DATA GATHERING TECHNIQUES

Collecting Data

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

data from government institutions, business agencies and other organizations

example: data gathered from National Statistics Office (NSO)

information from personal interviews

data from books, encyclopedia, journals, magazines and research or studies conducted by other individuals

Methods in Collecting Data

Direct or Interview Method

is a person-to-person interaction between an interviewer and interviewee

the researcher obtains the information needed by asking questions and inquiries from the interviewee

Methods in Collecting Data

Direct or Interview Method

Advantages: Precise and consistent answers can be obtained.

Disadvantages: It is time, money and effort consuming and it will be applicable only for small population.

Methods in Collecting Data

written responses are obtained by distributing questionnaires

the researcher gives or distributes the questionnaire to the respondents either by personal delivery or by mail

Indirect or Questionnaire Method

Methods in Collecting Data

Advantages: Lesser time, money and efforts are consumed.

Disadvantages: Many respondent may not be consistent due to the poor construction of the questionnaire. Inconsistent responses can no longer be modified, thus, it reduces valid number of respondents.

Indirect or Questionnaire Method

Methods in Collecting Data

is enforced by private organizations or government agencies for recording purposes

this method of gathering data is perhaps the most reliable because this is enforced by law

Registration Method

Examples:

birth and death rates – National Statistics Office (NSO)

number of registered cars – Land Transportation Office (LTO)

list of registered voters – Commission on Elections (COMELEC)

Methods in Collecting Data

Advantages: Organized data from an institution can serve as ready references for future study or for personal claims of people’s records.

Disadvantages: Problem arises only when an agency doesn’t have a Management Information System and if the system or process of registration is not implemented well.

Registration Method

Methods in Collecting Data

is a scientific method of investigation that makes possible use of all senses to measure or to obtain outcomes/responses from the object of study

Observation Method

Methods in Collecting Data

Advantages: Applied to respondents that cannot be asked or need not speak.

Observation Method

Disadvantages: Subjectivity of information sought cannot be avoided.

Methods in Collecting Data

is used when the objective is to determine the cause-and-effect of a phenomenon under some controlled conditions

often used by scientific researchers

Experimental Method

Methods in Collecting Data

Advantages: There is objectivity of information since a scientific method of inquiry is used.

Disadvantages: The whole method must be repeated if the desired outcome is not reached.

Experimental Method

Determining the Sample Size

to determine the sample size from the given population size the Slovin’s formula is used

21 Ne

Nn

where: n = sample size

N = population size

e = margin of error

Determining the Sample Size

21 Ne

Nn

210.100001

10000

n

9901.99 n

Example 1: Jennifer Lopez will conduct a survey to find out what are the reasons why students hate Math. If there are 10 000 students in the school and Jennifer Lopez plans to use a sample size using a 10% margin of error, what should the sample size be?

Determining the Sample Size

21 Ne

Nn

205.100001

10000

n

38562.384 n

Example 2: Suppose that Britney Spears will also conduct a survey to that particular school (referring to Example 1) but she would like to use 5% margin of error, what should be the size of the sample?