data collection methods

Chapter 9 is a good reference if you are planning a survey, you need to describe the type of survey you plan to conduct: self-administered, telephone, face-to-face, or Internet. Whichever you choose, there will be numerous logistical details to spell out in the proposal. How will you deal with non-respondents, for example? Will you have a follow-up mailing in a self-administered questionnaire, follow-up calls in a telephone survey, and so forth. In the case of interview surveys, it will be appropriate to say something about the way youll select and train the interviewers. You should also say something about the time frame within which the survey will be conducted.
Chapter 10 laid out a large number of possibilities for conducting field research. You should indicate the kind of study you plan to do. Will you be the sole observer in the study? If not, how will you select and train the other observers? Will you be a participant in the events youre observing and, if so, will you identify yourself as a researcher to the people being observed? You might indicate how these choices may affect what you observe. You may need to describe your note-taking plans if that task is likely to be difficult (for instance, as a participant not identified as a researcher). If you will be conducting in-depth interviews, you should include an outline of the topics to be covered in those interviews. Comment on your proposed schedule.
Chapter 11 provided an overview of three major types of unobtrusive measures: content analysis, existing statistics, and historical/comparative. For this assignment you will want to identify which method and orientation you plan to use (qualitative or quantitative). You will need to describe the data you will use and anything special about your access to the data. Whether you are studying newspaper editorials, infant mortality rates, or accounts of political revolutions, you will likely face potential problems of validity and reliability. Make note of any approximations you plan to make.
You are only required to use one of these methods, but you are not limited to only one.
This assignment should be 1-2 pages, double-spaced, and be written in APA format.
This assignment should include the following:
An APA formatted cover page, including a running head and page number.
You may or may not include your Introduction, Literature Review, Specifics of the Problem and Research Design in this assignment. Some people prefer to build on what they have and others prefer to keep the sections separate until compiling them. Only the Data Collection Methods will be graded and commented on.
You will use a main heading for this section Data Collection Methods where you will identify the type of method you will be utilizing to gather your datas. In addition, you should have sub-headings that are specific to your method choice.
APA Reference page for any cited information in this section. This section is not required to have cited information in it, but if it does, provide a reference page.
This assignment will be graded based on the following criteria:
Quality of content including the ability to summarize the intent of your data collection, ability to communicate your method of collection, and provide detailed specifics that would allow replication. (20 points)
Quality of writing and mechanics such as thesis statement, organization, grammar and spelling. (10 points)
APA formatting that includes the cover page, margins, font, page numbers, in-text citations, and references. (10 points)

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