Principles of data collection
- quality of collection method
- relevant data collection method to the research problem
- this process begins during the literature review phase
Major types of data for Nursing studies
-self reports
-interviewing by using a questionnaire or interviewing
guide
-records
-direct observations of peoples behaviours
-biophysiological measures to assess important clinical
variables
Data collection requirement
-it must be objective and systematic
Objective collection
-collected data must be free of collectors influencers
Systematic collection
-collected data must be done in the same methodological way by each person involved in collection procedure
Key dimensions of data collection methods
- Structure
-highly structured form used to collect identical data
from participants
- flexible approach to collect data in a more naturalistic
way - Quantifiability
-to use stats, participants must answer the same
questions in the same way and order - Obstructiveness
-data collection methods differ in term of the degree to
which participants are aware of their status as study
participants knowledge of being in a study may cause
them to change behaviour- can affect the outcome of
study - Objectivity
- some data collection approaches require more
subjective judgement than others
Self Report
-asking people about their experiences
Techniques to collect self reports
- Unstructured qualitative self report
2. structured quantitative self report
Unstructured qualitative self report technique
- Flexibility in gathering information
- general questions asked to facilitate them telling there own story with less influence from researcher
- Qualitative uses less structured form
Types of unstructured qualitative self report
- Completely unstructured
- Focused
- Focus group
- Life histories
- Critical incident technique
Completely unstructured interviews
-usually starts the interview with broad questions, the questions get more focused as they are asked
Focused interviews
-when the researcher wants to uncover multiplt topics
Focus group interviews
-more than one person guiding through one or more topics
Life history interview
- narrative self disclosures related to life experiences
Critical incident interview technique
-method that gathers data about people’s behaviours by studying specific incidents related to investigated behaviour
Structured Quantitative self reports
- used when researcher knows what they need to know therefore more focused questions to obtain information
- data collection usually done with instruments
Instrustments of data collection
Interview schedule
-face-to-face or over the phone
Questionnaire
-on paper or completed on their own
Question Forms
- Open ended questions
- participants respond in their own words
- Closed ended questions
- choose the most appropriate answer from the list
Guide to forming questions
- make them clear and unambiguous
- avoid double barrelled questions- double meanings
- responders must be competent to answer
- responders must be willing to answer
- questions should be relevant
- short items best
- avoid biased terms
Scales
- Likert Scales
- Vignettes
Likert Scales
- most commonly used
- consists of declarative statements that express viewpoints.
- respondents choose a number that indicates their agreement or level of disagreement
Vignettes
- short stories/descriptions they are asked how will they respond in that particular situation.
- Economical
- Open ended
- based on opinions and responders accuracy therefore threatening validity
Evaluations of self report methods
-Strengths
-information can be obtained about past and future
- self report instruments can be used to measure
psychological characteristics through direct
communication
-Limitations
-Self reports may not be accurate
-participants may conceal negative characteristics or
behaviours
-responses may be biased or conform to societal
expectations
Observational Methods
- Alternative to self reports
- observation of phenomenon and of peoples behaviours in their natural setting
- prefered to collect data about physical or social settings, behaviours and events
- role of field observer an be as a full participant or range to full detached observer
