13/05/2026
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION:
01 Observation Method:
Researchers watch and record behavior or events as they happen in real life without interfering.Example: A city planner sits at a busy intersection to count how many cyclists use the bike lane versus the sidewalk to decide if the lane needs to be widened.
02 Interview Method: A direct, one-on-one conversation where the researcher asks questions to get detailed personal perspectives.Example: A hiring manager talks to a job candidate about their past work experiences and how they handled specific workplace challenges.
03 Questionnaires: A set of written questions sent to many people to gather consistent data that is easy to turn into statistics.Example: A restaurant prints a feedback form on the back of receipts asking customers to rate their food quality and speed of service from 1 to 10.
04 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs): A guided discussion with a small group of people to see how they debate a topic or influence each other's opinions.Example: A software company brings 8 gamers together to discuss what features they want in a new console and records how they react to each other’s ideas.
05 Photography and Video: Using visual media to capture "proof" or context that words might miss, often used to document living conditions or specific processes.Example: An NGO takes photos of a village's water source before and after installing a filtration system to show the visible change in water clarity.
06 Case Studies and Stories of Change: Following a specific person, group, or event over time to tell a detailed "story" of how a specific intervention or situation changed their lives.Example: A bank writes a report following one small business owner over three years to show exactly how a specific micro-loan helped them grow from a street stall to a permanent shop.
07 Other Methods: A "catch-all" for less common techniques, such as collecting physical samples, checking private diaries, or using social media analytics.Example: A biologist takes water samples from a local river to test for chemical runoff from nearby factories.