RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Internal External

Primary data collection methods Observation method Interview method Information from correspondents Information through mailed questionnaires Questionnaires to be filled by enumerators (schedules) Other methods
Secondary data collection methods Published data Unpublished data

METHODS OF PRIMARY DATA NCOLLECTION

OBSERVATION METHOD

INTERVIEW METHOD

INFORMA TION FROM CORRESP ONDENTS

MAILED QUESTION NAIRE

SCHEDULS

The observation method is the most commonly used method specially in studies relating to behavioral sciences.
Observation method, the information is sought by way of investigators own direct observation without asking from the respondents

OBSERVATION METHOD

STRUCTURED / UNSTRUCTUR ED OBSERVATIO N

PARTICIPANT / NONPARTICIPANT OBSERVATIO N

CONTROLED/ UNCONTROL LED OBSERVATIO N

Structured or unstructured observation

Participant or non-participant observation Controlled or uncontrolled observation

ADVANTAGES: Subjective bias is eliminated

Relates to present situation

Independent of respondents willingness to respond Suitable in studies which deal with subjects, who are not capable of giving verbal reports of their feeling.

DISADVANTAGES Expensive method

Limited information Unforeseen factors Non-availability of people

The interview method of collecting data involves presentation of oral-verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral-verbal responses. Interview method interview: involves two types of

(1) Personal interview (2) Telephone interview

INTERVIEW METHOD

PERSONAL INTERVIEW

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW

DIRECT PERSONAL INTERVIEW

INDIRECT PERSONAL INTERVIEW

STRUCTURED/ UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEW

FOCUSED INTERVIEW

CLINICAL INTERVIEW

NONDIRECTIVE INTERVIEW

Personal interview method requires a person known as the interviewer asking question generally in face-to-face contact to the other person or persons.
It may be of two forms: (1) Direct personal interview (2) indirect personal interview

ADVANTAGES: Original data Flexibility Easy to obtain information Uniformity in collection of data Reliable and accurate information Use the language according to standard and attitude of respondent

DISADVANTAGES Used only when field of inquiry is small

Expensive method Time consuming

Lengthy and complex

Investigators must be trained and supervised

In this method, person who have the knowledge of relevant material or event are interviewed and asked questions for collecting the data.
Examples: Inquiry of addiction to alcoholic drinks, in case of accident on road.

ADVANTAGES: Wide range of investigation

Less biased or prejudiced approach Saves labour, time and money

Possible to study different aspects of a problem

DISADVANTAGES Information from third party

Evidence may be exaggerated to the interest of person supplying information

Structured or unstructured interviews

Focused interviews Clinical interviews Non-directive interviews

This method of collecting data consists of contacting respondents on telephone itself.

It is widely used in industrial particularly in developed regions. surveys,

Flexible as compared to mailing method Faster than other methods Cheaper than personal interviewing method (cost per response is low) Recall is easy Higher rate of response than mailing method Interviewer can explain requirements more easily No field staff is required

Little time is given to respondents to answer Restricted to respondents having telephone facility Not useful where comprehensive answers are required Bias of interview is relatively more Questions need to be short, problems here are difficult to handle

In this method, local agents or correspondents are appointed in the different parts of investigation area. These agents regularly supply the information to the central office or investigator
Example: Radio and Newspaper agencies obtain information about theft, strikes and accidents etc., by this method

ADVANTAGES: Comparatively cheap

Gives results easily and promptly

Wide area of investigation Possible to study different aspects of a problem

DISADVANTAGES Original data is not obtained

Gives approximate and rough results Personal bias affects accuracy of information Different attitudes of different correspondence and agents may increase errors

A list of questions related to the inquiry, which is called questionnaire is prepared and sent to the informants with a request to answer and return it within a specified time.
It is most extensively used in business and economic surveys.

ADVANTAGES: Free from bias of interviewer Respondents have enough time to give well-thought answers Useful in case respondents are not easily accessible Large samples can be used Low cost even when universe is large and wide spread geographically DISADVANTAGES Low rate of return of duly filled in questionnaires Used only when respondents are educated and cooperating Inflexibility (once questionnaires are dispatched) Possibility of ambiguous replies or omissions of replies altogether to certain questions Slowest of all methods

It involves sending trained investigators or enumerators to informants with standardized questionnaire which are to be filled in by the investigators.
The information collected under this method is highly reliable.

ADVANTAGES: Can cover a wide area

Free from personal bias

Accurate and reliable Can be used even if informants are illiterate Respondents can be persuaded to give answers to questions

DISADVANTAGES Expensive method

Time consuming

Enumerator needs to be trained

Needs enthusiastic investigator to cover the wide area of universe

Covering letter Number of questions Personal questions must be avoided Questions must be simple and clear Questions must be arranged logically Instruction to respondents Cross check Questions on familiar topics Pre-testing of questionnaire

Published data Unpublished data

Government publications Publications of international organizations Semi official publications Reports of committees and commissions Private publications

Diaries Letters Memoirs

saving in cost and time very little time, effort and money feasible for a firm on something that happened in the past more accurate Beginners should start their research work with secondary data

Verification of reliability Verification of adequacy

1. 2. 3. 4.

Warranty cards Distributor or store audits Pantry audits Consumer panels

5.

Use of mechanical devices

Eye camera Pupil metric camera Psycho galvanometer Motion picture camera Audiometer

Transitory consumer panel Continuing consumer panel

6.

Projective techniques Word association tests Sentence completion tests Story completion tests Verbal projection tests Pictorial techniques

Thematic apperception test(TAT)

7. 8.

Play techniques Quizzes tests and examinations Sociometry Depth interview Content analysis

Rosenzweig test Tomkins horn picture arrangement test

Data mining is the process of sorting through large amounts of data and picking out relevant information.

Nature, scope and object of enquiry Availability of funds Time factor Precision required

Measurement and scaling; commonly used scales in business research

Measurement refers to the relationship among the value that are assigned to the attributes for a variable. The level of measurement helps us to decide how to interpret the data from that variable. There are typically four levels of measurement that are define Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio

The numerical values just name the attribute uniquely. For e.g in cricket sachin has nominal value 10 , virendra has 99 as the nominal level. It is simply a number like your enrolment no. in the class.

The attributes can be rank ordered. Here, distance between attributes do not have any meaning. For e.g. o = less than poor 1= poor 2= satisfactory 3 = good 4= very good 5 = excellent. In this measurement , higher no. mean more favorable. But is distance from 0 to 1 same as 3 to 4? It is not The interval between values is not interpretable in an ordinal measure.

The distance between attributes does have meaning. When we measures temperature (in Fahrenheit), the distance from 30-40 is same as distance from 70-80. The interval between values is interpretable.

There is always an absolute Zero that is meaningful. This means that you can construct a meaningful ratio with a ratio variable. Weight is a ratio variable.

 MEANING

OF SCALING Procedure for the assignment of numbers (or other symbols) to a property of objects in order to impart some of the characteristics of numbers to the properties in question.

SUBJECT ORIENTATION RESPONSE FORM DEGREE OF SUBJECTIVITY SCALE PROPERTIES NUMBER OF DIMENSIONS SCALE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

Rating scales
Graphic rating scale Itemized rating scale Method of paired comparisons Method of rank order

Ranking scales

Merits Results can be compared with other alternative methods Less time & has a wide range of application
Error of leniency Error of central tendency Error of hallo effect Demerits

(1) Graphic rating scale

How do you like the product ?

LIKE VERY MUCH

LIKE SOME WHAT

NEUTRAL

DISLIKE SOME WHAT

DISLIKE VERY
MUCH

Analysis become difficult Boxes can also be used instead of a line

(2) Itemized rating scale

Suppose we wish to inquire as to how well does a worker get along with his fellow workers ? He is almost always involved in some friction with a fellow worker. He is often at odds with one or more of his fellow workers. He sometimes gets involved in friction. He infrequently becomes involved in friction with others He almost never gets involved in friction with fellow workers.

Demerit This form is difficult to develop

(1) Method of paired comparisons

N = n(n-1) / 2 where N= number of judgments n= number of objects to be judged

Merit :Easier and faster

Limitation:Data are ordinal data Careless in assigning rank

10 suggestions 45 paired comparisons Limitation Refuse to give answer

Opinionnaire Socially acceptable opinions Unaware of their attitude

ARBITRARY SCALES(THUSTONE) DIFFERENTIAL SCALES(THUSTONE SUMMATED SCALES(LIKERT) CUMULATIVE SCALES(GUTTMAN) FACTOR SCALES(THUSTONE

Researchers own selected statements Statements should be unambiguous

Merit Developed very easily, quickly & less expensive Demerit Rely on researchers insight & intelligence

20 or more statements are gathered by the researcher Submit it to the panel of judges Not relevant statements are rejected Give value between 0 & 10 Selection of the statement
Use:War & religion

Limitation:Judges may reflect their own attitudes

Statements are selected on the basis of discrimination Response is given a numerical value Total is made up Whether one considers his job quite pleasant ?

4 3 2 * 5 most favorable response * 3 neutral attitude * 1 unfavorable response

Item no.

Respondent score

4 +
-

3 +
+ -

2 +
+ + -

1 +
+ + + -

4 3 2 1 0

Minimum information All variables are studied All variables are independent Perceptual map can be developed

Limitation: Calculation involve in it Collection of data and analyzing is difficult