DATA GATHERING

Gathering of Data
AN INTRODUCTION

There is no formula for selecting the best
method to be used when gathering data. it depends on
the researcher’s design of the study, the type of data,
the time allotment to complete the study, and the
researcher's financial capacity. Some common
methods of data collection are interview method,
questionnaire, observation, test, experiment,
registration, and use of mechanical devices.

INTER VIEW METHOD
1. Direct Method
The researcher personally interviews the
respondent. Usually, the interviewer calls for a
meeting with the interviewee or visits him or her at
home.

2. Indirect Method
The researcher uses a telephone to interview the
respondents.

QUESTIONNAIRE METHOD
A questionnaire is a list of well planned
questions written on paper, which can be either
personally administered or mailed by the researcher to
the respondents using any of the following forms:

1. Guided-Response Type
The respondent is guided in making his or her reply.
Example:
1. Have you been convicted of any crime?
YES___ No___ (put a check in the space provided).
If your answer is YES, go to the next question. If your
answer is NO, go to question number 3.

2. Recall Type
Example:
a) Age
b) Sex
c) Civil status
d) Length of stay in a community
e) Number of times you have been hospitalized due to
a serious illness

4. Dichotomous Type
Example:
Do you live alone? YES___ NO___

3. Recognition Type
example:
Which of the following figures is a square?
(a) (b) (c) (d)

5. Multiple Choice Type
Example:
Which of the following that best describe your
personality?
a. Playful
b. Friendly
c. Studios
d. Out-going
e. None of these

6. Multiple-Response Type
Example:
What appliances/devices do you have at home? Encircle the
numbers.
1. Television 7. Vacuum cleaner
2. Refrigerator 8. Personal computer
3. DVD/VCD player 9. Fax machine
4. Piano/Organ 10. Telephone
5. Electric stove 11. component
6. Gas range

7. Free-Response Type
The respondent is not guided in giving his reply.
He can answer using his style and in his own way.

8. Rating Scale Type
Example:
How serious is the drug problem in your barangay?
(check among the options)
_____ very serious
_____ serious
_____ fairly serious
_____ not serious
_____ not a problem

EMPIRICAL OBSERVATION METHOD
The observation method is commonly used in
psychological and anthropological studies. It is a
method of obtaining data by seeing, hearing, testing,
touching, and smelling. Through observation,
additional information, which cannot be obtained
using the other methods like questionnaire, may be
gathered.

TEST METHOD
This method is widely used in psychological
research and psychiatry. Standard tests are used
because of their validity, reliability, and usability.
Example:
Aptitude tests, IQ tests, Achievement Tests

REGISTRATION METHOD
Example of data gathered using this method are
those that are obtained from the National Statistics
Office, Land Transportation Office, Department of
Education, CHED, SEC, and other government agencies.

MECHANICAL DEVICES
The devices that can be used when gathering
data for social and educational researches are the
camera, projector, videotape, tape recorder, etc. in
chemical, biological, and medical researches, the
common devices are the X ray machine, microscope,
ultrasound, weighing scales, CT scan, etc.

Before the collection of data, it is necessary to
determine the sample size if the population is very
large and if you only have few months to do the study.
For instance:
The researcher wants to know the average
income of the families living in barangay A which has
2, 500 residents.

To compute for the sample size, the Slovin’s
formula will be used:
n=
𝑁
1+𝑁𝑒
2
Where n= sample size
N= number cases
e= margin of error
Note: 5% is the acceptable margin of error is allowed

Given:
N= 2, 500
e= 0.05
Solution:
n=
𝑁
1+𝑁𝑒
2
n=
2,500
1+2,500 (0.05)
2
n= 344.8 or 345 families

RANDOM SAMPLING
In this method, all members of the population
have equal chances of being included in the study. This
is applicable if the target population is not classified
into different clusters, sections, levels, or classes. The
method is easy to use, but not when population is very
large, say a thousand or more.

Lottery Method
It is the most common and the easiest method of
random sampling. The names of the respondents will
be written on small pieces of paper which will be
rolled and placed in a jar.

Systematic Sampling
1. Stratified Random Sampling
This method is applied when the population is
divided into different strata or classes wherein each
class must be represented in the study.

Example:
Suppose a researcher wants to determine the
average income of the families in a barangay having
3, 000 families, distributed in five (5) puroks.
Computing for the sample size n at a 5% margin of
error:
n=
3,000
1+3,000 (0.05)
2
n= 353

The required sample size from each Purok
Purok Population Percentage
Nk (number of
sample per strata)
1 800 27% 0.27 x 353= 95
2 400 13% 0.13 x 353= 46
3 500 17% 0.17 x 353= 60
4 600 20% 0.20 x 353= 71
5 700 23% 0.23 x 353= 81
N 3, 000 100% 353

2. Cluster Sampling
When the geographical area where the study
will be done is too big and the target population is too
large, the cluster sampling technique may be
appropriate.

Example:
A doctor wants to make a nationwide study on
the correlation between smoking and death rate. He
decided to focus on the 13 regions of the country,
which can be considered as the clusters. If three of
the 13 clusters or regions are the desired sample units,
the names of the 13 clusters will be written on small
pieces of paper, then three will be picked at random
using the lottery method. All the residents of the
selected three clusters will be included in the study.

3. Purposive Sampling
The respondents of the study will be chosen
based on their knowledge of the information required
by the researcher.

Example:
Suppose a researcher wants to make a historical
study about Town A. the target population will be the
senior citizen of the town since they are the most
reliable persons who know the history of the town. If
there are 2, 000 senior citizens and a 3% margin of
error is allowed, the sample size will be 714. they will
be chosen using any of the methods discussed
previously.

4. Quota Sampling
This technique is commonly used in opinion polls.
Suppose a salesman is required to gather information as to
the most common hair shampoo used by female Filipino
clients. If he wants 2, 000 sample units and he needs to do
the survey within a short timetable, he can station himself
at a public place, such as a park or a mall, then ask the
females what shampoo they usually use. After meeting the
required number of sample points, the researcher is through
with his collection of data.

5. Convenience Sampling
This technique is resorted to by researchers who need
the information the fastest way possible. The telephone can be
used to interview the respondents about their opinions on a
certain issue. This method may be fast but it is also biased
because those who have no telephones do not have a chance to
be included in the study. Another example is the case of a
teacher who makes a research which requires the inclusion of
students as respondents. Conveniently, the teacher may use his
own students as respondents.

The collection of data for statistical analysis is
an involved process and includes the following steps:

1. Define the objectives of the survey of study.
Example:
a. To compare the effectiveness of a new drug to the
effectiveness of the standard drug.
b. To estimate the average household income in the
Philippines.

2. Define the variable and the population of
interest.
Example:
a. Length of recovery time for patients suffering
from a particular disease.
b. Total income for household in the Philippines.

3. Define the data collection and data measuring
schemes.
This include sampling frame, sampling procedures,
sample size, and the data measuring device
(questionnaire, telephone, and so on).

4. Collect your sample.
Select the subjects to be sampled and collect the data.

5. Review the sampling process upon completion of
collection.

For a descriptive research (we try to determine
the truth or fact behind the existing theory), which
utilizes the questionnaire method of gathering data,
the following is the recommend procedure.

1. Letter of permission;
2. Distribution of questionnaires to respondents;
3. After respondents will answer the questionnaires,
it will be retrieved; and
4. Data will be tabulated, analysed, interpreted, so
that accurate inferences are deduced.

DATA GATHERING

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