Tools of research
How to
collect data for research?
Before
describing the tools of research. It is necessary to know how researchers
collect data for research? The researchers collet data for research with the
help of tools of research.
Observation
Observation is another way to collect data.
There are two types of observation. Participant observation and non-participant
observation. This can be done with the acknowledgement
of observer or without acknowledgement of observer. When
researcher becomes the part of setting, It is called
participant observation. When researcher did not become the part of
setting. It is called non-participant observation. You may decide how to
collect data. observation can be continuous, or time bound depending on your
research.
Observational
Checklists
Observational Checklists can be used to observe
person’s behavior or evaluation of a performance. The researcher develops
Observational Checklists according to the topic of research. For example, If
the researcher is doing research on behavior of autistic children’s researcher
will record the frequency of behavior and time duration of certain behavior
etc.
Interviews
In-Depth Interviews are commonly used tool in quantitative studies. It includes
both individual interviews as well as group interviews and focus groups. For In
depth interviews researcher visits the sample individuals well prepared. The
participants have freedom to answer responses in depth interviews. The
researcher selects smaller number of participants to collect data. Because
in-depth interviews consume time and to generalize data from large number of
participants is difficult. The data can be recorded with the permission of
sample with the help of audio recorder or video recorders. In case the
researcher did not allow researcher to record data than the researcher can only
make written notes on paper. There are two types of interviews:
Semi
structured interviews
Semi
structured interviews, in semi structured interviews the interviewer
develops a guide to the topics that he or she wants to cover in the interview,
However, the interviewer can also ask other questions freely from the
interviewee, It is a good tool for acquisition of detailed information .It is
not suitable for gaining information from large numbers of sample.
Structured interviews
Structured interviews,
in structured interviews the interviewer develops a complete questionnaire of
questions that researcher wants to cover in the interview, and the interviewer
cannot ask other questions from the interviewee, It is also a good tools for
acquisition of detailed information. It saves time. However, it is not suitable
for gaining information from large numbers of sample.
Case
Studies
Case study helps the researcher to collect an in-depth information about
people, experience. Case studies generally use a mix method approach for data
collection. The use of quantitative data and qualitative data depends on the
researchers plan to study deeply into the variables of research.
Surveys
or Questionnaires
Surveys or questionnaires are instruments used for collecting quantitative
data. standardized of questionnaire is necessary to use questionnaire in
research. You can help a research assistant for data collection from
institutions. You can also create and share your questionnaires on online sites
that allows customers to create online surveys for research to collect data
from online users.
0 Comments