Data Collection Strategy

9. The formulation of the Data Collection Strategy determines the procdures
by which the Research Instrument will be applied to suitable Research Participants;
e.g. what are the procdures used for giving out a survey

       Delineate suitable Participants
       Confirm Experimental Design
       Formulate Instructions to Participants
       Formulate Data Collection Procedures
      Choose a Sampling Method

There are FOUR questions to be answered during the Research Design in choosing the Research Instrument & Collection Method

Note: these questions must be answered in conjunction w/ choosing the Research Instrument, as discussed above

a. How much personal contact is necessary to gather the data?

b. Must subjects be contacted in person?

c. How much time & expense are involved?

d. Would it suffice to contact subject by mail or telephone?

Choose a sampling strategy

Here the researcher must determine how to apply the instrument to a sample of the total population

Choose a source of data

After/while choosing a topic & formulating major concepts,
variables, measures, & instruments
the researcher must decide where to look for the info needed

You know what you want to generalize about
You need to determine what you will generalize from

We can look at any of the levels of social life

Choosing data source is in part a practical issue

Some types of data are more expensive & time consuming to collect

Data source must also be influenced by theoretical concerns

Data source must reflect the level of human interaction that the
researcher is most comfortable w/

Major types of research examine relationships btwn
btwn
2 individuals
individual & group
btwn groups
( groups being broadly defined here to include groups, complex organizations,
institutions, social structures )

A topic may be examined from any or all of these levels

Choose a time frame

Cross-sectional design: a single, unrepeated survey

Longitudinal design: survey is repeated in order to determine the amount, direction, or rate of change
Each survey is based a different sample of subjects from the same pop

Panel design: long design that uses the same sample of subjects

Examples of choosing a data source

Big biz
data about corporations exec's or
data about corps

Politics
     data about politicians
     voters
     via interviews or secondary data

Strategies for data collection

There is no one best technique

Choice depends on

a. How well formulated is your thesis / theory / hypothesis?

b. What level of social interaction you need or wish to observe?
        Micro: Individuals, small groups, peer groups, family, small biz, etc...
        Mid range: groups of families, churches, large biz...
        Macro: nation, the economy, religion(s), the military...

c. The "type" of info you want to know
         i. demographic
         ii. knowledge
         iii. activities
         iv. beliefs ( including values, opinions, etc. )

   d. Resources you have for research
          i. time
          ii. money
          iii. access....

There are FOUR kinds of Survey Execution:
      a. The Single Self or Researcher-Administered Survey
      b. The Group Self or Researcher-Administered Survey
      c. The Mass Self-Administered Survey
      d. The Researcher-Administered Interview

Some features are common to all Surveys

The longer the questionnaire, the lower the response rate

a. The Single Self or Researcher-Administered Survey

b. The Group Self or Researcher-Administered Survey

c. The Mass Self-Administered Survey

These surveys are usually mailed, but they can

Main problem here is low rate of return

Mailed surveys are often mistaken for junk mail

Thus mail surveys must stick to the essentials

Because they seem less impersonal, prestamped, individually typed
return envelopes produce higher return rates than do
business-reply enveloped

Mail surveys require aggressive & unrelenting follow-up

Second & 3rd mailing may prod subject into responding

Telephoning can help

Through follow-up campaigns, response rate can increase to 50%

d. The Researcher-Administered Interview

See: Consent & Confidentiality in Research & the Researcher's Letter of Introduction to the Participant

Link

See: Moral, Ethical & Privacy Issues in Social Research

Link

See: Sampling Issues should be contemplated throughout the Researgn Design Process,
but must be finalized during Operationalization of the Research Instrucment

Link

10. Obtain HIC Approval

Link

11. Perform a Pilot Study: the Senior Project is a Pilot Study & so no addition study will be required

Link

12. Collect Data utilizing efficient, effective & ethical methodological practices

Link

13. Prepare the Data for processing & analysis

Link

14. Process & Analyze Data

Link

15. Interpret & make Inferences about Data

Link

16. Write the Final Report

Link

17. Write Final HIC Report

Link

The End