Electronic Data Collection

Abstract

Electronic data collection techniques have spread their influence throughout research and have come into their own as hardware costs have reduced significantly, computer ownership proliferated, low-cost, high-powered laptop computers have become available and software has become increasingly user-friendly. The range of devices and systems in current use includes:

• Computer-aided telephone interviewing systems (CATI)

• Computer-aided personal interviewing systems (CAPI)

• Computer-aided self-administered interviewing systems (CASI)

• Disk-based questionnaires

• Optically read questionnaires

• Automated voice questionnaires

• EPOS systems

• Electronic meters

• ‘Smart’ credit and bank cards

• Voting systems

• Video conference focus groups

• High-tech observation techniques