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Pros & Cons of Data Collection Methods: Tests, Questionnaires, Interviews, Focus Groups, O, Study notes of Research Methodology

Trafford College Research Methodology

An in-depth analysis of various data collection strategies, including tests, questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, observational data, and secondary data. Each strategy is discussed in terms of its strengths and weaknesses, offering valuable insights for researchers. Topics covered include measurement validity, response rates, cost, and data analysis.

What you will learn

How does the use of questionnaires compare to other data collection methods in terms of strengths and weaknesses?
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of using tests as a data collection strategy?
What are the benefits and challenges of conducting interviews as a data collection strategy?

Typology: Study notes

2021/2022

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Data Collection Strategies 1

Bonus Table 1

Strengths and Weaknesses of Tests

Strengths of tests (especially standardized tests)

• Can provide measures of many characteristics of people.

• Often standardized (i.e., the same stimulus is provided to all participants).

• Allows comparability of common measures across research populations.

• Strong psychometric properties (high measurement validity).

• Availability of reference group data.

• Many tests can be administered to groups which saves time.

• Can provide “hard,” quantitative data.

• Tests are usually already developed.

• A wide range of tests is available (most content can be tapped).

• Response rate is high for group administered tests.

• Ease of data analysis because of quantitative nature of data.

Weaknesses of tests (especially standardized tests)

• Can be expensive if test must be purchased for each research participant.

• Reactive effects such as social desirability can occur.

• Test may not be appropriate for a local or unique population.

• Open-ended questions and probing not available.

• Tests are sometimes biased against certain groups of people.

• Nonresponse to selected items on the test.

• Some tests lack psychometric data.

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Bonus Table 1 Strengths and Weaknesses of Tests

Strengths of tests (especially standardized tests)

Can provide measures of many characteristics of people.
Often standardized (i.e., the same stimulus is provided to all participants).
Allows comparability of common measures across research populations.
Strong psychometric properties (high measurement validity).
Availability of reference group data.
Many tests can be administered to groups which saves time.
Can provide “hard,” quantitative data.
Tests are usually already developed.
A wide range of tests is available (most content can be tapped).
Response rate is high for group administered tests.
Ease of data analysis because of quantitative nature of data.

Weaknesses of tests (especially standardized tests)

Can be expensive if test must be purchased for each research participant.
Reactive effects such as social desirability can occur.
Test may not be appropriate for a local or unique population.
Open-ended questions and probing not available.
Tests are sometimes biased against certain groups of people.
Nonresponse to selected items on the test.
Some tests lack psychometric data.

Bonus Table 2 Strengths and Weaknesses of Questionnaires

Strengths of questionnaires

Good for measuring attitudes and eliciting other content from research participants.
Inexpensive (especially mail questionnaires and group administered questionnaires).
Can provide information about participants’ internal meanings and ways of thinking.
Can administer to probability samples.
Quick turnaround.
Can be administered to groups.
Perceived anonymity by respondent may be high.
Moderately high measurement validity (i.e., high reliability and validity) for well constructed and validated questionnaires.
Closed-ended items can provide exact information needed by researcher.
Open-ended items can provide detailed information in respondents’ own words.
Ease of data analysis for closed-ended items.
Useful for exploration as well as confirmation.

Weaknesses of questionnaires

Usually must be kept short.
Reactive effects may occur (e.g., interviewees may try to show only what is socially desirable).
Nonresponse to selective items.
People filling out questionnaires may not recall important information and may lack self- awareness.
Response rate may be low for mail and email questionnaires.
Open-ended items may reflect differences in verbal ability, obscuring the issues of interest.
Data analysis can be time consuming for open-ended items.
Measures need validation.

Bonus Table 4 Strengths and Weaknesses of Focus Groups

Strengths of focus groups

Useful for exploring ideas and concepts.
Provides window into participants’ internal thinking.
Can obtain in-depth information.
Can examine how participants react to each other.
Allows probing.
Most content can be tapped.
Allows quick turnaround.

Weaknesses of focus groups

Sometimes expensive.
May be difficult to find a focus group moderator with good facilitative and rapport building skills.
Reactive and investigator effects may occur if participants feel they are being watched or studied.
May be dominated by one or two participants.
Difficult to generalize results if small, unrepresentative samples of participants are used.
May include large amount of extra or unnecessary information.
Measurement validity may be low.
Usually should not be the only data collection methods used in a study.
Data analysis can be time consuming because of the open-ended nature of the data.

Bonus Table 5 Strengths and Weaknesses of Observational Data

Strengths of observational data

Allows one to directly see what people do without having to rely on what they say they do.
Provides firsthand experience, especially if the observer participates in activities.
Can provide relatively objective measurement of behavior (especially for standardized observations).
Observer can determine what does not occur.
Observer may see things that escape the awareness of people in the setting.
Excellent way to discover what is occurring in a setting.
Helps in understanding importance of contextual factors.
Can be used with participants with weak verbal skills.
May provide information on things people would otherwise be unwilling to talk about.
Observer may move beyond selective perceptions of people in the setting.
Good for description.
Provides moderate degree of realism (when done outside of the laboratory).

Weaknesses of observational data

Reasons for observed behavior may be unclear.
Reactive effects may occur when respondents know they are being observed (e.g., people being observed may behave in atypical ways).
Investigator effects (e.g., personal biases and selective perception of observers)
Observer may “go native” (i.e., over-identifying with the group being studied).
Sampling of observed people and settings may be limited.
Cannot observe large or dispersed populations.
Some settings and content of interest cannot be observed.
Collection of unimportant material may be moderately high.
More expensive to conduct than questionnaires and tests.
Data analysis can be time consuming.

Pros & Cons of Data Collection Methods: Tests, Questionnaires, Interviews, Focus Groups, O, Study notes of Research Methodology

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