Lesson 1 [PRH102]

• Interviews / Focus Group Discussions

  Verbally ask participants open-ended questions
• Forms data can be displayed in

  • Numbers
  • Text
  • Images
  • Audio
  • Video clips
• Data Collection Methods

  • Primary Data Collection
  • Secondary Data Collection
• Data is a unit of information that has been observed, collected, and analyzed in research for reference in decision-making
• Questionnaires and Surveys


  Distribution of an instrument online or in-person. May consist of open-ended or close-ended questions
• Primary Data Collection


  • Collected from first-hand experience or directly from the research subject
• Qualitative Data


  • In-depth interview
  • Observation methods
  • Focus group discussion
  • Document review
  • Oral history
• Secondary Data Collection

  • Collected from a source that has already been published in any form
• Quantitative Data

  Data comes in the form of numbers, quantities, and values
• Qualitative Data


  Descriptive rather than numeric, assess factors like emotions, feelings, subjective perceptions of research participants
• Common Sources of Data

  • Experiments
  • Surveys
  • Questionnaires
  • Interviews
  • Observations
  • Books
  • Records
  • Biographies
  • Newspapers
  • Published censuses
  • Data archives
  • Internet articles
  • Research articles
  • Databases
• Quantitative Data


  • Relies on random sampling and structured data collection instruments
• Questionnaires and Surveys


  • To obtain information about the general characteristics of the research participants
• Interviews / Focus Group Discussions


  • To gain in-depth understanding of perceptions or opinion on a topic of interest
• Data Collection


  A process of acquiring and analyzing information on relevant variables in a predetermined, systematic way to respond to specified research questions, test hypothesis, and assess results
• How to collect data for Secondary Data Collection

  Find existing datasets that have already been collected, from sources such as government agencies or research organizations
• Advantages of Secondary Data Collection

  • Inexpensive
  • Ease of access
  • Potential for comparative analysis such as longitudinal, cross-sectional, or contextual studies
• Advantages of Interviews / Focus Group Discussions

  • Can build rapport with participant/s
  • Follow up questions can be given
• Disadvantages of Secondary Data Collection

  • Currency and objectivity of research
  • Uncertain validity of some secondary data
  • Issues on authenticity and copyright
• Secondary Data Collection


  To analyze data from populations that you can't access first hand
• Mark Twain: 'Data is like garbage... you'd better know what you're going to do with it before you collect it'
• Disadvantages of Interviews / Focus Group Discussions

  • Time consuming to analyze response
  • Needs experienced facilitator and highly trained interviewers
• Advantages of Archival Research

  • Less investment of time and money
  • Gains access to large amounts of data without interacting with research participants
• Advantages of Experiment

  • Flexible to conduct the test under limitless conditions
  • Time-bounded
• Disadvantages of Observation

  • Difficult to interpret observed behaviors
  • May be time consuming to record each individual event
• Advantages of Observation

  • Exist in natural, unstructured, and flexible setting
  • Provide direct information about behavior of individuals or groups
• Interviews / Focus Group Discussions


  To gain in-depth understanding of perceptions or opinion on a topic of interest
• How to collect data for Experiment

  Manipulate variables and measure their effects on other variables
• Archival Research


  To understand current or historical events, conditions, or practices
• How to collect data for Observation

  Measure or survey a sample without trying to affect them
• Disadvantages of forced choices

  • May miss certain responses from participants
  • Phrasing may create biases among responses
• How to collect data for Archival Research

  Assess manuscripts, documents, or records from libraries, depositories, or the internet
• Factors to consider before data collection
• Experiment


  To test causal relationships
• Disadvantages of Archival Research

  • Available information may be incomplete
  • Gathering information is dependent on quality of records kept
  • No guarantee of consistency
• How to collect data for Interviews / Focus Group Discussions

  Verbally ask participants open-ended questions in individual interviews or focus group discussions
• Disadvantages of Experiment

  • Almost impossible to simulate the controlled environment to be exactly the same as that of the real world
• Observation


  To understand something in its natural setting