Successful Data Gathering: Interviews, Questionnaires, and Observations, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Programming Languages

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DATA

GATHERING

Aims

◉ Discuss how to plan and run a successful data

gathering program.

◉ Enable you to plan and run an interview.

◉ Enable you to design a simple questionnaire.

◉ Enable you to plan and carry out an observation.

Five key issues

Triangulation

• Look at data from more than one perspective
• Collect more than one type of data, eg qualitative from experiments and qualitative from interviews

Pilot studies

• Small trial of main study

Data recording

◉ Notes, audio, video, photographs can be used

individually or in combination:

◉ Notes plus photographs ◉ Audio plus photographs ◉ Video

◉ Different challenges and advantages with each

combination

Interviews

• Unstructured - are not directed by a script. Rich but not replicable.
• Structured - are tightly scripted, often like a questionnaire. Replicable but may lack richness.
• Semi-structured - guided by a script but interesting issues can be explored in more depth. Can provide a good balance between richness and replicability.
• Focus groups – a group interview

Interview questions

• Avoid:

− Long questions − Compound sentences - split them into two − Jargon and language that the interviewee may not understand − Leading questions that make assumptions e.g.. why do you like …? − Unconscious biases e.g.. gender stereotypes

Running the interview

◉ INTRODUCTION

Introduce yourself, explain the goals of the interview, reassure about the ethical issues, ask to record, present the informed consent form.

◉ WARM-UP Make first questions easy and non-threatening.

◉ MAIN BODY Present questions in a logical order

◉ A COOL-OFF PERIOD Include a few easy questions to defuse tension at the end

◉ CLOSURE Thank interviewee, signal the end, eg. switch recorder off.

Questionnaires

◉ Questions can be closed or open

◉ Closed questions are easier to analyze, and may be distributed and analyzed by computer

◉ Can be administered to large populations

◉ Disseminated by paper, email and the web

◉ Sampling can be a problem when the size of a population is unknown as is common online evaluation

Questionnaire design

• The impact of a question can be influenced by question order.
• You may need different versions of the questionnaire for different

populations.

• Provide clear instructions on how to complete the questionnaire.
• Strike a balance between using white space and keeping the questionnaire

compact.

• Avoid very long questionnaires
• Decide on whether phrases will all be positive, all negative or mixed.

Encouraging a good response

• Make sure purpose of study is clear
• Promise anonymity
• Ensure questionnaire is well designed
• Offer a short version for those who do not have time to complete a long

questionnaire

• If mailed, include a stamped addressed envelope
• Follow-up with emails, phone calls, letters
• Provide an incentive
• 40% response rate is good, 20% is often acceptable

Advantages Of Online

Questionnaires

• Relatively easy and quick to distribute
• Responses are usually received quickly
• No copying and postage costs
• Data can be collected in database for analysis
• Time required for data analysis is reduced
• Errors can be corrected easily

Problems With Online

Questionnaires

• Sampling is problematic if population size is unknown
• Preventing individuals from responding more than once can be a problem
• Individuals have also been known to change questions in email questionnaires

Observation

Direct observation in the field

• Structuring frameworks
• Degree of participation (insider or outsider)
• Ethnography

Direct observation in controlled environments