TECHNICAL WRITING

[UWB 20302]
Data Collection

Mdm Siti Aisyah binti Akiah

English Language Teacher
Faculty of Science, Technology and Human Development

What is Data
Collection?
Data are valuable pieces of
information collected in a study.
Data Collection a process of
collecting data from different sources
2 categories of data:
Primary
Secondary

1. Primary Data
Come from your own investigation
More difficult & more expensive to get
The data is unique to you and your
research
Can be obtained from one or a
combination of the instruments: questionnaires, interviews, observations, tests
or experiments, portfolios, events, diaries,
focus group interviews, case studies, etc

2. Secondary Data
Data which has been done by
someone else
Come from reading what other
people have experienced or written
It might have same or different
purposes from yours

Researching for
Secondary Data

Nearly every research project should begin

with a search of secondary data.
Examples of different sources of secondary
data:-

Books - Journals
Periodicals - Newspapers
CD-rom databases- DVDs
CD-books
- Microfiche / microfilms
Non-confidential government documents
Electronic resources
(e.g e-journal, websites, online material)

Using Secondary Data in

Research Report
The ideas and the works from secondary
sources are not yours!
To use other peoples ideas or works,
you have to acknowledge or note the
details of the materials to be included in
the bibliography at the end of the report
by:
Quoting, or
paraphrasing the statements

Quoting
repeat or copy out (a passage from a
text or speech by another)
e.g.
- If teachers think their teaching is at
unsatisfactory level, they have to find
other way to deliver the lesson (Lim et
al., 1990: 5)

Paraphrasing
express the meaning of (something)
using different words, especially to
achieve greater clarity
e.g.
- According to Azizi (2005),
- A study conducted by Sinnadurai (2003)
presented a finding

Collecting Primary Data

Instrument 1
Observation
Done because people perform their
everyday activities in their own unique
ways
These activities can be documented
or obtained through observation

Instrument 1 Observation
(Cont)
E.g. what are the activities that civil
engineering students do during Technical
Writing class?
Through observation, a researcher will get
firsthand information of the respondents
actions performed and see their patterns of
behaviour.
May also strengthen the data collected
through other methods.

Instrument 1 Observation
(Cont)
If you want to use observation as
your primary data collection
technique, prepare an observation
guide sheet.
Identify specifically: what you hope to observe
the duration of the observation
ample space for other things that might
be encountered

Observation No: ____

Date: _____ Time: ____

Location: _______
Duration: _______

Activities of Civil Engineering Students during Technical

Writing Class
Doodling: ____
Listening to lecture: ____
Sleeping: ____
Talking to each other: ____
Daydreaming: ____ Completing assignment: ____
Notes:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Observed by: __________

Collecting Primary Data

Instrument 3 Interview
Two-way communication which
permits an exchange of ideas and
information
Conversation carried out with definite
purposes of obtaining specific
information

Instrument 3 Interview
(Contd)
- Usually on topics related to the
respondents beliefs & feelings which
can be achieved from the mouth of
the individuals
- Types of Interview:
- Structured
- Semi-Structured
- Unstructured

Structured Interview
Based on a carefully worded interview
schedule
Frequently require short answers with
the answers being ticked off.
Useful when there are a lot of
questions which are not particularly
contentious or thought provoking
Respondent may become irritated by
having to give over-simplified answers

Example of Structured
Interview Questions
1.

What causes prisoners to return to crime after they're released?

1a. (Probe, when subject completes initial response) Anything
else?

2.

(If multiple causes mentioned) Which of these would you say is

the major cause of prisoners' returning to crime?

3.

How do you know that this is the cause?

3a. (Probe, if necessary) Just to be sure I understand, can you
explain exactly how this shows that this is the cause?

4.

If you were trying to convince someone else that your view [that
this is the cause] is right, what evidence [verbal emphasis]
would you give to try to convince the person?
4a. (Probe, if necessary) Can you be very specific, and tell me
some particular facts you could mention to try convince the
person?

Semi-Structured
Interview
The interview is focused by asking certain
questions but with scope for the respondent
to express him or herself at length
the situation where the respondent is given
the time to talk about their opinions
more flexible compared to a structured
interview as it is not as formalized and does
not have very limited questions
the interviewer generally has a framework
of themes to be explored

Example of Semi-Structured
Interview Questions
Could you please tell me briefly what you relate to the
term thrust if you think of your professional practice?
Can you tell me what the essential and the decisive
features of trust between client and counselor?
Will they be able to trust each other?
Do you feel more responsible for a client if you see that
they trust you?

Unstructured Interview
a method of interview where questions can be
changed to meet the respondent's intelligence,
understanding or belief
they are not limited, pre-set range of answers for
a respondent, but instead depends on how
much the individual responds to the question
The method to gather information using this
technique is fairly limited

Example of Unstructured
Interview Questions
How did these students prior academic
experiences prepare them for the writing
demands of their candidature?
What problems did these students
encounter in meeting these demands during
the first six months of their candidature?
What strategies did these students use to
overcome these problems?

Collecting Primary Data

Instrument 2 Questionnaire
- A systematic compilation of questions that
are distributed to an identified group of
people from which information is needed.
- People who answer your questions are
known as respondents
- There are both pros and cons in applying
questionnaire in your study