Collecting data

1. Pilot Survey

What is a pilot survey?

A pilot survey is a strategy used to test the questionnaire using a smaller sample compared to the planned sample size. In this phase of conducting a survey, the questionnaire is administered to a percentage of the total sample population, or in more informal cases just to a convenience sample.

What are the advantages of a pilot survey?

  • To test methodology / find out if any problems / check sample size

  • Opportunity to change methodology / make improvements

  • Gain confidence in doing fieldwork / practice / gain experience

2. Sampling

What is sampling?

A process used in statistical analysis in which a predetermined number of observations will be taken from a larger population. The methodology used to sample from a larger population will depend on the type of analysis being performed, but will include simple random sampling, systematic sampling and observational sampling. The sample should be a representation of the general population.

(http://www.answers.com/topic/sampling#ixzz1Kbez4NBm)

Why sample?

It is impossible and unnecessary for you to interview all the tourists you see or spend too much time in Chinatown to collect your data. Sampling allows you to complete your research faster and at a lower cost. A good sample allows you an accurate investigation of Chinatown in a feasible and practical way without having to study the whole Chinatown.

How to sample?

a) Avoid bias when designing the sampling frame and time

b) Choose a representative sample across different ages, gender and any other relevant factors.

c) Avoid very small sample sizes (50-200 is an ideal and manageable size)

Types of Sampling

  • Random sampling - respondent selected based on a random number table ( you can use this formula in excel =INT(50*RAND())+1 in which 50 is the sample size and you can change the number to any other sample size).

      • Advantage - Each member of the population has an equal and known chance of being selected and avoids bias. This can be used for large population.

    • Disadvantage -When there are very large populations, it is often difficult or impossible to identify every member of the population, so the pool of available subjects becomes biased.

    • Systematic sampling - After the required sample size has been calculated, every Nth respondent is selected from a list of population members. The respondent can be regularly numbered, for example every 10th person.

      • Its advantage over the random sampling technique is that it is more straight forward and simple.

      • The disadvantages are that it is more biased, as not all members or points have an equal chance of being selected and that it may therefore lead to over or under representation of a particular pattern

  • Stratified sampling is commonly used probability method that is superior to random sampling because it reduces sampling error. A stratum is a subset of the population that share at least one common characteristic. Examples of stratums might be males and females, or managers and non-managers. The relevant stratums and their actual representation in the population is first identified. Random sampling is then used to select a sufficient number of subjects from each stratum. "Sufficient" refers to a sample size large enough for us to be reasonably confident that the stratum represents the population. Stratified sampling is often used when one or more of the stratums in the population have a low incidence relative to the other stratums..The population can be divided into known groups, and each group sampled using a systematic approach. The number sampled in each group should be in proportion to its known size in the parent population. For example: the make-up of different social groups in the population of a town can be obtained, and then the number of questionnaires carried out in different parts of the town can be stratified in line with this information. A systematic approach can still be used by asking every fifth person.

    • The advantages are :

      • It can be used with random or systematic sampling.

      • If the proportions of the sub-sets are known, it can generate results which are more representative of the whole population

        • Correlations and comparisons can be made between sub-sets

      • The disadvantages of stratified sampling are:

        • The proportions of the sub-sets must be known and accurate if it is to work properly

        • It can be hard to stratify questionnaire data collection as accurate up to date population data may not be available and it may be hard to identify people's age or social background effectively

Source: http://changingminds.org/explanations/research/sampling/choosing_sampling.htm

3. Interview

What is an Interview?

Interviews are a set of questions used to obtain first-hand data on people’s views and information about themselves. The purpose of conducting the interviews is to gather information on their profile (e.g. their country of origin) and to enquire their reasons for coming to a tourist destination. From the interviews conducted, you can even find out if these tourists think that Chinatown is a tourist destination (after visiting it)!

You will learn that designing a good interview questionnaire entails the following:

· Purpose: What are you supposed to investigate?

· Choice of questions:

o How do the questions relate to your investigation?

o What kinds of questions (e.g. open-ended, closed, ranking and scale) are useful to your investigation?

o How many questions should you include in your interview?

How do you initiate an Interview in the field?

Steps to take:

· Identify the potential respondent according to the sampling method you have decided on.

· Approach the potential respondent politely.

· Introduce yourself and explain the purpose of your interview (tip: it is also useful to inform them of the estimated duration of the interview).

o If the tourist declines, thank him/her anyway.

· Request for their permission to carry out the interview with them.

· During the interview, note the responses on your interview questionnaire. Stay objective and avoid passing comments about the response.

· When unsure of the response, ask questions to clarify or repeat.

· Thank the respondent for his/her time after the interview is completed.

Advantages of open questions:

    • Allows interviewers to clarify or ask for further elaboration from the interviewees

Disadvantages of open questions:

  • However it is time-consuming, esp. interviewees have to answer open-ended questions

  • Not easy to collate or analyse qualitative data

4. Landuse Survey

What is a Landuse Survey?

A landuse survey is carried out to collect data on the type and distribution of land use in an area. It is usually carried out along a specified line, e.g. a street. In this case, the purpose of the survey is to determine the type and variety of goods and services that can be found and are available for tourists in Chinatown.

For example, when walking down Pagoda Street, you will observe that there are different goods and services found in various shops. Starting at one end of the street, you might find an electronic shop, followed by a souvenir shop and so on. Such land use will have to be recorded on paper.

How do you get started on a Landuse Survey?

Steps to take:

· On a blank sheet of paper, mark out the main street that you have been assigned.

· From the starting point (which should be at one end of the assigned street), start walking down and observing the different land uses on the ground floor or the second floor of the shophouses.

· Use boxes to represent the shophouses along the assigned street.

· Label the different land uses observed in the respective boxes.

· Repeat this process until you reach the other end of the street.

When this is completed, you have come up with a landuse map of the street. Back in class, you should refine the map by neatening the illustrations and adding labels or short notes to provide further information about the landuse.

5. Observation and Perception Survey

What are Observation Studies?

You can observe and take a photograph of the area. Photographs provide accurate record of part of the environment we are at. They allow us to identify key features of the area and help us observe the relationships between these features.

For example, you can gather data on services that are specially catering to tourists in Chinatown to help them get around and understand the place. These services can be in the form of pamphlet stands, signboards and directional signs. (Later, these photographs may be used to illustrate the landuse map.)

What is the use of Digital Photographs?

Digital photographs are quick and convenient method of data collection to capture visual evidence so that you can process it later when you return to school. It is very important to remember that the photographs you take should match the purpose of your investigation.

What is a Perception Survey?

A perception survey is a data collection method which is carried out to investigate your views on the quality of the built environment in this case. To collect such data, a survey using pairs of opposite words to talk about the environment is used. By showing the two extreme ends of each pair (e.g. high versus low), you (or the respondent) can then choose the most suitable option.

Perception survey can be used for example to determine the quality of the built environment in Chinatown. How well-kept a place is has influence on the experience of the visitors. Therefore, it will be meaningful to investigate how the built environment in Chinatown has positive, negative or mixed effect on tourists’ experience.

Advantages:

  • Easy to collate quantitative results by adding up both the positive and negative scores to assess the impacts of tourism.

Disadvantages:

  • As this is a perception survey, there is degree of biasness which may not give an accurate or reliable results.

  • Difficult to derive a conclusion if too many choose a neutral response.