Statistical Instruments

When we talk aboutmethodwe refer to a set ofproceduressystematic to achieve

thedevelopmentof onescienceNow, when we break down ourresearchwe proposetechniquesregarding
how to collectdatahow to measure the data,coding, validity and the different instruments
ofmeasurementsuch as:the interview, thequestionnaire, theobservation, thesurvey.
The experiment, among other things, takes into account the reliability of these instruments, which is nothing else.
what is the degree to which its repeated application to the same subject or object produces the same results without leaving
others. Their possible variations before unreliable instruments.
Next, we present a well-defined development that will allow us to know each one of
themethodsto collect information
HOW TO COLLECT DATA?
Once we select thedesignappropriate research and theshowsuitable according to
our study problem ishypothesisthe next stage consists of collecting relevant data on
thevariablesinvolved inthe research.
Collecting data involves three closely related activities:
a. Select a measurement instrument from those available in the study ofbehavioro
develop one (the data collection instrument). This instrument must be valid and reliable,
otherwise we cannot rely on their results.

b. Apply that measuring instrument. That is to say, obtain the observations and measurements of the
variables that are ofinterestfor our study (measuring variables).

c. Prepare the obtained measurements so that they can be analyzed correctly (this activity is referred to as
data encoding)

MEASUREMENT SCALES
Every problem ofscientific researcheven the most abstract implies in some way a task of measurement
of the concepts involved in it. Because if we deal with objects such as a plant species or a
human behavior we will be forced either to describe its characteristics or to relate them
with others with which they may be connected: in any case we will have to use certain variables -
size, type of flower, seed, or the variables that define the study behavior - and we will have to
find thevaluewhat they assume in the studied case. This is what it consists of, from a logical standpoint
more generally, the task of measuring.

QUESTIONNAIRE

It is the method that uses a printed instrument or form, intended to obtain responses.
about the problem under study and that the invested or consulted fills out by themselves. The questionnaire
it can be applied to groups or individuals in the presence of the researcher or the person in charge of
collect the information, or it can be sent by email to the selected recipients in the
sample.

Due to its management, problems related to quantity may arise.

data quality that is intended to obtain for the study. Some problems associated with the submission
of the questionnaires could be: that it was not returned; the respondents may evade the
response to some question or not giving the necessary importance to the provided answers.
Therefore, and other factors, the instrument used for data collection must be
an object of careful craftsmanship.
 Some advantages of the questionnaire are: its relatively low cost, its ability to
provide information about a larger number of people in a fairly short period of time and the
ease of obtaining, quantifying, analyzing, and interpreting data.

Within the limitations of this method are the following: it is somewhat flexible, the
information cannot vary or be deepened, if the questionnaire is sent by mail it runs the
risk that it does not reach the recipient or that no response is obtained from the respondents; moreover,
it is difficult to obtain a high completion rate of the questionnaire. Due to that possible loss of
it is recommended that when using this method a larger sample of subjects is used
study.

In general, in the data collection process for research, these methods and
instruments and sources often combine; each with its advantages and disadvantages, its
own characteristics and the information required provide flexibility for the researcher
determine its appropriate use according to the study to be conducted.

SURVEYS
The survey design is exclusive to the social sciences and is based on the premise that if we want to know
Something about people's behavior, the best, the most direct and simple, is to ask them.
directly to them. Therefore, it is about requesting information from agroupsocially significant of
people about the problems under study and then, through a quantitative analysis, draw the conclusions.
conclusions that correspond to the collected data.
The main advantages that have helped to spread survey design are the following:
1. Onknowledgefrom reality is primary, unmediated, and therefore less deceptive. When attending
directly to the people (to the social actors) to understand their situation,conductin your opinion, we
we guard against a multiplicity of distortions and protect ourselves from interpretations that
they can be highly tinted with subjectivity.

2. How is it possible to group the data in the form of statistical tables makes it more accessible.
measurement of the variables under study. In this way, a series of operating variables can be quantified.
with them more accurately, allowing the use of correlations and other mathematical resources; it
thus overcomes one of the basic difficulties of social research, which is its limited rigor and the high
possibility of errors due to a poorly accurate treatment of the phenomena.

3. The survey is a relatively economical and quick working method. If one has a team
with conveniently trained interviewers and coders, it becomes easy to quickly reach a
a multitude of people and obtain a large amount of data in a short timetime. Hiscost, for the cases
simple, it is significantly low.

In recent years, after the relative preceding abuse, most researchers have understood
that this design results from the value for a certain type of problems, but that, in other cases, a ...
a series of serious inconveniences that diminish its validity as a design. The most common disadvantages that are attributed to it
they have recognized are:
1. The survey collects the view that people have of themselves; it cannot be doubted that this is
always oneimagesingular and very subjective, and that, for some topics, can be deliberately
false and imprecise. What people do, feel, or believe is not the same as what they themselves
they say they do, believe or feel. There are some resources to reduce the magnitude of this serious
problem, including among others: omitting some questions that we know most people do not want or do not
can answer truthfully, look for indirect ways of corroboration, pay careful attentionattentiona
the presentationpersonalof the interviewer, etc. Despite these work techniques, it is impossible to eliminate
completely the phenomenon previously mentioned, for which the researcher will have to take into account,
moment to make the analysis, the limitations that it entails.
2. The survey does not recount social facts from the perspective of its actors; it can, in this
meaning, to reach a certain depth and systematicity, but it proves to be poorly suited to recognize
social relationships whether interpersonal or institutional.

3. The survey design is basically static. It tends, in itself, to provide a kind of

snapshot of a certain problem, but it does not indicate its trends towards variation and
even less its possible structural changes. This characteristic significantly reduces
oneffectivenesspredictive, except for fairly simple phenomena.

4. The processing of information is statistical, which implies grouping all the responses.
giving each one equal relative weight. This can be very democratic and useful in certain cases, but
almost never corresponds to the reality of social facts, where theleadershipand the asymmetry of the
social positions generally with the norm.

The interview
It is thecommunicationestablished between the researcher and the subject being studied in order to obtain answers
verbal responses to the questions raised about the proposed problem.
It is estimated that this method is more effective than the questionnaire, as it allows for obtaining more information.
complete
However, by using this type of interview, the researcher has limitedfreedomto ask questions
independents generated by theinteractionpersonal.
Some advantages of this type of interview are:
The information is easier to process, simplifying the comparative analysis.

The interviewer does not need to be trained extensively in the technique.

There is uniformity in the type of information obtained.

But it also has disadvantages, such as:

It is difficult to obtain confidential information.

It limits the possibility of delving into a topic that emerges during the interview.

The unstructured interview is more flexible and open, although the research objectives govern the
Questions, their content, order, depth, and formulation are entirely in the hands of the interviewer.
While the researcher, based on the problem, objectives, and variables, formulates the questions in advance.
to conduct the interview, change the order, the way of guiding the questions or their formulation to
adapt them to the diverse situations and particular characteristics of the subjects of study.
This type of interview is very useful in descriptive studies and in the exploratory phases for the design of
data collection instrument.
The advantages of this method are:
It is adaptable and susceptible to being applied to [Link] subjects in diverse situations

Allows for a deeper exploration of topics of interest

Guide potential hypothesesthesisand variables when exploring new areas.

Among the disadvantages, it is mentioned:

More time is needed.

It is more expensive because of theinvestmentoftimewith the interviewers

 The data tabulation becomes difficult

A lot of technical skill is required to obtain the information and greaterknowledgeof the topic

Census

It was called, indescriptive statistics, to the count of individuals that make up

onepopulationdefined as a set of reference elements on which it
they make the observations.

Sometimes it is possible and practical to examine each person or element of the population we wish to.
describe. We call this a complete numbering or census. We use sampling when it is not possible.
count or measure all elements of the population.
If it is possible to list (or enumerate) and observe each element of the population, censuses are rarely used.
because often its compilation is quite difficult, takes a lot of time so it becomes too
expensive.