Research Seminar

Fourth Year Research Candidates

Topic: Data Collection Tools

October 17, 2014

Bethlehem Moravian College

Dr. Abrilene Johnston-ScottResearch Coordinator

Overview of Session

– Interviews– Observations– Focus group discussions– Document reviews– Questionnaires-Likert Scale

Interviews

Interviews

• Interviews allow researchers to:– Explore participants’ perspectives in their own

terms– Inquire about the meaning people attach to

certain events• Interviews can be:

– Informal – conversational – Structured - fixed-response– Semi-structured

Types of Interview Questions

• Six types of interview questions:

1) Background/demographic questions2) Knowledge questions3) Experience/behavior questions4) Opinion/values questions5) Feelings questions6) Sensory questions

Types of Interviews

Informal-conversation Questions emerge from the immediate

context Semi-structured

Topics selected in advance Researcher determines sequence and

wording during interview. Standardized open-ended

Exact wording and sequence of questions predetermined.

Interviews have component parts

• Main questions identified in advance (6-10). • Follow-up questions (for example, asking for

more detail or nuance in individual responses.• Probes – techniques used to keep a discussion

going. • Questions can be skipped or order varied

depending on the flow of conversation. • Use opened ended questions.

Observation

Observation

• Purpose of observation– Describe the context– See what is spoken about first hand– Confirm reports of respondents

• Develop an observation checklist• Observation as:

– as outsider - unobtrusive– participant observation

• Generates field notes (narratives: on students behaviour or interest)

Observation Example

• Who you will observe: youth attending the program

• What you will observe: – Age, gender– Length of time student stays in the program– Involvement in activities: which activities

• Level of involvement – Interactions with other youth; with staff

• When you will observe: all hours the program is open for one week each month during 2014

Recording your observation

It is not good enough to just observe, you need to record your observations. You might use:

– Recording sheet– Checklist– Field note– Picture– Combination of the above

Sample Observation GuidesGuide for structured observations Guide for unstructured observations

Focus Group

Focus Group

Are used to assess people’s perceptions about programs, candidates, products or services.

Are used to generate recommendations for changing programs, products, campaign strategies, and services.

Are often used in conjunction with needs assessments or to generate ideas or explore themes that can be used in descriptive studies.

Are used to answer questions about how or why programs work.

Focus GroupMay be used in conjunction with other research

methods.Include six to eight participants who are selected

using purposive sampling methods Utilize a semi-structured interview guide with 6-8

questions.Require that a facilitator ask each of the questions

and solicit responses from members.Are used to generate a common response or a

consensus from group members.

A Focus Group . . .

Usually has approximately seven to ten people in them

With common characteristics relating to the discussion topic

Conducted by a trained interviewer (moderator, facilitator).

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Moderator’s RoleStays relaxed and sets toneIntroduces and guides the discussionActively and carefully listensDoes NOT participate, or share views, or engage in the discussionDoes NOT editorialize commentsPromotes everyone’s participationIs non-judgmental and is respectful

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Notetaker’s RoleTests and places the audio recording equipment Note: it helps to talk to participants beforehand to gauge and quiet the speakers

Comes prepared with pens and paperSits in the room during the entire discussion

where they can see & hear the participants Note: do not sit by the facilitatorSketches participant seating arrangement Note: use identifiers other than names

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Document Review

Document review

• Obtain access to key documents and records at the outset

• Documents can help to establish what needs to be pursued through other methods (e.g., direct observation, interviews)

• Consider whether the documents are public – ethical issues

• Examples: school reports, attendance registers, standardised test scores

• Triangulation –divergent sources of information– Methods (interviews, observations, document

analysis etc)– Sources (different teachers, or teachers with

other school staff)

• Member check– ask participants to confirm transcripts/analyses

Triangulation

Questionnaires-Likert Scale

Dr. Rensis Likert

(1903 - 1981)

“ A technique for the measurement of Attitudes”

What is the Likert scale?• It is a psychometric scale commonly involved in research

that employs questionnaires.• It is the most widely used approach to scaling responses in

survey research. • Likert scales are a non-comparative scaling technique and

are one-dimensional in nature.• When responding to a Likert questionnaire item respondents

specify their level of agreement or disagreement on a symmetric agree-disagree scale for a series of statements.

• Thus, the range captures the intensity of their feelings for a given item, while the results of analysis of multiple items reveals a pattern that has scaled properties of the kind Likert identities

Five – point Likert item

Likert Scale Difference

Likert item

1. Strongly disagree2. Disagree3. Neither agree nor disagree4. Agree5. Strongly agree

The format of a typical five-level Likert item

Example:Codes: 1-strongly disagree, 2- disagree, 3- neutral, 4-agree, 5- strongly agree

S/N Affirmative perception statements Codes

(i) OPAC / Web OPAC was Easier to use than I expected 1 2 3 4 5

(ii) It was Fun to use 1 2 3 4 5

(iii) It was Easy to use 1 2 3 4 5

(iv) It helped me in finding the documents faster 1 2 3 4 5

(v) It is Very difficult to use 1 2 3 4 5

(vi) It is Very confusing to use 1 2 3 4 5

(vii) I found more items than expected 1 2 3 4 5

(viii) I am comfortable with simple search 1 2 3 4 5

(ix) I am comfortable complex/Advance search 1 2 3 4 5

(x) I am comfortable quick search 1 2 3 4 5

(xi) I am comfortable when using OPAC/Web OPAC 1 2 3 4 5

Q.18.Please measure the following affirmative perceptions about your library OPAC and Web OPAC use .

Thank You