Statistical

enquiry
A search conducted statistical quantitative
by using methods to collect information.

statistical
enquiry means statistical
investigation . The person who could

Sources of data

Internal External

Internal
Data
Sources of Data
internal
Primary Secondary
>
generated which is the information
-

> Data available in the organisation about sales , production interest etc
-

,
.
,

>
Data compiled for future
-

use .

External Source of Data

>
-

Data collected from other organisations and institutions .

Obtained from
secondary
>
primary
-

or source .

1) Primary Source
of data
Primary source refers to collection of data from its source

o It offers first hand information

origin .

quantitative .

ii)
Secondary source

It refers to
obtaining the relevant information from an institution which

possesses such information.

Primary Data
Data collected by investigator for his own purpose , for
the first time
. These data
are collected from the primary source of
origin .

Secondary data
Data which is
already in existance . These are collected from the secondary source These .

can be obtained from a

published sources such
port
as ,
reports newspapers or from
,

any other sources such as websites, etc.

Primarythe Data for Data which

Secondar
y
Data

Meaning
Data collected
by investigator are
already in existence, and
his own
purpose , for the first time . collected for some other
purpose
.

source These collected from These collected from

are
primary
source . are
secondary source .
 Lost

Originality I These

money
These
from
are

and
are

the
costlier
efforts

original
source of
as
in

origin
terms of
.
involved
these
.
are
time
,

collected these
I These

money

in
are

are

existence .
time
not
cheaper
and

original
efforts

as
in

these
terms

involved
.

are
of

already

Methods of collection of
Primary Data

1) Direct personal
investigation
the
Data collected
by the investigator or
by the informants by having direct contact with
informants .

Merits

Accuracy fairly accurate collected

>
Data collected by this method information is from
-

is as

of data
primary source .

Originality first hand information ,

>
provides original data collected
.
-
-

It so are

collected
Reliability Since information
personally collected
by the investigator data is
>
- -

is
,

reliable
·

Demerits
Lostly This method
costly in terms of time and efforts involved
.
>
is
-

money
-

Personal Bias-the data lose

credability and reliability investigator .
biased
>
-

can is the is

Difficult to his method can field of

only be used when
>
vast limited
.
study enquiry is
-

areas
-

2) Indirect Oral
investigation
Obtained from people who expected
orally to possess the information.
are
necessary
Merits
>
wide This field of
covers used when
large
-

areas be is
can
enquiry .
-

Simple This method of data collection and

simple
>
-
-
is convinient
> Cost effective Since it saves labour, time and it is less expensive than
money
-
-

Direct
personal investigation.
Demerits
>
-

Lack of As the information is not obtained from the partly directly concerned
,
accuracy
-

there of not true

is a
posibility getting information
.

Personal bias-There of information evidences

> is
possibility being biased various
-

a as

obtained be exaggerated by the witness .

may
>
-

Doubtfull conclusions -
The conclusions
may be
doubtful due to carelessness or lack of

information with the witness .

3) Information From Local sources or

correspondents.
Local persons or correspondents are
appointed in different parts of the areas

to be and present
investigated. They collect information it to the
investigator .

Merits
> Wide It wide under
coverage investigation
-
-
can cover a area .

and efforts
Inexpensive This comparatively cheaper terms of
> method is in time involved
.
-

money
-

>
Regular Information
Local and correspondents supply regular information .
-

sources
Demerits
Lack of Since the method and results, the
Accuracy gives rough
>
approximate
-
-

data collected are not accurate

.
very
data not obtained due lack of contact with
> No
originality Original is to personal
- -

respondants
.
>
-

Biased -
The data collected from correspondant may suffer from personal biasness of the

correspondent.

4) Information
through Questionnaries and schedules

The data collected

questionnaire keeping in mind objective of
is
by prepairing a the study
.
There are two
ways
of
collecting the data through questionnaire :

A)
Mailing Method

In this method a
questionnare according to the objective of
study is mailed to the informants
with to and return them within time limit
a
request answer a
given .

Merits
> Economical This not expensive method than personal
is an as
mailing costs less
- -

visits .

>
-

Wide Large fields can be studied in this method

.
coverage
-

> Free from bias-This method free from bias information informants
givenby
-

is as is

themselves .
Demerits
> Lack of interest The informants fail send back the it
questionnaire may send
to
-

or
-

may
incomplete.
>
-

Limited use -
this method can be put to use
only when informants are educated
.
>
Lack of Informents understand the questions .
Accuracy not
-

may properly
-

B) Enumerators Method
A questionnaire prepared according to the objective of study is take to the informants
trained enumerators.
by
Merits
> Wide It wide
coverage cover area
-

can a .
-

>
-

Accurate and reliable -

Accurate and reliable answers can be obtained because of

personal contact between informants and enumerators.

>
-

Personal contact -
the method allows personal contact between the enumerator and

the informant .

Demerits
Since method skilled enumerators, it
Costly this involves
>

very expensive
-

-
is .

method also of time .

This
costly
>
time is terms
consuming
-
-
in

>
-

Biased-This method is not free from the bias of enumerators .

5) Telephonic Interviews

questions the telephone

Investigator asks over .

Merits
Economical This method terms of time and
involves
relatively lower cost in efforts
>
-

.
-

>
-

Wide Since telephone interviews be conducted in shorter time, enquiry be

coverage
-

can can

conducted over a
large area
.

this method the

High response rate high respondents
>
ensure response rate where
-
-
are

reluctant to answer certain questions in personal interview

.

Demerits
>
-

Limited Use -

respondants
If do not own
telephones this,
method would be less useless.
>
Biased If
investigator is biased , there is possibility of
influencing respondents
-

a
-

Methods of Collection of
1) Published sources
Secondary Data

a) Govt ·

publications Gort organisations and departments of central and state

-
.

govt .

publish current information along with statistical facts on different topics.

It is a reliable source of Information
.

b) collect
Journals and newspapers Journals and newspapers regularly and
-

publish data on various topics.

1) Annual reports of Joint stock
company
-

These are useful for

procuring statistical
data .

They are published by companies annually

d) Semi-Gort . institutions -

Municipalities and metropolitan Councils publish information . The

of data
source is reliable and
fairly used
.

2) Unpublished Sources
Data collected by research scholars
,
universities, trade institutions but not published
.

Such data office

is
generally for self use or .
record