Category: Data Collection

Cover Letter Sample for Questionnaire

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The President

Western College
Cabanatuan City

Dear Mr. President:

The Senate Committee on Education with the assistance of well-known educators and researchers is undertaking a comprehensive survey of universities and colleges for the purpose of assessing and defining the role of higher education in the process of national development.  We consider your cooperation in this undertaking to be very valuable.  Specifically, the study aims, among other things, (a) to gain insight into the quality and quantity of major educational inputs, (b) to assess the contribution of higher education, and (c) to explore possibility for alternative directions, planning and possible legislation for the improvement of and support for higher education in the country to make it more relevant to national need and development.

The study covers two major areas; namely, (1) survey of educational institutions, and (2) follow-up study of graduates or alumni.  The attached questionnaire is designed to elicit the information needed for the study of educational institutions. We shall send other questionnaires to complete our study of educational institutions.

We wish to assure you that all information obtained in this study will be kept in strict confidence.  The identity of the institution will not be revealed in any way as the report will only deal with aggregates.  As much as possible, please do not leave any item in the questionnaire blank.

No total in-depth study in higher education has so far been completed.  It is our experience that the reason for this is that questionnaire sent are not answered and returned on time.  The return of this questionnaire in three weeks is therefore earnestly requested.

Thank you.

Dr. Mercedes de Leon
Chairman
Senate Committee on Education

Data Collection Methods

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There must always be data that should be collected, organized, analyzed, and interpreted in any research undertaking.  No research activity can be succeeded without necessary data so the data collection is important phase of the research process.

According to Frederick Lamson Whitney, data are the things we think with.   They are the raw materials of reflection, until by comparison, combination, and evaluation they are stepped up to higher levels of generalization, where again they serve as basic materials for higher and higher thinking.

Data can be classified in different ways.  It may be objective or subjective.  They may be quantitative or qualitative  They may be attributes or variables..  Data may also be classified according to the methods or types of research that the researcher may use.  It can also classify as primary or secondary or as raw or derived.

There are methods or techniques used to collection data namely: the questionnaire, observation, the interview, psychological tests and library technique. The researcher must choose the most appropriate method or technique that is suitable and most useful to his/her research projects.