Normally this variable would be coded 1 for Muslims and 2 for Christian.
#Data analysis methods in research pdf code
Instead of requesting the word Muslim or Christian to a question that asks for identification of one’s religion, we could use the code “M” or “C.” The coding of data sacrifices some data detail, but it is necessary for efficient analysis. choice of the appropriate column or columns on the computer card that is to contain the code numbers for those variables.choice of a different number for every possible answer category and.Post-coding also allows the researcher to code multiple answers to a single variable by writing a different code number for each combination of answers given.Ĭoding, whether pre or post, is a two-part procedure involving The chief advantage of post-coding over pre-coding is that post-coding allows the coder to ascertain which answers are given by the respondent before beginning coding. The data are accessible directly from the questionnaire.Ī respondent, interviewer, field supervisor, or researcher (depending on the data collection method) can assign appropriate numerical responses on the instrument by checking or circling it in the proper coding location. Pre-coding is particularly helpful for data entry because it makes the intermediate step of completing a coding sheet unnecessary. These are primarily closed-ended questions (such as sex, religion) or questions whose answer is already a number and thus does not need to be converted (such as age, number of children). Pre-coding is necessarily limited chiefly to questions whose answer categories are known in advance. The questions answered, which we call post-coding. Numerical coding can be incorporated when the questionnaire itself is being prepared, which we call pre-coding or after the questionnaire has been administered. Coding helps the researcher to reduce several thousand replies to a few categories containing the critical information intended for the question asked.
CodingĬoding is the process of assigning numbers or other symbols to answers so that the responses can be grouped into a limited number of classes or categories. It is a rigorous job performed by central office staff. In central or in-house editing, all the questionnaires undergo thorough editing. When gaps are present from interviews, a call-back should be made rather than guessing what the respondent “would have probably said.”Ī second important task of the supervisor is to re-interview a few respondents, at least on some pre-selected questions, as a validity check. Its purpose is to identify technical omissions, check legibility, and clarify responses that are logically or conceptually inconsistent.