Economics Project Viva Prep Notes
🔑 Main Concept: Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to study, analyze, and make decisions.
In Economics, without data, we can’t know facts like unemployment rate, literacy rate, or how much
people spend.
There are two types of data:
1. Primary Data → First-hand, fresh data
• Collected directly by the researcher.
• Merits: Accurate, reliable, and specific to the study.
• Demerits: Expensive and time-consuming.
• Example: Surveying students about their hobbies.
👉 Teacher may ask:
Q: Why is primary data reliable?
A: Because it is collected directly by the researcher for the exact purpose.
2. Secondary Data → Already collected by others
• Collected earlier for some other purpose, reused now.
• Merits: Saves time and money, easily available.
• Demerits: May be outdated or not match exactly.
• Example: Census reports, newspapers, RBI data.
👉 Teacher may ask:
Q: Why is secondary data cheaper?
A: Because it’s already collected by someone else and available in published sources.
📋 Methods of Collecting Primary Data
There are 6 methods (easy to remember):
1. Direct Personal Investigation – Researcher meets people directly.
2. Very accurate, but costly.
3. Eg: Teacher asking students their hobbies.
4. Indirect/Oral Investigation – Information from experts, not actual respondents.
5. Saves time, but depends on honesty of informants.
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6. Eg: Asking parents about children’s study time.
7. Information from Correspondents – Agents give regular data from different places.
8. Covers wide areas, but accuracy depends on correspondents.
9. Eg: News reporters sending news.
10. Telephonic Interview – Data via phone calls.
11. Quick and cheap, but answers are short.
12. Eg: Company calling customers for feedback.
13. Mailed Questionnaire – Printed/online questions sent to people.
14. Covers wide area at low cost.
15. But low response rate.
16. Eg: Google Forms.
17. Questionnaire filled by Enumerator – Trained person asks and records answers.
18. Good for illiterates, more reliable.
19. But costly and depends on enumerator’s skill.
20. Eg: Government census.
👉 Teacher may ask:
Q: Which method is best for illiterate people?
A: Enumerator method, because the staff fills answers for them.
📝 Questionnaire
• A list of questions prepared to collect data.
• Commonly used in surveys.
Merits: Cheap, wide coverage, less bias, convenient.
Demerits: Low response, misunderstanding, not for illiterates, incomplete answers.
Precautions: Keep it short, simple, logical, avoid personal Qs, and give clear instructions.
👉 Teacher may ask:
Q: Why should questions be simple in a questionnaire?
A: So that everyone understands and answers correctly.
🎯 Conclusion (main takeaway for viva)
• Data is the backbone of economics.
• Two types: Primary (first-hand) and Secondary (already collected).
• 6 methods of primary data collection, each with pros and cons.
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• Questionnaire is an important tool but needs care in preparation.
Situational Question Practice
🌟 1. Primary Data
1. Your school wants to know how many students use the library regularly. Which type of data
should be collected?
👉 Answer: Primary data, because it is fresh information collected directly from students.
2. A company is testing a new energy drink by giving free samples and recording feedback. What
kind of data are they collecting?
👉 Answer: Primary data, since the feedback is firsthand from consumers.
3. You want to know the sleeping habits of your classmates. Will you depend on old reports or
conduct a new survey?
👉 Answer: Conduct a new survey (primary data) because habits can change over time.
🌟 2. Secondary Data
1. If you are studying India’s population growth since 1950, will you conduct a new survey or use
census reports?
👉 Answer: Census reports, which are secondary data.
2. A student wants to know how many factories were set up in India during 2010–2020. Where
should he look?
👉 Answer: Government publications or websites (secondary data).
3. You are researching literacy rates of different states. Is it better to ask people directly or check
official records?
👉 Answer: Check official census reports, since it’s secondary data and already compiled.
🌟 3. Methods of Primary Data Collection
1. A newspaper wants daily updates about rainfall in different cities. Which method should they
use?
👉 Answer: Information from correspondents.
2. A company wants quick feedback on its new mobile app from users in many cities without
spending much money. Which method is best?
👉 Answer: Telephonic interview or online questionnaire.
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3. The government wants to collect information about the number of people in every household,
including those who cannot read or write. Which method is suitable?
👉 Answer: Enumerator method, where trained staff fill answers for respondents.
🌟 4. Questionnaire
1. A school sends Google Forms to students to get feedback on online classes. What tool is being
used?
👉 Answer: A questionnaire.
2. If some students ignore the Google Form or leave questions blank, which drawback of
questionnaire does this show?
👉 Answer: Low response rate and incomplete answers.
3. If a survey form has very long and confusing questions, what precaution is missing?
👉 Answer: Questions should be short, simple, and clear.
🌟 5. Conclusion Type
1. Why is data collection considered the backbone of economics?
👉 Answer: Because without data, no analysis, comparisons, or decisions can be made.
2. If a researcher uses wrong methods of collecting data, what will happen to their results?
👉 Answer: Results will be inaccurate and unreliable.
3. Why is choosing the right method of data collection important?
👉 Answer: Because the reliability of the study depends on it.
