Research INSTRUMENT

ATION
WHAT ARE RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
These are the fact finding strategies. They are the t
ools for data collection. There is no doubt that in E
ducational Research, data collection, forms an esse
ntial component of the research process. These pri
ncipally include questionnaire, interview, observati
on, reading and transcribing.
In data collection, it is important to find out which instrum
ent or tool will better serve
the purpose of the study, in order to obtain the right infor
mation that will answer the
research questions. Please note that the validity and relia
bility of any research
project depends largely on the appropriateness of such ins
truments. Whatever
procedure one uses to collect data, it must primarily be cri
tically examined to check
the extent at which it is likely to give you the expected res
ults.
Today, the use of both digital and analogue record
ers enhance data collection.
Technical gadgets such as the audio and video reco
rders, cameras, telephones,
computers, and e- mail systems have gained impor
tance as auxiliary tools and
equipment in the data collection processes. Sketch
ing in drawing is one of the
traditional artistic skills, by which fine artists, indus
trial designers and architectural
designers collect data for studio and design-based
research.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Questionnaire
• This is a data collection instrument mostly used in norma
tive surveys. This is a systematically prepared form or docu
ment with a set of questions deliberately designed to elicit
responses from respondents or research informants for the
purpose of collecting data or11information.
• It is a form of inquiry document, which contains a system
atically compiled and well organised series of questions int
ended to elicit the information which will provide insight in
to the nature of the problem under study.
Types of Questionnaire
Questionnaires may be designed as Structured (closed form) or Un
structured,
(open ended form).
Structured questionnaire
They are those in which some control or guidance is given for the a
nswer. This may
be described as closed form because the questions are basically sh
ort, requiring the
respondent to provide a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response, or checking an item
out of a list of
given responses. Questions that require yes or no answers are also
termed as
Unstructured questionnaire
This type, which is also termed as open-ended or unr
estricted type of questionnaire
calls for a free response in the respondent's own wo
rds. The respondent frames and
supplies the answer to the question raised in the qu
estionnaire. It also constitutes
questions which give the respondent an opportunity
to express his or her opinions
from a set of options. Spaces are often provided for
respondents to make their
INTERVIEW
Interviews become necessary when researchers feel the need t
o meet face-to-face with individuals to interact and generate id
eas in a discourse thatborders on mutual interest. It is an inter
action in which oral questions are posed by the interviewer to
elicit oral response from the interviewee. Specifically with rese
arch interviews, the researcher has to identify a potential sour
ce of information, and structure the interaction in a manner th
at will bring out relevant information from his respondent.
 Interviews range from formal to less formal an
d to completely informal interviews.
There are four principal types of interview: (a) t
he structured interview; (b) the unstructured in
terview; (c) the non-directive interview; and (d)
the focus interview.
Structured Interviews

The Structured Interviews are formal because, sets of q

uestions known as interview questionnaire are posed t
o each interviewee visited and the responses are recor
ded on a standardized schedule. It is therefore charact
erised as being a closed interview situation. In structur
ed interview, the interviewer follows a set pattern usu
ally adhering as much as possible to the order of questi
ons on the interview questionnaire whilst posing the q
uestions in a formal manner.
Unstructured Interview
The Unstructured Interview is the less formal type in which
although sets of questions may be used, the interviewer fre
ely modifies the sequence of questions,
changes the wording and sometimes explains them or adds
to them during theinteraction. Hence the researcher has to
be careful in order not to deviate from his focus. The atmos
phere is often casual. This is conducted in what is characteri
sed as an opened situation because there is more flexibility
and freedom in the interaction.
Non-Directive Interview

The Non-Directive Interview or the unguided giv

es excessive freedom for the
respondent to express his or her ideas subjectiv
ely and spontaneously as she
chooses or is able to. There are no set questions
in this style.
Focus Interview

Focus Interview as the name suggests, focuses on the respon

dent’s subjective
responses and experience on the subject matter to elicit mor
e information. This
method is used by researchers to render the non-directive in
terview more interviewer control with the use of verbal cues
that serve as a stimulus to inspirerespondents to volunteer
more information on the subject. As the story unfolds the
researcher can hum in approval of what the respondent sub
mits or chip in a stimulating question to encourage the flow
of the conversation.
Transcribing
Audio-visual recordings on mediums like CD's and DVD's ha
ve become major
sources of soft data which researchers rely on during data c
ollection. Other sources
include you-tube. Such soft data and those recorded from v
erbal interaction with
respondents during interviews have to be transcribed. (i.e. c
onvert the speech
sound into words as accurately as possible). This is an essen
tial tool in linguistics
where recorded speech is systematically represented in a sp
ecific language
Observation
The study of photographs, videotapes, tape recordin
gs, art objects, computer
software and films fall within this type of data collect
ion procedure. It is the
appropriate data collection instrument when there is
the need to conduct a study on
people who cannot be tested with writing instrumen
ts as in the case of infants,
autistic persons or even illiterates who cannot read o
r write. This instrument is
creative and captures attention visually
Participant Observer:
In this type of observation the researcher lives as a me
mber of the subjects of
the study while observing and keeping notes of the att
ributes of the subject that is
being researched so that he can directly experience, th
e phenomenon being
studied. Even though he is seen by the subjects of the
study, he conceals his real
identity as a researcher.
Non-Participant Observer:
In this approach the researcher does not live as a member of
the subjects of the
study. The researcher watches the subjects of his or her stud
y, with their
knowledge of his status as a researcher, but without taking
an active part in the
situation under study. This approach is sometimes criticized
on the grounds that the
very fact of their being observed may lead people to behave
indifferently, thus
invalidating the data obtained.
Reading of Documents
Although reading is more to do with literature review o
f relevant theories, it is also
an instrument for studying public documents such as n
ewspapers, minutes of
meetings and private documents such as letters, biogra
phies, diaries etc., to enable
the researcher obtain the language and words of infor
mants who may not be alive
at the time of the research.
THANK YOU