Data Collection Technique

DATA does not come by itself. An empirically shall prepare a way to get what they need to address the problem in research. In general there are three data collection techniques: observation, interviews, and secondary data retrieval (documentation). Ideally all three techniques was conducted to obtain the required data in the study. At least two of the three. This exposure would like to explain in general three data collection techniques.

Observation. It can simply be described as an observation. Researchers observe certain aspects of the subject / object of research to obtain the data they need. When making observations, researchers can choose to be a part of what he observed (participatory) or make the distance with them (non-partisipasitif). While doing participant observation, researchers mingle and live together with them that he researched. The goal is to be able to look closely to understand the viewpoint of the subject / object of aspects of the investigation.

In contrast, in the non-participatory observation, the researcher is not directly involved with their daily he researched. Only come at certain times, then returned. Not continuously within a certain time hanging out with them. This approach is typically used by researchers in order perspective researchers used is not disturbed by the viewpoint of the subject / object of research. What kind of observation will be used, passed away back to the researcher.

Interviews. There are classifying the interview into two categories: structured and unstructured. In a structured interview, the researcher has made the first frame of the question. That question will be submitted to the informant. In a more structured, interviews can be presented in the format of the questionnaire. The questionnaire is a form of a written interview diberian to respondents. Items already made such questions as well as answer options. Respinden stay filled. Some authors mention this questionnaire as a separate independent techniques of interview.

The unstructured interview is an interview form that relies on the ability of researchers to develop questions to obtain what they need. Not rigid. Can jump from one topic to another, but still within the framework to enrich the context of the necessary data on aspects studied. Because of the degree of difficulty, this type of interview is not recommended for novice researchers.

Subject / object or respondent informant interviews are predefined in the sampling technique or techniques determination of informants. So not everyone can become informants or respondents. Only those who have certain requirements related to research only.

Search secondary data (documentation). There comes a time in which researchers can not find all the data they need secera directly in the field. For example, the data population. How much time and expense that would he spend doing research specifically for that purpose? Therefore, researchers can use the data already available (secondary data). Or in other occasions, when researching products or policies of media messages, researchers also quite reviewing documentation already available on what they want to know earlier.

When collecting data, researchers conducted a measurement of what they collect. Measurements can be either quantitative or qualitative. This measurement is intended to describe the data obtained. Therefore, the combination of data collection techniques are needed in order to more meaningful data obtained for analysis. The objective in order to answer the research questions. In particular the type or form of these measurements will be discussed in another article