Development Studies·Research Techniques · NSSCO 10.1

Collecting, sampling & presenting data

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In Paper 3 you become a real investigator, and this lesson gives you the whole toolkit. We learn the five ways to collect data — questionnaires, interviews, observation, measurement and documents — and weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each. We meet the pilot study (a small trial run before the real thing), the difference between a population and a sample, and three fair sampling methods: random, stratified and systematic. Finally we present findings in bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs and sketch maps, and learn to draw sensible conclusions and recommendations — all in a Namibian setting.

What you'll learn in this lesson

By the end you should be able to (NSSCO Development Studies 10.1):

  • Name and describe different methods of collecting data: questionnaires, interviews, observation, measurement, and using documents/records
  • Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each data-collection method
  • Define the concept of a pilot study
  • Differentiate between a research population and a research sample
  • Name and describe sampling methods: random, stratified and systematic
  • Analyse and present information collected: bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs and sketch maps, and know which suits which data
  • Draw conclusions and recommendations from findings
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Collecting, sampling & presenting data · NSSCO Development Studies · namstudy