DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD

WORKS
Ø METHODS OF DESIGNING DATA COLLECTION
FORMS, PARTICULARLY QUESTIONNAIRES,
AND METHODS OF SELECTING SAMPLES FROM
WHICH TO COLLECT DATA.
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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n FIELD WORKS PRODURES
2. FIELDWORKS INVOLVES SELECTION,
TRAINING, SUPERVISION, AND EVALUATION
OF INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN COLLECT DATA IN
THE FIELD.
3. IT IS COSTLY AND DIFFICULT STEP IN
RESEARCH PROCESS DATA COLLECTION IS
MOSTLT BY INTERVIEW PROCESS BY
TELEPHONE OR BY OBSERVATION.
4. FIELDWORKS ORGANIZATIONS NOW HAVE
CENTRAL LOCATION FROM WHICH THEY CAN
DO TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS NATIONWIDE
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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n PROCESSES INVOLVED
TELEPHONE INTERVIEWING
1. VIDEO SCREENING OF QUESTIONNAIRE:-
PAPER QUESTIONNAIRE IS REPLACED WITH A
VIDEO SCREEN.
THIS PROCEDURE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF
CONTROLLING THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND
HAVING THE DATA ENTERED IN THE
COMPUTER DIRECTLY SO THAT THE RESULTS
CAN BE SUMMARIZED
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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TRAINING
INVOLVES INSTRUCTION ON USING THE
COMPUTER AS WELL AS ON THE PROJECT
ITSELF.
SUPERVISOR OBSERVES THE WORK OF
INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWERS ON A MASTER
SCREEN.
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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3. COMMENCEMENT OF FIELDWORK
- THE INTERVIEWERS NEED TO BE
SUPERVISED.
- TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROCEEDING ON
SCHEDULE
- NEEDS TO KEEP CONTROL ON THE DAY-TO-
DAY FIELD OPERATIONS.
- A VERIFICATION CHECK IS MADE.
- WORK OF EACH INTERVIEWER IS THEN
EVALUATED.
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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n COMPLEXITIES IN FIELDWORK
1) EXPENSIVE TO DO GOOD-QUALITY
FIELDWORK IN DOOR-TO- DOOR
INTERVIEWING.
2) SOME ERRORS MAY HAPPENS FROM
RESPONDENT SIDE.
ERRORS OF TWO TYPE
A) INTENTIONAL ERRORS
LIKE FALSE HOOD , NON RESPONSE ETC.
B) UNINTENTIONAL ERRORS
LIKE MISUNDERSTANDING, FATIGUE,
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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n ERRORS IN FIELDWORKS
INTERVIEWER ERRORS CAN BE CLASSIFIED
IN FIVE MAJOR GROUPS
3. NON-RESPONSE ERRORS
4. RESPONDENT SELECTION ERRORS
5. ERRORS IN STIMULATING RESPONSES
6. ERRORS IN INTERPRETING AND RECORDING
ANSWERS
7. CHEATING
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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NON-RESPONSE ERRORS
OCCUR WHEN THE SURVEY FAILS TO GET A
RESPONSE TO ONE, OR POSSIBLY ALL, OF THE
QUESTIONS. NON-RESPONSE CAUSES BOTH AN
INCREASE IN VARIANCE, DUE TO THE
DECREASE IN THE EFFECTIVE SAMPLE SIZE
AND/OR DUE TO THE USE OF IMPUTATION, AND
MAY CAUSE BIAS IF THE NON-RESPONDENTS
AND RESPONDENTS DIFFER WITH RESPECT TO
THE CHARACTERISTIC OF INTEREST.
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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NOT AT HOMES
n THE PERCENTAGE OF NOT AT HOMES VARIES

BY CITY SIZE, DAY OF THE WEEK, TIME OF

DAY, SEASON OF THE YEAR, AGE, AND THE SEX
OF THE RESPONDENT, AS WELL AS WITH THE
PROVISIONS MADE TO CONTROL NOT AT
HOMES IN INDIVIDUAL STUDIES
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
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REFUSALS
n REFUSAL RATES VARY FROM PROJECT TO

PROJECT AND MAY RANGE UP TO 25 PERCENT.

SINCE REFUSAL ARE OFTEN THE RESULT OF
PERSONALITY AND MOOD, IT CAN BE ARGUED
THAT THEY WILL NOT BIAS RESULTS
ERRORS RELATED TO FIELD WORK

Interviewer Errors Non-response Errors

Refusals Not-at-Homes

Respondent Questioning Recording Cheating

Selection Error Errors Errors
DATA COLLECTION AND THE FIELD
Measurement of non-response
There are three ways to compute
3. Household refusal + rejects + Ineligibles+ Termination
+Refusals + Completed Interviews
_________________________________________________
Total numbers dialed
 DATA COLLECTION AND THE
FIELDWORKS
1. Rejects + Inequalities + Termination + Refusals +
Completed Interviews
_________________________________________________
Total numbers dialed

6. Completed interviews =
Total numbers dialed
Methods for Handling Nonresponse Errors

n Refusals:
n Attempt to convince respondent of the value of research and

importance of their participation.

n Provide advance notice, set a time limit to complete the

questionnaire and identify the sponsor.

n Guarantee anonymity and include only vital questions.

n Provide incentive for participation.

n Try to get a foot-in-the-door.

n Use personalized cover letters and follow-up contact.

n Adjust the results to account for nonresponse.

n Give the questionnaire a professional appearance and use short

questions.
n More expensive mailing methods decrease refusals

Marketing Research Exam 1 Lecture 6 14

Methods for Handling Nonresponse Errors

n Not-At-Homes
n Have interviewers make advance appointments.
n Call back at another time on a different day.
n Attempt to contact designated respondent using
another approach.

Marketing Research Exam 1 Lecture 6 15

 DATA COLLECTION AND THE
FIELDWORKS
n Respondent Selection Errors
SELECTION ERRORS WITH QUOTA SAMPLES
In quota samples interviewers select the individual to
be included in the survey, subject only the quotas for
various population groups.

SELECTION ERRORS WITH PROBABILITY

is that they eliminate the bias that comes interviewer
selection of respondents as describe
 DATA COLLECTION AND THE
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n Errors in stimulating responses
Stating the question
In asking question interviewer are usually expected to
follow certain rules. A typical set such rules as follows.
4. Each question must be asked exactly as worked
5. The interviewer must not comment on the question meaning or
indicate in anyway what kinds of answers must be acceptable.
6. Every question must be asked unless the interviewer is instructed to
do otherwise.
7. Questioning must be asked in the same sequence as given on the
questionaire.
 DATA COLLECTION AND THE
FIELDWORKS
n Respondent’s perception of the interviewer
Interviewer involve a social relationship between two
persons. Respondents adjust their conduct what they
consider to be appropriate to situation