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    Data Collection Techniques

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    Mais Marwan

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Data Collection Techniques

    Uploaded by

    Mais Marwan
    1 views16 pages

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    1247626

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    1 views16 pages

    Data Collection Techniques

    Uploaded by

    Mais Marwan

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    You are on page 1of 16

    Data Collection Techniques

    Observations,
    Tests,
    Surveys,
    Document analysis
    (the research literature)
    Key Factors for High Quality
    Experimental Design
    Data should not be contaminated by poor
    measurement or errors in procedure.

    Eliminate confounding variables from study or


    minimize effects on variables.

    Representativeness: Does your sample


    represent the population you are studying?
    Must use random sample techniques.
    What Makes a Good
    Quantitative Research Design?
    4 Key Elements

    1. Freedom from Bias


    2. Freedom from Confounding
    3. Control of Extraneous Variables
    4. Statistical Precision to Test Hypothesis
    Bias: When observations favor some
    individuals in the population over others.

    Confounding: When the effects of two


    or more variables cannot be separated.

    Extraneous Variables: Any variable that


    has an effect on the dependent variable.

    Need to identify and minimize these variables.


    e.g., Erosion potential as a function of clay content.
    rainfall intensity, vegetation & duration would be
    considered extraneous variables.
    Precision versus accuracy

    "Precise" means sharply defined or


    measured.

    "Accurate" means truthful or correct.


    Both Accurate Accurate
    and Precise Not precise

    Not accurate
    But precise Neither accurate
    nor precise
    Interpreting Results of
    Experiments

    Goal of research is to draw conclusions.


    What did the study mean?

    What, if any, is the cause and effect of


    the outcome?
    Introduction to Sampling

    Sampling is the problem of accurately


    acquiring the necessary data in order to
    form a representative view of the
    problem.

    This is much more difficult to do than is


    generally realized.
    Overall Methodology:
    * State the objectives of the survey
    * Define the target population
    * Define the data to be collected
    * Define the variables to be determined
    * Define the required precision & accuracy
    * Define the measurement `instrument'
    * Define the sample size & sampling method,
    then select the sample
    Sampling
    Distributions:
    When you form a sample you often show
    it by a plotted distribution known as a
    histogram .

    A histogram is the distribution of


    frequency of occurrence of a certain
    variable within a specified range.

    NOT A BAR GRAPH WHICH LOOKS VERY SIMILAR


    Interpreting quantitative
    findings

    Descriptive Statistics : Mean, median,


    mode, frequencies

    Error analyses
    Mean
    • In science the term mean is really the
    arithmetic mean
    • Given by the equation

    Or more simply put, the sum of values divided by the


    number of values summed
    • Consider the set
    Median
    • 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 7, 11, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19
    – In this case there are 13 values so the median
    is the middle value, or (n+1) / 2
    – (13+1) /2 = 7
    • Consider the set
    • 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 7, 11, 11, 13, 14, 16
    – In the second case, the mean of the two middle
    values is the median or (n+1) /2
    (12 + 1) / 2 = 6.5 ~ (6+7) / 2 = 6.5

    Or more simply put the mid value separating all


    values in the upper 1/2 of the values from those
    in the lower half of the values
    Mode
    The most frequent value in a data set
    • Consider the set
    • 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 11, 11, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19
    – In this case the mode is 1 because it is the most
    common value

    • There may be cases where there are more than


    one mode as in this case

    • Consider the set


    • 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 11, 11, 11, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19
    – In this case there are two modes (bimodal) : 1 and 11
    because both occur 4 times in the data set.

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