In the process of carrying out a primary study, researchers would plan to collect primary data which is mostly by survey/questionnaires from research participants. However, researchers would require ethical committee approval. This process is sometimes tedious, time wasting, and even frustrating which sometimes see to the early abandonment of the research project. Furthermore, secondary data could also be useful in carrying out some research work depending on the type and scope of work. Laying hands on secondary data might also pose some challenges.
Q: How have you done your work requiring primary data collection? What are possible hindrances and how could this be solved?
Data collection involving individual persons, including a group or a concrete community, must have clear authorization. Thematic research mobilizing personal data must also have authorization. The ethical evaluation of scientific research requesting personal data or involving personal questions must be approved and protected by academic or research institutions. This is not a bureaucratic process, but rather key protection of research integrity and quality.
No research can be done without encountering some challenges. On my side, the ones that I usually face include getting the necessary approvals which I tackle through ensuring sufficient time to get them all. Another challenge is acquiring relevant and up-to-date resources which I handle through collaboration, library loans, and the blessings of the Internet. In fact, I agree with most of the challenges discussed in the following.
Elite Research. (2021). What are some data collection challenges and how do you overcome them (1)? Elite Research Statistical Consulting - Elite Research, LLC: Statistical Consulting and Editing Services. https://eliteresearch.com/what-are-some-data-collection-challenges-and-how-do-you-overcome-them-1
Best,
Ivo Carneiro de Sousa and Mohialdeen Alotumi Thank you very much for your invaluable contributions. Mohialdeen Alotumi Regarding "... blessings of the Internet." I would like to know if there are some suggestions that you can offer here. The link that you included is also appreciated! Well done!
Shaker A.N. Al-Jadaan and Humberto Costa Thank you very much for your continued support. Well done!
Muhammad Aledeh, I appreciate that some aspects relating to the conduct of research can be, well, time-consuming and a bit tedious. Coming at the issue from a different perspective, however, I think it's important to realize that, without some of those aspects, undesirable research practices could flourish, research quality can be very low, and suspicions about the ethics and competence of the researchers can validly be raised. Maybe it's just best to put up with the pain of applying for ethics clearance for the general benefits that accrue to research by having ethics committees.
With regard to ethics clearance, some universities have possibilities for streamlined applications. For example, if a particular piece of proposed research does not raise any important ethical concerns, it is possible to bypass whole swathes of their ethics application forms.
I think that ethics committees should be constructive and facilitate good research, not stand in the way of it. Apart from that, and for what it's worth, I have been on an ethics committee in which I felt that some fellow committee members behaved quite unethically . . .
Primary / original research data collection is always challenging.
Robert Trevethan Thank you very much for your invaluable contribution.
I conducted online interviews and focus group discussions. I found the instruments convenient especially during COVID-19 pandemic because I was able to conduct the interviews at the scheduled time and within the budgeted finances. On the flip side, there was a problem with the internet connection almost among almost all the participants. This rendered some parts of the audios inaudible thus affecting the quality of transcriptions. Again, moderating the focus groups was also a challenge because some participants would prefer to speak for slightly longer periods of time than the allocated time.
One way of solving the internet connection is to ensure that during the pilot study the participants are asked to have a good gadget with fewer technical problems. Training the participants on the use of the online platform and a bit of etiquette could minimize some problems experienced during the data collection exercise. Also, the interviewer or the moderator needs to prepare oneself and acquaint oneself with the entire process beforehand. Such preparations would, at least, ensure that the interviews and focus group discussions yield information with a sufficient level of reliability and validity.
The difficult part is when the respondents have no intentions to provide feedback about the transcripted the qualitative data
Для первичного исследования могут быть использованы: наблюдение, глубинные интервью, фокус-группы, телефонные и компьютерные опросы.
Препятствия: недостаточная подготовленность исследователя для работы с респондентами; проблемы налаживания коммуникации; очень большие анкеты или другие опросники; нечеткость сформулированных вопросов; неэтичное поведение; отказ участвовать в исследовании; неискренность ответов
Из моего опыта: Обязательными условиями проведения были: четкое понимание целей и задач исследования; выбор целевой группы; разработка методики сбора данных с учетом задач исследования, специфики целевой группы, возможных условий сбора информации; выбор экспериментальной площадки для сбора данных (если это в учреждении - подписание договоров); утверждение методики на ученом совете.
Alex Kakungi Thank you very much for your insightful contribution here. Well done!
Tetіana Alieksieienko Thank you very much for this insightful contribution here. Although your contribution came in a language that I have no knowledge about, I have used the Google Translator to get a closer translation of your text. Thank God for intelligent tools such as Google Translator.
Tetіana Alieksieienko Please permit me to post the Google Translation here:
"For primary research can be used: observation, in-depth interviews, focus groups, telephone and computer interviews.
Obstacles: insufficient preparedness of the researcher to work with respondents; communication problems; very large questionnaires or other questionnaires; ambiguity of the formulated questions; unethical behavior; refusal to participate in research; insincerity of answers
From my experience: Mandatory conditions for conducting were: a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the study; selection of the target group; development of a methodology for collecting data, taking into account the objectives of the study, the specifics of the target group, possible conditions for collecting information; selection of an experimental site for collecting data (if it is in an institution - signing contracts); approval of the methodology at the academic council" (Alieksieienko, 2021).
Tetіana Alieksieienko and Robert Trevethan have mentioned "unethical behaviours of some ethic committee members here and this a very interesting theme posing possible hinderance to accessing required research data. Might that be that it is quite not uncommon for researchers to find it difficult to receive approval for studies of e.g., cross-sectional or the likes?
Primary data can be collected in a number of ways. However, the most common techniques are self-administered surveys, interviews, field observation, and experiments. Primary data collection is quite expensive and time consuming compared to secondary data collection.
I need to give you an overview about my doctoral research to outline the challenges and ethical considerations. I started doing my fieldwork during the pre-covid period and had no idea what was awaiting. I had to interview caregivers attending to chronically ill older patients in home-care settings. Firstly, conducting fieldwork a d doing primary data collection in the private sphere of home is not without its conundrum. You feel like you are invading someone's personal space and people are waiting for departure! Secondly, talking with the caregivers in the presence of the family they are working for leads to dealing with surveillance and at times you feel the caregivers could not ventilate their labour scenario in an authentic and carefree manner. It felt censored and their responses were calculated rather than spontaneous. Thirdly, there emerged the ethical question of talking with the older patients given the veracity of their illness and lastly conducting research with the older adults during covid-19 posed all kinds of ethical and health related conundrums. To sum up, challenges in primary data collection is governed by the collective variables of 'field', 'methods', whether the theme is 'data saturated', whether the theme is sensitive or traumatic for the respondents, 'temporality' and also the personal attributes of the researcher.
The collection of primary data is the most important stage in experimental scientific work. It requires special care, composure, meticulous consideration of all conditions of the experiment. The main thing is that the researcher is fluent in the techniques of observation, comparison, measurement, questioning, as well as methods of analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization, classification. Another feature of experimental scientific work at the present stage is the correct use of the methods of mathematical statistics.
Tetіana Alieksieienko Thank you very much for your contribution. Кhrystova Tеtіana Кhristovaya T.E. Христова Thank you very much for your contribution here. Sayendri Panchadhyayi Your contribution is much appreciated, thank you very much. Faraed Salman Thank you very much for your contribution.
Thank Мухаммад Аледе@ for your positive feedback on my answer to the question posed and recommendations
Dear RG members,
Someone here has been targeting my profile for reasons only best known to that particular person in question.
I am using this opportunity to thank everyone for their sincere and authentic support and collaboration to date. However, I will henceforth focus on my academic and professional activities and gradually disengage from RG discussions here.
Best wishes,
Muhammad Aledeh
