new generation technologies for collecting primary data

new generation technologies for collecting primary data

Q1

The advancement that has taken place from the last couple of years has taken technological development to another level. It has not only helped in enhancing works related to the research of social practices but also to address the issues and challenges that come along with it. The researchers who want to take advantage of these new generation technologies for collecting primary data are far more ahead of the ones who are unable to take advantage of the same. Though special skill sets are required to use technological advancement in the research work and come out with high-quality research work. This advancement of technology has also helped in gathering online survey questionnaires giving access to a vast amount of data. The one-line questionnaire technology has also helped in information and communication to subjects much natural along with proper sorting from a pile of data, thus making the work much more accessible and manageable. Couper has suggested that a way how a specific technology is applied to research influences the quality and utility of the survey outcomes.

One of the primary means for data collection is the survey questionnaire mode; it is being used in various fields of research work such as social, health, or epidemiology. Method of online data collection through questionnaires various significantly from one sector to another. It differs in levels of how the respondents are contacted, the online medium of delivering the questionnaire to the respondent, and, most importantly, the administration of the questionnaire. This can affect the quality of data collection vastly.

Nursing and various health care sectors are reportedly seen to use e-questionnaires and e-forms in a wide range. The increasing use of online data collection and survey is done to save time, make research accessible, and better management. Moreover, also to minimize the cost, errors in data entry, more flexibility, and functionality, these e-questionnaire forms are useful. In spite, there has been a massive increase in the technology survey methods. However, still, there are no specific or comprehensive methods or guidelines that can be followed in designing as also in submitting e-questionnaire forms.

Any online questionnaire aims to collect relevant information for the research survey on current practices that are followed by the people by taking these forms to various fields where the researchers want to do their survey s. An evaluation is provided on a single indication.

There are mainly four research stings that are sued using the online questionnaire method; they are Electronic Questionnaire Design, Online Questionnaire, Electronic Questionnaire, and Online Survey. Where the language mostly preferred is English and topics related to the research purpose.

The advantages of online survey questionnaires are as follows–

Easy Data Collection

As the internet is the full virtual world, it collects people from all across the globe. This reason enables the online survey to get hundreds and thousands of respondents of different places and cultures under one roof, thus leading to natural conduct and fast research through the internet. The online questionnaire also takes less time of the respondents in completing the survey, and even an incentive is given to the respondent after their contribution in the survey (Unterhofer, et al., 2018).

Minimal Cost-

Traditional ways of survey methods required a lot of money to be spent in achieving the desired result from the survey. In contrast, studies have shown that conducting an online investigation does not only save the cost of the study to a great extend but also in saving time in data collection in traditional methods. Sending questionnaires by means of email or other means are more affordable and accessible in comparison to face to face method.

The automatic mechanism in handing data output

An online survey has enabled the respondents to answer in the survey by means of input methods on the internet. These responses that are made by the respondent get automatically stored in the database of the survey, thus providing automatic manageable data handing with minimal chances of errors (Atkins, et al.,  2017).

Increase in the response rate

As the online method of survey helps in maximum convenience for the respondent as it provides the respondent to choose their own time, preference, and pace in responding to the survey, hence the respondent rate is high.

Flexibility in Design

Many complex forms of the survey can quickly be done by means of online surveys.  Where the questionnaires can include more than a type of response format so that the respondent does not get discouraged while answering the paper (Rayapudi and Usha, 2018).

The disadvantages of Online Survey

Absence of interviewer 

Online questionnaire methods may not be suitable for those types of surveys where open-ended questions are to be asked by any interviewer as there is the absence of any trained interviewer for such cases (Bell, et al.,  2018).

Inability to reach changing population

This method of the online survey questionnaire is not applicable for the people who still do not have access to internet connections. Some examples of this can be older adults or the people who stay in remote areas (Faraone, et al., 2019).

Survey Fraud

Fraud is the most significant out of all the disadvantages in online questionnaire platforms. Some people answer the questions just to take the incentives and not with the motive to contribute to the research.

Q2.

The importance of principles of wording in questionnaire design is as follows-

Target the vocabulary and grammar

For a survey of the questionnaire in a specific organization, it is recommended to use the same jargon in the questionnaire that is used in the organization. Special attention should also be given in avoiding a language that is common to the researcher but not to the respondents, those kinds of language to be avoided (Minge, et al.,  2017).

Avoid ambiguity or confusing words

It needless to emphasized how important it is to make the language of the questionnaire clear and understandable for everyone. It should be mentioned clearly in the questionnaire what the questionnaire is asking and how it wants its answer to be. For example, if a question in the questionnaire is “what is your income,” then it might confuse the respondent as it is not clearly mentioned whether it wants to know the months’ income or weekly or annually, etc. (Eyssel, et al.,  2017).

Avoid emotional language and prestige bias

Avoid loaded words that have a history of extreme situation attachment. For example- words that are to be avoided are “What should we do to murderous territories that have threatened the freedom of good citizen and children safety?”

Also, avoid prestigious remarks such as “Most doctors say that a person who is nearby to a smoker is also at risk of lung cancer. Do you agree,”? This type of question already cues the respondent to give the right answer. This statement tends to provoke” yes “from the respondent as also because people tend to trust doctors (Hennemann, et al., 2019).

Avoid leading questions as well, like “Don’t you smoke, do you” and so on.

Avoid double-barreled Questions

Avoid relating questions to different topics; a single question should preferably focus only on one topic at a time. For example “Does your company has the benefit of pension and insurance?”, in such cases if any respondents company has only one benefit out of the two then it’s unclear where the respondent should go for” yes” or “no” (James, et al.,  2016).

Don’t assume the respondents to be expert

Suppose the survey is to check that students who crack jokes have a better evaluation of teachers in the class. The investigation can go wrong if the wording is not chosen correctly. For example, the wrong way would be if it is asked: “would you rate the teacher higher if he says lots of jokes.” This assumes that the students are aware of everything that is done by them. The right way here is to ask two separate questions to the students. For example- “how would you rate the following teacher? And how many jokes does the teacher say” (Duggan, 2017)?

Avoid the questions that are behind the capability of the respondent

People usually have cognitive limitations, especially in matters of remembering past events. For example, asking questions such as “how did you feel about your younger brother when you were only six years of age.” It is pointless to ask respondents questions like that as it might don’t remember incidents at such an early age or its not a natural way for them to think.

Avoid false premise

For example, asking a question such as “what is the most important thing that can be done to stop the economy from deteriorating even more” this question points out that the economy is deteriorating to which the respondent may not agree. In such cases, it is tough for the respondent to choose an answer (Gander, et al., 2019).

Avoid asking questions in the questionnaire about the future assumption of the respondent

Hypothetical questions are often asked in the surveys, which should strictly be avoided; for example, “if a new grocery store is required to be open in the street, would you stop.”

Avoid negative questions

Negatives like “students do not require a comprehensive exam to graduate” this can be a tricky question for many respondents to process, especially when they agree with the predict, consequently disagreeing to not do something which can be confusing. Other negatives questions like “it is not a good idea of not turning homework on time,” it also yields an invalid data as people are not sure about their answers (Drews and van den Bergh, 2017).

Q3

The statement implies that every standard method of data has some sort of basis, based on which it is decided which data would be collected and from which source. It is needless to say the methods of data collection in each of these methods would be having some limitations and expectations as well. Hence it is relevant that when the multi-method of data collection is adapted, then biases may compound. Still, eventually, it helps in being more precise about the research result when all the variances are covered. In cases where a single data method issued, data would be more organized in that way, and it can also be a secure means to retrieve in comparison to the multi-method of data collection. This would compound the basis. Although combining multi-methods provides with many benefits such as more prominent results, broader and broader approach to research questionnaires, and a base of more holistic and phenomenological understanding of various topics. Multiple methods in studying a phenomenon provide a result that is more robust and relevant in comparison to a single way of study research. Researchers for compelling, satisfying answers in recent times prefer investigating and implementing multi-methods of research rather than individual methods (Evans, et al., 2016).

Thus using more than one method for data collection for the implementation or analysis of research is a well establish aspect in traditional social sciences.  The mixing of both the methods is it qualitative or quantitative leads to mixed-method research. This mixed-method research, as mentioned earlier, has become the interest in recent times as it provides the most relevant and prominent data. A journal on multi-methods of data collection method of research was published in the year 2007. There is a controversy between the multi-method and single method of data collection, where many people seem to argue that the multi-method way has become the third party of research (Drew and van den Bergh, 2017).

Whatever the combination of methods that the researcher uses to choose for data collection, two critical thoughts arises- rationale of use and different sets of data that are required to be integrated. Rationales mainly focus on validations of analysis of data. In its most standard form, rationales usually rest on assumptions of the multi methods of data collection, which allows researchers to avoid the biases and blind spots in the technique. Moreover, if each of such methods produces the similar results, then it can be addressed that the phenomenon is measured correctly. Many researchers also say there are instances where multi-methods of data collection are used to understand the different complexities of the phenomenon aspects. So it can be concluded that multi-methods of data collection helps the researchers to explore the complex experiences of a phenomenon and live realities across various dimensions so that multi-dimensional is captured with the facts (Roberts, et al., 2019).

Reference List

Roberts, C.A., Jager, G., Christiansen, P., and Kirkham, T.C., 2019. Exploring the munchies: An online survey of users’ experiences of cannabis effects on appetite and the development of a Cannabinoid Eating Experience Questionnaire. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 33(9), pp.1149-1159.

Drew, S., and van den Bergh, J.C., 2017. Scientistsâ views on economic growth and the environment: A multidisciplinary questionnaire survey—global environmental change.

Drews, S., and van den Bergh, J.C., 2017. Scientists’ views on economic growth versus the environment: A questionnaire survey among economists and non-economists. Global environmental change, 46, pp.88-103.

Evans, S.F., Payton, M., and Kennedy, T., 2016. Atypical Eating Behaviors Identified in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Aged 3 to 5 Years, Using the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire in a Caregiver-Reported Online Survey. Journal of Intellectual Disability-Diagnosis and Treatment, 4(4), pp.191-203.

Gander, P., O’Keeffe, K., Santos-Fernandez, E., Huntington, A., Walker, L., and Willis, J., 2019. Fatigue and nurses’ work patterns: An online questionnaire survey. International journal of nursing studies, 98, pp.67-74.

Duggan, M., 2017. Online harassment 2017.

James, S., Herman, J., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L. and Anafi, M.A., 2016. The report of the 2015 US transgender survey.

Hennemann, S., Bogaerts, K., Walentynowicz, M., Van den Bergh, O., Pohl, A., Gerlach, A. and Witthöft, M., 2019. Signals from the body: Validation of the German version of the Interoceptive Awareness Questionnaire (IAQ-19). In 9th World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, Date: 2019/07/17-2019/07/20, Location: Berlin, Germany.

Eyssel, J., Koehler, A., Dekker, A., Sehner, S. and Nieder, T.O., 2017. Needs and concerns of transgender individuals regarding interdisciplinary transgender healthcare: A non-clinical online survey. PLoS One, 12(8).

Minge, M., Thüring, M., Wagner, I. and Kuhr, C.V., 2017. The meCUE questionnaire: a modular tool for measuring user experience. In Advances in Ergonomics Modeling, Usability & Special Populations (pp. 115-128). Springer, Cham.

Faraone, S.V., DeSousa, N.J., Komolova, M., Sallee, F.R., Incledon, B. and Wilens, T.E., 2019. Functional Impairment in Youth With ADHD: Normative Data and Norm-Referenced Cutoff Points for the Before School Functioning Questionnaire and the Parent Rating of Evening and Morning Behavior Scale, Revised. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 81(1).

Bell, L., Golley, R.K., Mauch, C.E., Mathew, S.M. and Magarey, A.M., 2018. Validation testing of a short food‐group‐based questionnaire to assess dietary risk in preschoolers aged 3–5 years.

Rayapudi, J. and Usha, C., 2018. Knowledge, attitude and skills of dental practitioners of Puducherry on minimally invasive dentistry concepts: A questionnaire survey. Journal of conservative dentistry: JCD, 21(3), p.257.

Atkins, E., Narlawar, R., Torella, F. and Antoniou, G.A., 2017. Is the management of complex abdominal aortic aneurysms consistent across the UK? A questionnaire-based survey. International angiology: a journal of the International Union of Angiology, 36(6), pp.531-535.

Unterhofer, C., Hartmann, S., Freyschlag, C.F., Thomé, C. and Ortler, M., 2018. Severe head injury in very old patients: to treat or not to treat? Results of an online questionnaire for neurosurgeons. Neurosurgical review, 41(1), pp.183-187.