COMMON TOOLS USED TO COLLECT DATA BY RESEARCHERS

Instruments of data collection are the tools or means of collecting data or information during research. The quality of the instrument used determines the quality of data to be collected.

There are five basic instruments for data collection:

1. Personal observation
2. Interview
3. Questionnaire
4. Document
5. Project technique
6. Experiment

Personal observation:

This is the process of collecting data from personal observation and experience in the study area.

Interview:

This involves one-on-one interaction with respondents during research. The researcher throws up questions at respondents who answers based on their understanding of the subject or conviction on the matter being discussed.

Questionnaire:

Questionnaires is a list of well-structured questions administered to respondents. The aim of questionnaires is to know the opinion of respondents on a particular subject matter and their contributions to issues under discussion. Questionnaires can be used to collect quantitative or qualitative data or information.

Document:

This involves consulting existing written materials which contains data about a subject, for example; encyclopedia, archives, directory etc.

Project techniques:

This allows respondents to express their opinion or view about a subject under research. Project techniques are unstructured method of qualitative data collection from respondents, it is usually subjective.

Experiment:

These are data collected from the outcome or result of a lab experiment or test. It is usually conducted using independent and dependent variables. Experiment of any subject always try to compare the relationship between dependent and independent variables during research.