WELCOMESuvinlal A.Y.

MA ECONOMICS

Attingal govt college

University Of Kerala

Methods of investigation include survey methods of investigation, case study method of investigation, experimental

methods of investigation, scientific method of investigation

METHODS OF INVESTIGATION

SURVEY METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

• A social survey has been defined as a fact-finding study dealing chiefly with working-class poverty and with the nature and problems of the community.

PURPOSE OF SURVEYS

• * The main purpose of a survey is to provide someone with information

• *Another important purpose of survey is to explain rather than to describe

• *Survey provide information for the formulation of hypotheses

• *Social survey offers scope for the collection of primary data relating to social problems through interview schedules, questionnaires and checklists

SUBJECT MATTER OF SOCIAL SURVEYS• Moser has divided the subject matter of surveys into four classes• 1.The demographic characteristics of a set of people• it include factors such as family composition, martial status,

fertility, age, family income• 2.Their social environment• it covers all the social factors including occupation, housing

conditions, and social amenities• 3.Their social activities• it include travelling habits, expenditure patterns, television

viewing, radio listening, news paper reading• 4.Their opinion and attitudes• it include data regarding the level of information, opinion and

attitudes of the people towards various social factors

TYPES OF SURVEYS• 1.General or specific surveys• when a survey is conducted for collecting general information

without any particular object, it is known as general survey• specific surveys are conducted for a specific problem• 2.Regular and ad hoc surveys• Some surveys are regular in nature and must be repeated after

regular intervals• ad hoc surveys are undertaken mostly for testing hypotheses• 3.Govt social survey• The govt. undertakes the survey through the central statistical

organization, department of statistics and ministry planning, govt . Of India. They provide data on different sectors of the Indian economy

PLANNING A SOCIAL SURVEY• The planning of a social survey is a combination of technical and

organizational decisions. The decision regarding the following must be taken before the execution of the survey

• 1.purpose of the survey• 2.coverage• 3.collection of data• 4.errors• 5.fieldwork• 6.processing and analysis• 7.documents• 8.timing cost and staffing

PILOT SURVEYS

• A pilot survey is a small scale replica of the main survey. The pilot survey is a dress rehearsal. It enables the researcher to acquire prior knowledge about the population to be sampled. It provides training to the interviewers.

MERITS OF SURVEY METHOD

• 1.Its enables the researcher to come into direct contact with the people whom he wants to study

• 2.It provide scope for the introduction of a new theory

• 3.Surveys are conducted for business purpose• 4.Survey is meant to provide information

regarding practical problems

Limitations of survey method

• Survey method refers to study undertaken for short time

• A survey method of research requires a considerable amount of money for printing of schedules for field work, training and supervision, tabulation and analysis of data

• Most of surveys are conducted on sample basis and the informant may not become the representative of the universe.

CASE STUDY METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

• Case study is an important tool of social investigation. It has been used extensively in psychology, education, sociology, economics and political science. It has been used for tracing the evolution and growth of a social problem. In social research the term case refers to a unit of study. The unit may be a person, group of person, institution, or community. Each case is unique.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CASE STUDY METHOD

• It aims at deep and detailed study of the unit• It is a comprehensive study. It covers a wide

span of time• The number of units may vary from single unit

to a few dozen. They are not selected according to some scientific technique of sampling.

SOURCES OF DATA• In case study the information may be collected from

various sources. • life histories• Personal records• Personal documents• Personal letters• Confessions• Biographies• Interviewing individuals• observation

STEPS INVOLVED IN CASE STUDY

The varies steps in involved in a case study are as follows.

CHOICE OF CASES

The researcher has to decide with unit has to be taken for study. The

case may be general or specific. The researcher has to choose

either of the two.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE UNIT

The unit of study may be an individual or a group of persons or

an institution or a group of institutions.

Choice of cases

NUMBER OF CASES

We can obtain the results easily if the cases are few. if the results are

generalized on the basis of few number of cases the results will be

biased or wrong.

COLLECTION OF DATAThe researcher should use different techniques

and tolls to collect data about different aspects of the unit. The study of personal documents, life

histories, observations, interviews, questionnaires, schedules, a variety of tests like

intelligence tests, achievement tests and aptitude tests are certain techniques adopted in case study

for gathering data. The collected data should be recorded properly.

ANALYSIS OF FACTORS

All collected data are integrated and analyzed. The most dominant, less

dominant and neutral elements should be discriminated.

INTERPRETATION AND REPORTING OF DATA

The facts collected have to be classified and analyzed. Afterwards, the facts must be explained and interpreted. The interpretation must be in logical and convenient form.

in reporting, the researcher has to present the problem investigated, the research methods employed, the results and the conclusions arrived at as a result of the investigation.

ADVANTAGES OF CASE STUDY

1. A case study helps to probe the entire life span of a social unit in depth.

2. Case data are useful to pure research and they provide clues for further research.

3. Case study is also useful for the formulation of hypothesis which will lead to further research.

LIMITATIONS OF CASE STUDY

1. It is very difficult to draw generations after studying a few cases. The results of case study are no applicable to the universe.

2. Case study and loose and unsystematic and in capable of verification and generalization.

3. It is costly, time consuming and wistful in certain cases where the objectives are limited

THANK YOU