Survey Versus Interviews: Comparing Data Collection Tools for Exploratory Research

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to offer a comparison between survey and face to face interviews as tools for data collection in qualitative exploratory research. This study aims at encouraging new researchers to experiment with different data collection tools and then select the one that fits best to the research. Memos documented during data collection served as the basis for analysis. The memos were analyzed using a systematic three-step coding process to identify the challenges and benefits of using each of the two data collection tools. Using content analysis of the memos and field notes that were documented during the research, the author compares the challenges and benefits of each methodology for the selected case study. Interviews, when followed systematically, offer a useful alternative to surveys for exploratory research. This study can be extended to compare other research methodologies as well as further data collection tools.