DIFFERENT METHODS OF COLLECTING …

1 DIFFERENT METHODS OF COLLECTING information . METHOD advantages disadvantages . Surveys (Mail) Can survey many people Difficult to get much detail Not time-consuming Sometimes difficult to get correct Relatively inexpensive addresses Everyone gets the same May be problems with interpreting instrument questions Objective interpretation Sometimes a problem getting surveys completed and returned Surveys (Group- Can survey many people May be problems with interpreting Administered) Not time-consuming questions Relatively inexpensive Difficult to get much detail Everyone gets the same instrument Object interpretation Relatively inexpensive Surveys (Telephone) Able to ask for more detail Sometimes difficult reaching people when needed Lack of anonymity Everyone gets the same instrument Interviews Researcher can know how Time-consuming people are interpreting Because of time, can limit sample size questions Subjective interpretation Able to ask for more detail Can be expensive when needed Can be difficult to analyze Provide detailed data Focus Groups Researcher can know how Group setting may inhibit some individuals people are interpreting from providing information questions Sometimes hard to coordinate multiple Able to interview multiple schedules people at one time, thus.

2 More Responses from one person provide cost-effective stimulus for other people Responses from one person provide stimulus for other people Observations Objective interpretation Time-consuming Low burden for people Some items are not observable providing data Can be expensive Participant behavior may be affected by observer presence Student Records Objective interpretation May not correspond to exactly what Low burden for people researcher wants providing data May be incomplete or require additional Relatively inexpensive interpretation May need special permission to use Collection of Objective interpretation May not correspond to exactly what Materials Low burden for people researcher wants providing data May be incomplete or require additional Relatively inexpensive interpretation Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement