Page 81 - DMGT404 RESEARCH_METHODOLOGY

Unit 4: Sampling Design

1. Intimate the respondents in advance through a letter. This will improve the preparedness. Notes
2. Personalized questionnaire should be accompanied by a covering letter.
3. Ensure/Assure that confidentiality will be maintained
4. Questionnaire length is to be restricted

5. Increase of personal interview, I.D. card is essential to prove the bona fide.
6. Monetary incentives are gifts will act as motivator
7. Reminder/Revisits would help.
8. Send self addressed/stamped envelope to return the completed questionnaire.

4.5.5 Data Error

This occurs during the data collection, analysis of data or interpretation. Respondents sometimes
give distorted answers unintentionally for questions which are difficult, or if the question is
exceptionally long and the respondent may not have answer. Data errors can also occur depending
on the physical and social characteristics of the interviewer and the respondent. Things such as
the tone and voice can affect the responses. Therefore, we can say that the characteristics of the
interviewer can also result in data error. Also, cheating on the part of the interviewer leads to
data error. Data errors can also occur when answers to open-ended questions are being
improperly recorded.

Failure of the Interviewer to Follow Instructions

The respondent must be briefed before beginning the interview, "What is expected"? "To what
extent he should answer"? Also, the interviewer must make sure that respondent is familiar with
the subject. If these are not made clear by the interviewer, errors will occur.
Editing mistakes made by the editors in transferring the data from questionnaire to computers
are other causes for errors.
The respondent could terminate his/her participation in data gathering, because it may be felt
that the questionnaire is too long and tedious.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
14. The only way to guarantee the minimization of sampling error is to choose the appropriate
...............................

15. A ............................... is a specific list of population units, from which the sample for a study
being chosen.
16. The ............................... error can be reduced by increasing the response rate.

4.6 Sample Size Decision

1. The first factor that must be considered in estimating sample size, is the error permissible.
2. Greater the desired precision, larger will be the sample size.
3. Higher the confidence level in the estimate, the larger the sample must be. There is a trade
off between the degree of confidence and the degree of precision with a sample of fixed size.

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