Research Methodology

Research Methodology

Unit IV

Editing:- The raw data is likely to contain a no. of errors during the process of recording the information in surveys. By means of editing one tries to eliminate the errors or remove the points of confusion, if any.

For proper analysis & interpretation, it is necessary that the collected data are present, readable & accurate in the desired form i.e., data collected has no missing values, all entries are readable or all information is accurate. This introduces errors in collected information, which are to rectified before further analysis.

Editing comprises inspecting, correcting & mo0difying the raw data to ensure that information available is correctly, adequately & relevantly.

Stages of Editing:- The editing may be done in two stages:

Field Editing:- The field editing is done immediately after collection of data because the interviewer then have a fresh memory about the lapses & wrong statements of answers. The preliminary editing should be done by a field supervisor.

Office Editing:- The office editing is done after the field editing. This implies a complete & thorough scrutiny of questionnaire. There should be expert editors in the office to evaluate & examine the completed returns of the respondents. The incorrect answers may also be verified by observation. When the answers are given in an ambiguous manner, serious efforts are made to rectify & complete them by consulting another questionnaire.

Factors to be considered while Editing:-

Fictitious Interviews:- the interviewer may complete himself the questionnaire without contacting the respondent. Sometimes poor quality of interviewing & poor quality responses are the main cause of errors in raw data.

Responses not legible:- if the interviewer or the respondent’s handwriting is bad then the recorded information may not be legible in some cases. The larger the no. of open-ended questions, the more prominent will be the problem of stops or illegible responses.

“Don’t...