The Fundamentals of Statistics

1. Describe 5 data collection techniques in your own words.

Using available information: Usually there is a large amount of data that has already been collected by others, although it may not necessarily have been analyzed or published. Locating these sources and retrieving the information is a good starting point in any data collection effort.

(IDRC, 2006)

Observing: Observation is a technique that involves systematically selecting, watching and recording behavior and characteristics of living beings, objects or phenomena.

Observation of human behavior is a much-used data collection technique. It can be undertaken in different ways:

• Participant observation: The observer takes part in the situation he or she observes.

• (For example, a doctor hospitalized with a broken hip, who now observes hospital procedures ‘from within’.)

• Non-participant observation: The observer watches the situation, openly or concealed, but does not participate.

Observations can give additional, more accurate information on behavior of people than interviews or questionnaires. They can also check on the information collected through interviews especially on sensitive topics such as alcohol or drug use, or stigmatizing diseases. For example, whether community members share drinks or food with patients suffering from feared diseases (leprosy, TB, AIDS) are essential observations in a study on stigma.

(IDRC, 2006)

Interviewing (face-to-face): An interview is a data-collection technique that involves oral questioning of respondents, either individually or as a group.

Answers to the questions posed during an interview can be recorded by writing them down (either during the interview itself or immediately after the interview) or by tape-recording the responses, or by a combination of both. High degree of flexibility and Low degree of flexibility.

(IDRC, 2006)

Administering written questionnaires: A written questionnaire (also referred to as self-administered questionnaire) is a data collection tool in which written questions are presented that are to be answered by the respondents in written form.

A written questionnaire can be administered in different ways, such as by:

• Sending questionnaires by mail with clear instructions on how to answer the questions and asking for mailed responses;

• Gathering all or part of the respondents in one place at one time, giving oral or written instructions, and letting the respondents fill out the questionnaires; or

• Hand-delivering