Week 1 - Chapter 7: Primary data collection with surveys Flashcards
Primary data
Collected data for a current study are called primary data
Secondary data
Data collected for a purpose other than the current study
Second dimension of data collection is
What kind of data collected
Quantitative and qualitative
Third dimension is
The method of data collection
Communication and observation approach
Communication approach
The researcher ask question either personally, as in face to face interviews and phone surveys, or indirectly through surveys
Observation approach
Researchers observe certain phenomena or events and record what they see
Strength of the communication approach
Versatility
Most appropriate applications for surveying
Where participants are uniquely qualified to provide the desired information
Weakness of the communication approach
Quality and quantity of information secured depends heavily on the ability and willingness of participants to cooperate
Very dependent on participant’s interpretation of question
Three conditions must be met to have a successful survey
The participant must possess the information targeted by the investigative questions
The participant must understand his or her role in the interview as the provider of accurate information
The participant must perceive adequate motivation to cooperate
Designer responsibility
Screening questions can qualify participants when there is doubt about their ability to answer
How to establish a friendly relationship with the participant?
Participant must believe that it will be pleasant and satisfying
Believe that answering is impart and worthwhile
Participant must dismiss any mental reservations that hey might have about participation
Why should introductory explanations not be more detailed than necessary?
Too much information can introduce a bias
What should the introductory explanation have?
Objective of the study
Background of the study
How the participant was selected
Confidential nature of the interview
Benefits of the research findings
Non response error
Occurs when the responses of participants differ in some systematic way from the responses of non participants
Personal interview
A two way conversation initiated by an interviewer to obtain information from a participant
Participant initiated error
Occurs when the participant fails to answer fully and accurately
Interviewer error
Occurs when the interviewer has any kind of failure during or after the interview
Issue of computer administrated telephone survey
Refusal rate - more easy for participants to hang up
Inaccessible houselholds
Inaccurate or non functioning numbers
Limitation on interview length
Limitations on use of visual or complex questions
Ease of interview termination
Less participant involvement
Distracting physical environment
Advantage of self administered surveys
They are less costly
People are more likely to take the time to do it
Disadvantage of self administered surveys
People might postpone the survey for too long
Seen as impersonal
Low amount of information that can be taken
Web based surveys
Special form of self administered surveys, and their advantages and disadvantages are rather like those of mail surveys
Web surveys can be distinguished into the following types:
Target web survey
Self selected surveys
Social media based surveys
Target web survey
The researcher retains control over who is allowed to participate in the survey
Self elected surveys
The researcher has no or very limited control on how is responding
Social media based surveys
Researchers posts a note in their social media accounts and asks people to participate in the survey and to spread it among their friends and followers
Advantage of web based surveys
Can reach a wide geographic spread
What do question quality of web survey depend on?
Selection biases
Response biases
Measurement errors
Advantage of observations
Only method capable of obtaining information on the status or condition of objects
Allows us to collect the original data at the time it happens
Less respondent’s biases
Issues of observations
Method reactivity biases
Research limitations
Method reactivity biases
Occurs if respondents change their behaviour because they know they are being watched
Research limitations
Observer must be at the scene of the vent the exact moment it is happening, yet you do not know when it will happen exactly
Structured observation
Attempts to systematically record behaviour along predefined aspects
Compared to survey research, it does not ask respondents what they are doing but observe what they are doing
Direct observation
Occurs when the observer is physically present and personally monitors what takes place
Indirect observation
Occurs when the recording is done by mechanical, photographic, or electronic means
Direct vs Indirect observation
Indirect observation is less flexible than direct observation but is also much less biasing and may be less erratic in terms of accuracy
Why do observers use concealment?
To shield themselves form the object of their observation, such as one way mirrors, hidden cameras, or microphones
Non behavioural activities
Record analysis, physical condition analysis, physical process analysis
Record analysis
May involves historical or current records, and public or private records
Physical condition analysis
Typified by store audits of merchandise availability, studies of plan safety compliance, analysis of inventory conditions and analysis of financial statements
Process analysis
Includes time/motion studies of manufacturing processes and analysis of traffic flows in a distribution system, paperwork flows in an office and financial flows in the banking system
Behavioural activities
Non verbal analysis, linguistic analysis, extra linguistic analysis, spatial analysis
Non verbal
Includes body movement, motor expressions and exchanged glances
Linguistic behaviour
Characterised by the number of has or other frequently said words are being said, another form involves interaction processes that occur between two people or in small groups
Extra linguistic behaviour
Includes vocal, temporal, interaction, and verbal stylistic behaviour
Spatial relationships
How a person relates physically to others
