q.t by ms. sonia rohila (30.12.11)

7/28/2019 q.t by Ms. Sonia Rohila (30.12.11)

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FYBBA/Q.T. (Unit-III)

The technique of collecting data by various methods is explained below.

I Direct personal investigation

Under this method, the investigator collects data by having direct contact and face- to- face approachwith all informants. This method is suitable for an intensive type of investigation where

A. The scope of investigation is narrow.

B. The process of investigation requires personal attention of the investigator.

C. The investigation is confidential and

D. More emphasis is to be given to the accuracy of the data.

Under this method, the data may be collected by adopting any of the following two ways.

A. Interview: In this method, the investigator has to contact the informants from whom theinformation is to be obtained directly and personally. He puts questions before them regarding theinquiry and collects the required information. The answers supplied by an informant will result in

Primary data.

B. Observation: According to this method the investigator obtains the data by observing thereactions supplied by an informant as a result of treatment/action performed by an investigator on

person under study. He asks no questions, but just observes the reactions in which he is interested.Observation method is particularly helpful in studying the behavior of children, tribal, Dumb and Deafperson and even women, because direct oral interview in their cases will not receive properresponses. This is very useful method in certain marketing studies where consumer behavior isstudied. For example, if a woman is asked whether she prefers traditional pattern of garment ormodern once, she might express her liking for the traditional ones, but when both types of garments

are placed before her, she may actually go for the modern ones .

II Indirect oral investigation

This method is generally used in those cases where the information required is of a complex natureand the informants are not willing to respond if approached directly. Here the investigator instead ofdirectly approaching to the informant, contacts third parties known as witness capable of supplying thenecessary information. Witnesses are assumed to have knowledge of required information about an

actual informant.

To access reliability and accuracy of the answers provided by the witness several witnesses has to beapproached for single informant. Whereas on the other hand, some times single witness may give

information about more number of respondents also.


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Police department for clues about thefts and murders uses this procedure by interrogating friends or

relatives or third parties capable of supplying the necessary information.

III Information from correspondents

Under this method of data collection, investigator does not collect the information himself from theperson concerned directly. Investigator will appoint Local agents known as Correspondents indifferent places of the area under investigation to collect the information. The appointedcorrespondents, on behalf of investigator will collect the necessary information from their allottedterritory as and when required. They will then transmit the collected information to the maininvestigator/central office/head quarter where the information are processed and Primary data are

generated.

This method is more useful when an investigator requires information at regular interval of time and

degree of accuracy is of secondary importance.

Newspaper and magazine agencies, News broadcasting agencies generally adopt this method. For

example, in the construction of wholesale price index number, regular information is obtained fromcorrespondents appointed in different areas.

IV Mailed questionnaire method

According to this method an investigator will formulate list of questions, which are directly or indirectlyrelated with the purpose of inquire. This list of questions either in printed/nicely written form with

suitable options and sufficient space to answer is called Questionnaire.

A questionnaire including covering letter and self addressed stamped envelope will then sent tovarious informants through post/mailing service. In this method investigator collect the information

through the filling of questionnaires by the respondents.

A self addressed and stamped envelop is also enclosed for the informants convenience in returning

the field questionnaire.

After receiving required number of responses, processing the answers, investigator will get a Primary

data.

V Schedules sent through enumerator

The basic difference between Questionnaire and Schedules is, questions in the Questionnaire isanswered by informant himself in his/her own handwriting while Schedule is the device of obtaininganswers to the questions in a form field by an interviewer. According to this method an investigator


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will formulate list of questions, which are directly or in directly related with the purpose of inquiry. Aninvestigator will then select a team of require number of enumerators. Enumerators are providedtraining about purpose of inquiry, method and format of furnishing answers given by informants, tactfulway of checking accuracy and reliability of information on the spot by asking different additionalquestions, collecting supplementary information etc. Enumerators are then provided withstandardized schedules or questionnaires and specific instructions are given to them regarding themanner in which schedules are to be filled. The enumerators explain clearly the object of the enquiry,

the definitions of basic concept to the informants and record responses themselves in thequestionnaire forms. An enumerator will hand over filled schedules to an investigator once they finishup their allotted task. After receiving responses, processing the answers, investigator will get a

Primary data.

Questionnaires drafting

For collecting Statistical data the information obtained is recorded on special designed forms calledquestionnaire. A questionnaire is nothing but list of questions relating to the problem underinvestigation. The accuracy of information depends upon the drafting of its questions. Hence, it isextremely important that the questions be designs or drafted very carefully and in tactful manner.There is no hard and fast rule to be followed, but the following general points must always be kept in

mind to draft a good questionnaire or schedule.

A. The questions should be kept to the minimum ranging from 15 to 20. Because more question

will bore informant and too less will not be adequate.

B. Only those questions, which are directly related to the problem, be included.

C. The questions should short, simple and easy to understand and they should convey one and

only one sense.

D. As far as possible questions should be of such nature that they can be answered briefly in Yes

or No.

E. Questions of personal nature should be avoided such as question about source of income,

volume of sales etc.

F. Question should be such that it can be answered unbiased.

G. Question requiring mathematical calculations must be avoided.

H. Questions should be in logical order.

Merits and Demerits of various methods of collecting Primary data

METHODS

FACTORSDirectPersonal

Investigation

Indirect Oral Investigation


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Information from CorrespondentsMailedQuestionnaireMethod

Schedules sent through Enumerators

ACCURACY

DEPENDS UPON WITNESS

SECONDARY INPORTANCE

DEPENDS UPON QUALITY OF QUESTIONNAIRE & RESPONCES

RELIABILITY

CANT BE EXAMINED

RequirementofTIME

TIME SAVING

FUND

NOT MUCH

MOST ECONOMICAL

MOST EXPENSIVE

MANPOWER

LABOUR LESS

DEGREE OF CO-OPERATION

MAY BE LESS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


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NOT MUCH

ELASTICITY IN DATA COLLECTION*

_

PERSONAL BIAS

AREA OF INVESTIGATION

INTENSIVE

EXTENSSIVE

EXTENSSIVE

EXTENSSIVE

INTENSIVE

TYPE OF POPULATION

LITERATE & ILLITERATE



LITERATE


SOLUTION OF COMPLEX PROBLEM

MAY NOT SOLVE

*: Elasticity in data collection in terms of Language of communication, convenience in time, place etc .

Sources of secondary data:

The chief sources of secondary data may be broadly classified into the following groups .

A. Published sources and (ii) Unpublished sources.

B. Published sources: There are number of national organizations and also international agencieswhich collect statistical data relating to business, trade, labour, consumptions, productions, industries,agriculture, income, currency and exchange, health, populations and number of socio-economicphenomena and published their findings in statistical reports on a regular basis. Below are the brief

summary of these sources.

C. Official publications of Central government :


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A. Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of , .India

B. Directorate-General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics-Ministry of Commerce.

C. Labor Bureau-Ministry of Labor.

D. Directorate of Economics and Statistics-ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.

E. The Indian Army Statistical Organization (I.A.S.O)-Ministry of Defense.

F. National Sample Survey Organization (N.S.S.O.), Department of Statistics, Ministry of

Planning.

G. Census data in various census reports, Vital Statistics of India, Indian Population Bulletin-

all published by Registrar General of India (R.G.I.).

H. In addition to the above organizations a number of department, Directorate general of Supplies andDisposals, Railway, Post and Telegraphs, Central Board of Revenues, Textile Commissioners office and so on

publish statistical reports on current problems.

D. Publications of Semi-government Statistical Organizations

I. Statistics department of the reserve Bank of (Mumbai), which brings out an Annual Report of Bank,

currency and Finance.

J. Economic department of Reserve Bank of.

K. The of , .instituteEconomic Growth

L. Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, .

M. The Institute of Foreign Trade, .

N. The statistical material published by the institute like Municipal and District Boards, Corporations, Blockand Panchayat Samitis on Vital Statistics, health, sanitation and other related subjects provides fairly reliable

and useful information.

E. Publications of Research Institutions:

Individual research scholars, the different departments in the various universities of published their findings in

Indian Statistical Institute (I.S.I.), Kolkata and ;

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (I.C.A.R.), ;

Indian Agricultural Statistical Research Institute (I.A.S.R.I.), ;

National Council of Educational Research and Training (N.C.E.R.T.), ; National Council of Applied Economic

research, ;New Delhi


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National Council of Applied Man Power Research, ;

The Research, Mumbai; of

Indian Standards Institute, .

A. Publications of Commercial and Financial Institutions:

Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI);

of of , Trade Unions, Stock Exchanges, Bank Bodies, Co-operative Societies, etc. publishes reports and

statistical material on current economic, business and other phenomena.InstituteChartered Accountants

A. Reports of various Committees and Commissions appointed by the government.

B. Newspapers and periodicals.

C. International Publications.

United Nations Organizations (U.N.O.);

World Health Organization (W.H.O.) on contagious diseases;

Annual report on International Labor Organization (I.L.O.);

International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.);

World Bank; Economic and Social commission for and Pacific (ESCAP);Asia

International Finance Corporation (I.F.C.);

International Statistical Education Institute; are very valued publications of secondary data.

(ii) Unpublished Source: The statistical data need not be always published. There are various sources ofunpublished statistical material such as the records maintained by private firms or business enterprise who maynot like to release their data to any outside agencies; the various department and office of the Central and Stategovernments; the research carried out by the individual research scholars in the universities or research

institutes.

Editing Secondary data

The Secondary data must be used with caution. According to Bowley It is never safe to take

published statistics at their face value without knowing their meanings and limitations and it are always

necessary to criticize arguments that can be based on them. Statistics collected by other people cannotbe fully dependable upon the following points in view, they should not be used.

1. They should be reliable.

2. They should be suitable.


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3. They should be adequate.

q.t by ms. sonia rohila (30.12.11)

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