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conducted through personal interviews, as they allow for direct
interaction and immediate feedback. Once the initial pre-test is

◆ Testing of completed, necessary changes and improvements can be made to
instrument with few the data collection instrument based on the feedback received. In
samples the case of questionnaire, another round of pre-testing can then be
conducted using alternative methods such as mail, telephone, or
electronic means if those modes will be used in the actual survey.
This helps assess the questionnaire’s effectiveness across different
channels.
It is recommended to involve a variety of interviewers in the
pre-tests to ensure a diverse range of perspectives and to identify
any potential biases or issues related to interviewer characteristics.
The sample size for the pre-test typically ranges from 15 to 30
◆ Tested on few respondents for each wave, providing a sufficient pool of feedback
samples for analysis. The responses obtained from the pre-test should be
carefully coded and analysed. This analysis allows researchers to
evaluate the instrument’s ability to elicit the required responses
from the sample population. If the pre-test is conducted properly,
researchers can have confidence that the instrument is well-
designed and will yield reliable data that can be generalised to the
larger target population.

3.3.6 Pilot Study

A survey on a smaller scale conducted before a large scale field
study is termed as pilot survey. It is the replica of the original
◆ Survey on a smaller
scale study done on a smaller sample usually taken as 10 percent of the
intended sample size. Pilot study reveals the weaknesses, if any, of
the data collection instrument.
Uses of pilot study

◆ To pre-test the suitability of questions

◆ To generate fixed choice answers

◆ To avoid unforeseen problems during the large survey

◆ To provide experience and confidence to the interviewer

136 SGOU - SLM -MCom Research Methodology