Methods of Data Collection

Interview Method:

This involves a researcher obtaining information through conversation with an interviewee and recording the responses.

• • Interviews can be conducted face-to-face, via telephone, or with key informants.
  • Advantages: Higher response rates, suitability for non-literate respondents, allows probing, enables observation of nonverbal cues, offers control over pace and language, and allows for repetition of questions.
  • Disadvantages: Can be expensive and time-consuming, prone to biases, may not allow consulting other sources, and offer less anonymity.

Questionnaire Method:

This involves using a set of written questions to which respondents provide answers.

• • Advantages: Easy to administer to large, dispersed groups, allows respondents to answer at their convenience, quick for data collection, and can be administered without assistance.
  • Disadvantages: Inflexible, can restrict the approach to answers, and can have slow response times.
• Questionnaires can use open-ended, closed-ended, ranking order, or quantity-based questions.

Questionnaire:
Example of a questionnaire:
Questionnaire
SERIAL NO
FACTORS LEVEL THAT OF INFLUENCE THE VIRAL LOAD AMONG HIV/AIDS PATIENTS ON FIRST LINE ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR IN KAYUNGA HOSPITAL.

This questionnaire is to help the researcher in datacollection for the above mentioned study. All information will be kept confidential. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
Ql. Age
a) 18-25
b) 26-39
c) >40
Q2. Gender
a) Male
b) Female
Q3. Marital status
a) Single
b) Married

Documentary Method:

• This involves reading and analyzing existing documents.

Focus Group Discussion (FGD):

This is a participative method involving a moderator leading a discussion with a homogenous group on issues of common concern.

• • Advantages: Provides rich information through group interaction.
  • Disadvantages: Can be dominated by one person, may influence generation of only desirable ideas.

Observation Method:

This involves watching or monitoring events or activities to gather information.

• • Types: Participant observation (observer joins the group), non-participant/naturalistic observation (observer acts as spectator), and structured/unstructured observation.
  • Advantages: Provides reliable first-hand information, allows recording behavior at the time it occurs, enables clarification on the spot, can elicit a high response rate, and provides detailed sensory information.
  • Disadvantages: Respondents may alter behavior if they know they are being observed, time-consuming, expensive, influenced by the observer’s weaknesses, and cannot be used to observe past events.

Telephone Survey:

Data collection via phone conversations with respondents.

• • Advantages: Higher response rate than mail surveys, faster, eliminates interviewer bias, can cover a wider area, more comfortable for shy individuals, cheaper and more convenient, allows for probing.
  • Disadvantages: Excludes those without phones, difficult to access numbers, prone to human error.

Mail Survey:

Questionnaires are mailed to respondents.It is usually used when a research is to beconducted over a wide geographical area.For advantages and disadvantage, see those for a questionnaire

Diary Method: Individuals record a log of relevant events.This is a recording method whereby an individual records a log of all relevant events or occasions in a dairy. It provides valuable data about for example, individual employees’ work patterns

• • Advantages: Provides data about work patterns.
  • Disadvantages: Tendency to record only favorable behavior.

Tests: Used, especially in educational research, to assess achievement or intelligence.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Methods

• Qualitative methods explore complex issues and individual experiences through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and observations.
• Quantitative methods are used to collect numerical data through surveys, questionnaires, and standardized tests, often analyzed using statistical methods.

Choice of Method The choice of data collection method depends on:

• The accuracy of information yielded.
• Practical considerations like time, resources, and personnel.
• Response rates of respondents.
• Geographical area to be covered.

Key Points:

• Researchers may use a single method or a combination of methods in a study.
• Surveys can employ longitudinal or cross-sectional designs.
• Surveys can be classified by the medium used for data collection (e.g., mail, telephone).
• Surveys can use a sample or the whole population.