What do you mean by data processing?

Data processing is the conversion of data into usable and desired form. This conversion or
“processing” is carried out using a predefined sequence of operations either manually or
automatically. Most of the processing is done by using computers and thus done automatically. The
output or “processed” data can be obtained in various forms. Example of these forms include image,
graph, table, vector file, audio, charts or any other desired format. The form obtained depends on
the software or method of data processing used. When done itself it is referred to as automatic data
processing. With the proper processing of data, more and more information can be sorted. This help
in getting a clearer view of matter and have a better understanding of it. This can lead to better
productivity and more profits for the various business fields.

SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION:

SECONDARY DATA:
Secondary data means data that are already available, i.e. data that have been collected and
analyzed by someone else. It is the source that matters regarding collection of secondary data.
Secondary data may be either published data or unpublished data.
Usually Published data are available in-

1. Various publications of central, state and local govts.

2. Various publications of foreign govts or of international bodies & their subsidiary

3. Journals (National or International)

4. Books, magazines & newspapers

5. Reports or publications of various associations

6. Reports prepared by research scholars, universities, industry, etc.

7. Public records, statistical reports, etc.

8. Websites also.

The researcher must see that the secondary data collected are having following characteristics
Reliability of data; Suitability of data; Adequacy of data

PRIMARY DATA:

The primary data are those, which are collected afresh and for the first time. Usually, collection of
primary data is costly & more time-consuming than secondary data but it serves a specific need and
control biases. There are several methods of collecting primary data, like-

A). Observation Method: Observation method of information gathering is used by monitoring

B). Interview Method: is a qualitative method of data collection whose results are based on intensive
engagement with respondents about a particular study. Usually, interviews are used in order to
collect in-depth responses from the professionals being interviewed. Interview can be structured
(formal), semi-structured or unstructured (informal). In essence, an interview method of data
collection can be conducted through face-to-face meeting with the interviewee(s) or through
telephone.

C). Questionnaire Method: Questionnaires constitute the, most prevalent method of information
collection among the communication methods used. Both structured and unstructured
questionnaire are in use in research. A questionnaire is a standardized format of data collection. It
is normally used when the data is collected from a large population about their awareness,
attitudes, opinions, past and present behavior. The respondents may be asked questions without
any formal questionnaire or with a pre-planned properly framed questionnaire. There could be a
number of variations in the use of questionnaire method of data collection. They could vary in terms
of its `format' and also in terms of the way it is `administered'.

STEPS OF MAKING A QUESTIONNAIRE:

Step 1- Preliminary decision: Assess what information will be sought after a thorough scanning of
secondary sources of data. Determine the target respondent.

Step 2 - Decide on the type of questionnaire and method of administration.

Step 3- Evaluation of question content. Before including a question in the schedule, examine
whether:
1. This question is really essential.
2. The respondent can understand the question. (i.e. is it too technical, ambiguous, or advanced for
the target respondent?)
3. The respondent can answer the question. (Say, the respondents possess sufficient knowledge. As
such, it is better not to ask too much of factual data or about past history.)
4. The respondent will answer the question. Specially, if it invades into one's privacy or it requires
too much effort to answer, then they usually refuse to cooperate.

Step 4. Check question phrasing. For Example: Do words have ambiguity in meaning? Are there any
implied alternatives in the question Are there some assumptions to be made to answer the
question'?

Step 5. Determine form of response to each question. The response format may be open or closed
ended. In general, the type of response format will depend on the objective of the research, nature
of data to be collected and analysis to be performed.

Step 6. Determine sequence of questions. Use simple and interesting opening questions. Design
branching questions with care. Put the questions in logical manner. Ask for classificatory data at the
end.

Step 7. Assess the physical layout of the questionnaire. Naturally, the questionnaire must be printed
properly; put in elegant form and facilitate handling.
Step 8. Pre-test the questionnaire. The questionnaire should be pre-tested on a small number of
respondents to identify the likely problems and to eliminate them. Each and every dimension of the
questionnaire should be pre-tested. The sample respondents should be similar to the target
respondents of the survey. It is normal practice to pretest a questionnaire on a small number of
target respondents. The pretest is done to assess both individual questions and their sequence of
response pattern. Accordingly, a researcher must revise questions which cause problems.

Step 9. Finalize the questionnaire- Check the final draft questionnaire. Ask yourself how much will
the information obtained from each question contribute to the study. Make sure that irrelevant
questions are not asked. Obtain feedback of the respondents on the questionnaire.

D). Schedule Method: Schedule is the tool or instrument used to collect data from the respondents
while   interview is conducted. Schedule contains questions, statements (on which opinions are
elicited) and blank spaces/tables for filling up the respondents. The features of schedules are :

 The schedule is presented by the interviewer. The questions are asked and the answers are
noted down by him.

 The list of questions is a more formal document, it need not be attractive.

 The schedule can be used in a very narrow sphere of social research.

The main purposes of schedule are three-fold:

1. To provide a standardized tool for observation or interview in order to attain objectivity,

2. To act as memory tickler i.e., the schedule keeps the memory of the interviewer/ observer
refreshed and keeps him reminded of the different aspects that are to be particularly
observed, and

3. To facilitate the work of tabulation and analysis.

CODING:

Coding in market research is the process of taking open-ended comments and categorizing them to
allow for data analysis. Many telephone surveys and online surveys include at least a few open-
ended questions. An open-ended question is when a respondent is questioned and can answer
through an open text box. Open-ended questions add considerable length to a telephone and online
survey so be careful to not overuse them. At the same time open-ended questions can provide your
business with a lot of depth and detail on particular topics. Outside of what you would normally
receive through closed-ended choice-based responses (single response, multiple response, 1 to 5
scales, etc.)
Coding in market research is a valuable process and necessary for reporting. It allows respondents to
express their thoughts and opinions through their own words. In addition to the rich and insightful
open-ended responses, coding allows you to quantify the feedback into charts and graphs for your
report. Drive Research, a market research firm in Syracuse NY, follows a structured and proven
process to coding. We encourage open-ended questions in all of our online and telephone surveys
because of the dual-benefits it offers for interpretation. Questions about survey design or coding.
PRESENTATION OF DATA:

A marketing research presentation is the sharing of the results from a market research. Most of the
time, it's a visual presentation. If you look around, you just might find one around you. If you look at
either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store and sort the apps by what's most popular, then
you're looking at the results of a market research. It's a simple presentation, but you understand it,
and it helps you decide which apps to download. To be useful and understood is the main purpose of
a good marketing research presentation.

If you will be presenting your marketing research to the managers of your company, you'll need to
include certain things in your presentation. You need an executive summary that talks about why
the marketing research was done, key results, what the results mean, and what actions the
management needs to do.

After the summary, you'll need the graphs and charts you created to support your results. You don't
have to include every single chart or graph you have. You only need to include the ones that directly
support the results you're focusing on. It's a good idea to bring physical hard copies of the visuals
you present so people in the meeting can follow along.

To conclude, talk about the conclusions you have reached from analysing your collected data. Most
of the time, market research is performed so as to know what actions need to be taken to increase
business or sales. So, in addition to presenting your conclusions, also present what you and the
business will do with this information.