DATA SOURCES

PrimarySecondary

Internal External

Secondary DataData gathered and recorded by someone else prior to and for a purpose other than the current project.

Is often:• Historical• Already assembled• Internal to corporation

Advantages of Secondary Data Inexpensive

Obtained Rapidly

Needs no access to respondents (convenient)

Information is not otherwise accessible

Can provide Insights into problem during exploratory phase

Can provide background data on trends etc. which lends credibility to the report

Disadvantages of Secondary Data

Lack of Availability (e.g. new products)

Uncertain Accuracy

Data not Consistent with Needs (not relevant)

Inappropriate Units of Measurement

Time Period Inappropriate (Dated)

Internal Data

Accounting information

Sales information

Backorders

Customer complaints

Sources of External DataLibraryInternetVendorsProducersBooks and periodicalsGovernmentTrade associationsNewspapers and journals

DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES• Primary Data:-

– Observation Method– Interview Method– Questionnaire Method– Schedule Method– Case Study– Other Methods-

• Warranty cards• Distributor audit• Consumer Panel• Depth Interviews• Using various devices

• Secondary Data:-– Published Data-

• Various Reports• Newspaper, Magazines• Public records & statistics• Journals, newsletters

– Unpublished Data• Diaries & letters• Biographies• Company record• Associations, unions &

other original record

• It is mostly used for studies related to behavioral science.

• In this method the information is sought by way of investigator’s own direct observation without asking from respondent.

• Example• Investigator can see the brand of car used by

the respondent , no need to ask him (respondent) about the brand.

• No subjective biasing, if observation is made accurately.

• The information collated gives the idea which is currently happening.

• Data is not complicated as it do not have any relation with either past or future.

• Method is independent of respondents attitude and intentions.

• Applicable for those respondents who are not capable of giving verbal responses, like animals.

• It is an expensive method.

• Information provided by this method is very limited.

• Some time unforeseen factors may interfere with the observational task.

• In case of rare respondents the method becomes tedious.

Questionnaire method

• A questionnaire is a means of eliciting the feelings, beliefs, experiences, perceptions, or attitudes of some sample of individuals. As a data collecting instrument, it could be structured or unstructured

Two types of questionnaires• Closed or restricted form - calls for a "yes"

or "no" answer, short response, or item checking; is fairly easy to interpret, tabulate, and summarize.

• Open or unrestricted form - calls for free response from the respondent; allows for greater depth of response; is difficult to interpret, tabulate, and summarize.

Interview method

An interview is a direct face-to-face attempt to obtain reliable and valid measures in the form of verbal responses from one or more respondents. It is a conversation in which the roles of the interviewer and the respondent change continually.

Types of Interview: Structured interviews • Rigidly standardized and formal.• The same questions are presented in the same

manner and order to each subject. • The choice of alternative answers is restricted to a

predetermined list.• They are more scientific in nature than

unstructured interviews.• They introduce controls that permit the

formulation of scientific generalizations

Unstructured interviews are flexible.

They have few restrictions.If preplanned questions are asked, they are altered to suit the situation and subjects. Subjects are encouraged to express their thoughts freely. Only a few questions are asked to direct their answers.In some instances, the information is obtained in such a casual manner that the respondents are not aware they are being interviewed

Types of Interview: Unstructured interviews

• Method of collecting information consists in contacting participants on telephone itself.

• Advantages– quickness, cost efficiency

• Disadvantages– limited amount of information, limited

accessibility of people, have to remember response options

Asynchronous Synchronous

Course Management System

Discussion Forums

Games for Drill & Practice

Reusable Learning Objects

Simulations/Animations

Blogs

Wikis

Chat

Video Conferencing

PowerPoint

Classroom Performance

System