and quantitative methods?
Because mere quantification, when the underlying behavior is not well understood, will not yield meaningful results.
What is the objective of quantitative research?
To quantify data and generalize the results from the sample to the population of interest.
How long is a typical focus group?
2 hours
How many participants are in a typical focus group?
8 to 12
What is the main concern with using the database of respondents from a facility?
You risk getting “professional respondents”
What are the pros and cons of using a purchased list for group recruitment?
Pro: more representative
Con: more expensive
Other than using a database or 3rd party list, what is another common sampling method used to recruit FG participants?
Snowball sampling
What kind of sample is a focus group?
Always, always a convenience or judgment sample
What are “show and tell” focus groups?
When participants are asked to bring in items reflecting the question at hand (e.g. ideal home) and then asked to explain their choice
What is the difference between a “direct” and “indirect” approach in qualitative research?
With “direct,” the respondent is aware of the true purpose of the research. With “indirect,” the purpose is disguised.
What are the two major DIRECT techniques of qualitative research?
Focus groups and depth interviews
What is the appropriate group composition for a focus group?
Homogeneous, pre-screened
What is a “two-way” focus group?
When one target group observes a focus group of another target group. E.g., doctors listening to arthritis patients. Then doctors have a group
What is a “dual moderator” group?
When there are 2 moderators - one to keep the discussion moving and one to make sure specific issues are discussed.
What is a “dueling moderator” group?
Two moderators take opposite positions on the issues discussed to allow researcher to explore both sides of controversial issues
What is a “respondent moderator” group?
Askp?ing a participant to take on the role of moderator to improve group dynamics
What is a “client participant” group?
When a person from the client sits in on the group to provide clarification if necessary.
When are “mini groups” used?
When the issues require more extensive probing than is possible with a normal size group
What are “telesessions”?
Groups done by phone via conference call.
What is “EGI” or “Electronic Group Interviewing”?
When participants are polled by the moderator via keypads or other electronic devices.
What are 4 key advantages of focus groups over individual interviews?
1) the group dynamic works better for sparking discussion and ideas.
2) Groups allow researchers to capture emotions, attitudes, beliefs thru words and body language.
3) Exercises and projective techniques work better in groups
4) Focus groups can provide input/information very quickly, e.g., One 2-hour session with 10 ppl vs. 10 45-min interviews
What are 4 key disadvantages to focus groups vs IDIs?
1) Potential for “group think” leading to a false consensus
2) One dominant person can shut the rest down
3) Observers can be tempted to latch one to one comment and ignore other research results, including quantitative projectable results.
4) You will get less information from each participant than if you did individual interviews
What is a “friendship group”?
A type of focus group in which one person or couple is asked to invite close friends to the discussion.
What is a “dyad”?
An in-depth interview with two people who are associated or related. Commonly used to get different perspectives on a topic that affects both parties, e.g., spouses about buying a car
What is the difference between “synchronous” and “asynchronous” online focus groups?
Synchronous is real time, and asynchronous is not, e.g., a bulletin board or forum.
What is the advantage of bulletin board type groups?
1) Participants can join at their convenience, and 2) they can provide feedback at the time of their experience.
Name 7 advantages of online focus groups.
1) Geographically diverse participants
2) Moderators don’t have to travel
3) Less expensive, shorter time to complete
4) Can pose questions and get answers from single participants privately, if needed
5) Bulletin board format allows for gathering info over a period of time
6) Online anonymity encourages people to express themselves more freely
7) The transcript can be analyzed via text analysis software.
What are 6 limitations to online focus groups?
1) Can only be done among populations likely to have internet access/ right equipment
2) The types of stimuli are limited, e.g., can’t do taste tests
3) can’t see non-verbal cues
4) Can’t control participant’s environment, e.g., distractions, multi-tasking
5) Can’t be sure participant is who they say they are
6) Group dynamics is much less than with in-person groups
What is an “IDI”?
Individual Depth Interview, qualitative interview conducted one respondent at a time
What are 7 advantages of IDI over focus groups?
1) Avoid group influence
2) Good/ embarrassing for sensitive topics
3) Can get very thorough understanding of a topic from the perspective of each persion
4) Some techniques (laddering) are difficult to manage in a group setting
5) For B2B research, respondents may be competitors and reluctant to be open in front of each other
6) More useful to study usability of products, e.g., software
7) The stronger rapport between interviewer and interviewee can lead to more substantive information
What are 4 disadvantages of IDIs?
1) Costly and time-consuming
2) Some individuals may be better respondents among a group than by themselves
3) Most indirect techniques only work with groups
4) The issue of being tempted to generalize the views of one person to the whole is even worse with only one person.
What is projective technique?
An unstructured, indirect form of questioning that encourages respondents to project their emotions, beliefs, and motivations, etc about the topic
What are 3 important projective techniques?
1) Association
2) Completion
3) Role-playing
What are 2 examples of association techniques?
1) Word association
2) Card sort
How does a “completion technique” work?
The respondent is asked to finish incomplete sentences or stories
How does role-playing work?
1) Respondents pretend to be someone else (e.g., a salesperson)
2) Respondents are watch someone else role-play and are asked to comment.
What is “laddering”?
A technique whereby the moderator ask questions and follow up questions to drill down from a surface attitude to a deeper one
Why are ethnographic studies well suited to provide insight into unmet needs?
Because they do not rely on the respondent to articulate their needs.
What are some disadvantages of ethnographic studies?
1) Very time consuming
2) Costly
3) Breakthrough results/insights are not common even with very skilled researchers
What are the five types of quantitative data collection methods?
1) Phone
2) In person
3) Mail
4) Online
5) Observation
How are internet surveys better than phone surveys?
Because they are faster, cheaper, and allow for presenting visual stimuli and asking complex questions (e.g. conjoint and some types of scales).
What are three key advantages of phone surveys over internet surveys?
1) can reach wider distribution of the population, not just those with computers or those living in population centers
2) Trained interviewers can make sure respondents understand the questions and probe on OEs
3) Interviewers can more accurately screen respondent to be sure they are who they purport to be.
What are 2 key advantages of in-person interviewing?
1) can present stimuli that needs to be touched, tasted or smelled.
2) Respondents will tolerate longer Interviews because of the presence of the interviewer and the typically high incentive.
What are 3 advantages of mail surveys?
1) Less intrusive than phone or in-person
2) Can include “diary” information filled out over time (TV shows watched, food eaten)
3) Can be longer and more complex than phone
What are 6 disadvantages of mail surveys?
1) Respondent authenticity
2) Very low response rate
3) Need good incentives
4) Takes a long time from sending out surveys to getting data back.
5) Need to spend time/ money on data entry and clean up
6) Respondents can’t get clarification on anything in the survey
What are 7 advantages of online surveys?
1) Quick
2) Cheap
3) Can present visual/audio stimuli
4) Questionnaire can be flexible re skip logic, randomization, etc.
5) Respondents can complete survey on their own time
6) Respondents more likely to answer sensitive questions because no interviewer is present
7) Data analysis can be real time
What are some concerns about online surveys?
1) Low response rate
2) Data quality in that cannot always be certain that respondent is who they say they are
3) Some populations are still under-represented among Internet users
What are 8 key considerations when choosing a survey method?
1) Sample Frame
2) Questionnaire
3) Time & cost
4) Reducing bias
5) Level of accuracy sought
6) Representativeness to the Gen Pop
7) Expertise of the researcher
8) Mindset of the respondent
sample frame??
XXX
What are the most and least costly types of surveys?
In-person interviews are the most costly. Mail and internet can be the cheapest.
What type of surveys are best suited for complicated questionnaires?
Online, phone (CATI) and computer-assisted personal interviews
When is non-response a greater cause for concern?
For methods with low response rates.
How can interviewers introduce bias into the interview?
By inadvertently giving cues to respondent through body language or tone of voice. Also, the presence of an interviewer can make respondents want to give more socially desirable responses or inhibit discussion of sensitive topics.
What are 3 possible reasons for using multi-mode data collection?
1) Sampling frame limits, like not having emails for everyone
2) to increase response rate, e.g. letting respondents fill out mail survey or respond online
3) Multi-country studies, since different modes might be the best option in different countries.
What are four important parameters in passive observation?
1) contrived vs. natural
2) disguised vs. undisguised
3) direct vs. indirect
4) human vs. mechanical observation
In passive observation, what is the difference between “contrived” and “natural”?
Natural is observing consumers in actual stores. Contrived is setting up simulations of stores and observing respondents there
What is the difference between disguised and undisguised observation?
Whether or not the respondent is aware of being observed
What is the difference between direct and indirect observation?
Direct monitors behavior as it occurs, while indirect examines the effects of a behavior rather than the behavior itself
What is the difference between human and mechanical observation?
Mechanical is when behavior is monitored by machine, like scanning devices.
How do physiological measurements work?
They track the respondent’s physical reactions to stimuli rather than their stated opinion
What is “mystery shopping”?
A type of observation where someone poses as a real consumer who then makes note of various aspects of the experience.
What is passive observation?
A type of observation in which there is no direct interaction with the respondents.
What is the key difference between survey and observational data?
Survey data can get at attitudes, needs, motivations and perceptions, but is less suited to accurate capturing behavior
