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Q1. Which of the following is an example of primary data?
Answer: B — Primary data is collected first-hand by the researcher through direct enquiry; options A, C, and D are secondary data already published by other sources.
Q2. Which statement correctly distinguishes primary and secondary data?
Answer: C — This is the correct definition: primary data is original first-hand collection, while secondary data is already processed by someone else; option B reverses the definitions.
Q3. What is a variable in statistics?
Answer: B — A variable is any quantity that varies across observations; for example, food grain production (Y) varies across years (X).
Q4. A researcher wants to study the average monthly income of farmers in a district with 50,000 farms. Which approach would be MORE practical?
Answer: B — A sample survey is practical, faster, and cheaper than a census of all 50,000 farms while still providing reliable results; option A is too costly and time-consuming.
Q5. Which of the following is a problem with a LEADING QUESTION?
Answer: B — A leading question suggests a desired answer (e.g., 'How do you like this high-quality tea?'), influencing respondents to answer in that direction rather than expressing true opinion.
Q6. Which questionnaire design principle is CORRECTLY applied?
Answer: B — Correct questionnaire design arranges questions from general to specific to build comfort; options A, C, and D violate questionnaire design principles.
Q7. A poor questionnaire asks: 'Do you spend a lot of money on books every month?' Which revision BEST improves this question?
Answer: B — Option B removes ambiguity by providing clear, measurable categories instead of vague terms like 'a lot'; it prevents misinterpretation and is easy to analyse.
Q8. Which is NOT a correct statement about closed-ended questions?
Answer: C — Closed-ended questions may miss true responses if the actual answer is not among the given options; options A, B, and D correctly describe closed-ended questions.
Q9. According to the material, India's food grain production was 108 million tonnes in 1970–71 and rose to 272 million tonnes in 2016–17. In this data, which of the following is correctly identified? (i) Year (X) is a variable (ii) Production (Y) is a variable (iii) Each production value (e.g., 108) is an observation (iv) Variables are represented by numbers only, never letters
Answer: B — Both year and production are variables (they change), and each value is an observation; statement (iv) is false because variables are represented by letters like X and Y.
Q10. A researcher collects data by directly interviewing 300 farmers about their annual income. Later, an economist uses this same data from the researcher's published report. For the researcher, this data is PRIMARY, but for the economist, it is SECONDARY because:
Answer: B — Data is primary to the source that collects it first and secondary to anyone else who uses the already-processed data from a published source; the same data changes status based on who is using it and when.
What is primary data?
Data collected directly by the researcher through first-hand enquiry or survey.
What is secondary data?
Data already collected, processed, and published by another agency or source.
Define a variable in statistics.
A characteristic or quantity that changes or varies from observation to observation.
What is an observation?
A single value or measurement of a variable in a dataset.
What is a questionnaire?
A set of carefully designed questions used to collect data from respondents in a survey.
Distinguish between closed-ended and open-ended questions.
Closed-ended questions offer fixed options (yes/no or multiple choice); open-ended questions allow respondents to write their own answer.
Why should a questionnaire avoid double negatives?
Double negatives (like 'Don't you think...') confuse respondents and can bias answers.
What is a leading question and why is it problematic?
A leading question hints at the expected answer, biasing the respondent's response instead of capturing true opinion.
Name three sources of secondary data in India.
Government reports, census documents, newspapers, books by economists, and official websites like RBI or Ministry of Statistics.
Why is a questionnaire arranged from general to specific questions?
This order makes respondents comfortable by starting easy, building rapport before asking sensitive or detailed questions.
Define primary data and secondary data with one example each from the Indian economic context. [2 marks]
Primary = first-hand collection by researcher (e.g., survey of farmers about crop yield); Secondary = already published by others (e.g., RBI inflation data or census reports).
A researcher wants to design a questionnaire to study the awareness of government agricultural schemes among rural farmers in Maharashtra. Identify and correct THREE common questionnaire design errors shown below: (i) 'Don't you think government schemes are helpful?' (ii) 'How much do you earn annually?' (iii) 'Would you prefer job training or subsidy assistance?' (shows alternatives) Explain why each error must be corrected and rewrite the improved versions. [5 marks]
Error (i) = double negative (bias); Error (ii) = vague with no options (ambiguous); Error (iii) = leading with pre-set alternatives; rewrite using simple language, offer realistic response categories, and avoid bias-inducing phrasing.
Discuss the practical advantages and limitations of using a SAMPLE SURVEY instead of a CENSUS for studying the income and employment patterns of 2 lakh workers in India. Use relevant examples and explain when a researcher might choose one over the other. [6 marks]
Sample Survey: cheaper, faster, practical for large populations but has sampling error and may not capture all subgroups; Census: complete and accurate but very costly and time-consuming; justify choice based on research objective, budget, and time constraints with Indian economic example (e.g., Labour Force Survey vs Population Census).
Q1. Assertion (A):
Primary data collected through surveys is always more accurate than secondary data obtained from published government reports.
Reason (R):
Secondary data have already been processed and scrutinized by government agencies before publication.
Answer: D — A is false but R is true — Both statements are false. Primary data accuracy depends on survey design quality, not on being primary. Secondary data can be highly accurate, and the reason provided does not validate the assertion—processing doesn't necessarily reduce accuracy. The relationship between accuracy and data type is more nuanced than stated.
Q2. Assertion (A):
A questionnaire should move from general to specific questions.
Reason (R):
This sequence ensures the respondent feels comfortable and is able to answer subsequent questions more clearly.
Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why this principle is important. Starting with general questions builds rapport and context, making respondents comfortable for progressively specific questions that may require detailed information.
Q3. Assertion (A):
The use of 'Any other' option in multiple-choice questions is unnecessary because all possible responses can be anticipated.
Reason (R):
All respondents can be forced to select from a fixed set of predetermined options without limitation.
Answer: D — A is false but R is true — Both are false. 'Any other' is necessary because researchers cannot anticipate all possible responses. Option B from the chapter explicitly states it allows respondents to provide unanticipated responses. Forcing respondents into predetermined categories without flexibility reduces data quality.
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Case Study:
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) of India conducted a survey to estimate average household expenditure across urban and rural areas. Instead of surveying all 300 million Indian households (census), they selected 50,000 representative households randomly. The enumerators used a standardized questionnaire asking about food, healthcare, education, and transportation expenses. The questionnaire used closed-ended questions with predetermined expense ranges (e.g., 'How much do you spend on food per month?' with options: Rs 2,000–5,000, Rs 5,000–10,000, etc.). After collection, the data were processed, tabulated, and published in an official government report titled 'Household Consumption in India.'
Q1. Is the data collected by NSSO enumerators directly from the 50,000 households classified as primary or secondary data?
Answer: B
Q2. If a researcher in 2025 uses the NSSO's published household expenditure report for analyzing consumption patterns, what type of data does this researcher use?
Answer: C
Q3. The NSSO used a questionnaire with predetermined expense ranges instead of asking open-ended questions like 'How much do you spend on food?' Why is this approach more efficient?
Answer: B
Q4. Why did NSSO select 50,000 households instead of surveying all 300 million households in India?
Answer: D
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