In this lecture we will discuss the various methods used by researchers to collect data. As such, these methods are not unique to population research. Population researchers use all those methods which are developed and used by anybody in social research.

SURVEY

Population surveys produce objective data from a sample of respondents on biographic details of the respondents, concepts of health, knowledge and misconceptions, attitudes and beliefs, practices, fertility, mortality, migration, health seeking behaviour, and affordability of treatment, etc. To conduct a survey one has to define:

• Purpose of the study

• Specific objectives of the study

• Hypotheses

• Sampling methodology

• Interview schedules, i.e., exact questions to be asked in the interviews with fixed wordings and order

• Field operations

• Analysis plan

• Interview schedules, i.e., exact questions to be asked in the interviews with fixed wordings and order

• The structure of the report

Since it is not always possible to collect data from the entire universe, researchers have to depend on sampling. They are, however, aware that the results of the sampling survey are subject to sampling fluctuations. Therefore, along with means, proportions and other advanced statistics such as regression coefficients, estimates of standard error and confidence interval of these statistics should also be given. This tells them how reliable their statistical findings are.