DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES

Steps in conducting a research study:

1. Define the problem or question to be studied.

2. Define the relationship between and among the variables of the problem.

3. Define the variables in a way that will permit measurement or observation (operationalise the variables).

4. Select a research strategy to collect the data.

5. Collect and analyse the data.

Interview: a data collection strategy involving one-to-one dialogue between subject and investigator. It is flexible and it is a source of subjective information. its disadvantages are a possibility of distortion of information through memory lapse or bias, heavy reliance on verbal skills, and it is dependent on the subject's motivation to respond.

Observation techniques: Data collection strategy in which the ongoing behaviour of individuals is recorded with as little interaction between observers and subjects as possible. Such observations may be made under naturalistic conditions or controlled conditions.

Naturalistic observation is the organised study of people in the natural environment. It is an effort to observe real-world conditions with no attempt by the researcher to impose constraints on the subject's behaviour.

Controlled observation involves limiting the environmental scope under which observations are made or imposing conditions on subjects that are not ordinarily experienced in that particular setting. Observing children play together in a University psychology lab is an example.

Naturalistic settings are characterized by lower levels of invigilator invention while control settings are characterized by higher levels of invigilator invention (Willems and Alexander, 1982).

The observation technique of data collection provides a detailed description of behaviour and can provide practical applications. It, however, does not answer the cause/effect question, or provides no way to observe the internal psychological events and cannot evaluate behaviours that occur infrequently or irregularly.

The clinical method: It combines naturalist observations and interview techniques. It allows the researcher to ask questions and collect information specific to the individual being studied. It provides rich details about the individuals but is difficult to generalise for others, and is subjected to biases of the clinician.

Standard tests: These are tests whose material, administration, scoring, and evaluation have been so designed, that they can be given reliably at different times and places by different examiners. (Cronbach, 1970). These are developed by giving the test material to 100s or thousands of individuals to establish performance levels associated with different age groups- called age norms.

They provide a basis for comparing people's scores and offer means of assessment and tracking, but are limited by culture-bound tests that rely heavily on verbal skills and can only measure a narrow range of behaviors.

Correlational Method: