Advantages and disadvantages of survey data collection methods

Data Collection for Research The research and data collection process are vital to any research study truly seeking to analyze empirical evidence in an impartial way. There are a number of different methods to employ to achieve this objective, each of which has their own advantages and disadvantages. The primary benefit of conducting in person surveys is the personal aspect involved in this methodology. Researchers are able to look participants in their eyes, clarify any points of ambiguity, and contextualize responses and answers via non-verbal communication (body language). However, there are physical constraints to the amount of participants for this type of research, which can be physically demanding. The main advantage of conducting surveys via the telephone is that they are a remote means of researchers getting a personal feel for their subjects—and their subjects’ responses to the survey questions. This method is interactive as in-person surveys are, and allows researchers to directly communicate with their subjects. However, the former surveys are not as personal as in-person surveys are. Drawbacks to this approach include limitations to the amount of surveys which can be conducted—which are circumscribed by physical constraints, phone bill plans, and the ability to actually get a participant on the line. Computer-based surveys are perhaps the most efficient of the type of survey instruments discussed within this paper. Because electronic communication via the internet is so quick, accessible, and popular, this method probably allows researchers to solicit the most feedback from subjects. Using any number of online channels such as social media, email, or other more typical methods, they can reach a vast number of respondents fairly quickly. The principal weakness of this approach is that it is extremely impersonal. Depending on which platform is used to complete the survey, participants might not even take some of the questions seriously. Moreover, it is difficult for researchers to tell who the people answering the questions really are. Focus group surveys are advantageous because they provide a forum in which people can speak in a communal fashion about a particular area of research. The advantage is that topics of relevance which the researcher might not have anticipated could possibly arise from these impromptu discussions guided by researchers. Another strength is that respondents may choose to talk more about a particular issue because they hear something from someone else which truly resonates with them. The disadvantage is that some people might feel the need to conform to the group’s sentiment, which could preclude the researcher from gaining valuable data available in less populated settings. Sampling is an extremely valuable component of the research process. It enables researchers to ensure that they get a section of the population that can truly inform their research study. Without effective sampling methods, researchers may only get a certain section of the population that is uniform, homogenous, or which may taint the data collected with “standard error estimates” (McNeish and Stapleton, 2016, p. 295) or in some other way. Thus, sampling is an invaluable prerequisite to the research process. In this respect it is the first step to ensuring that the data collected is worthy, and can rightfully inform the research study as a whole. The sampling method must be calculated in advance to attain data that can truly provide empirically relevant evidence. One of the most important types of reliability and validity for criminal justice is foundational reliability and validity. These are especially vital when using forensic evidence, which may include DNA testing (Innocence Project, 2017). Another important category is procedural validity and reliability, which is applicable to all disciplines including criminal justice research. Criminal justice research also requires internal validity and reliability. It is important to ensure that data collection methods and instruments are reliable as well as valid.