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Information from Local Source or Correspondents: Meaning, Suitability, Merits, and Demerits

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Data is the collection of measurements and facts and a tool that helps an individual or a group of individuals reach a sound conclusion by providing them with some information. It helps the analyst understand, analyze, and interpret different socio-economic problems like unemployment, poverty, inflation, etc. Besides understanding the issues, it also helps in determining the reasons behind the problem to find possible solutions for them. Data not only includes theoretical information but some numerical facts too that can support the information. The collection of data is the first step of the statistical investigation and can be gathered through two different sources, namely, primary sources and secondary sources. Primary Data can be collected through different methods like Direct Personal Investigation, Indirect Oral Investigation, Telephonic Interviews, Information from Local Sources or Correspondents, etc. 

What is Information from Local Sources or Correspondents?

It is a method of collecting primary data under which the investigator appoints local persons or correspondents at different places. These correspondents collect information in their own way and provide it to the investigator.

Suitability

Information from Local Sources or Correspondents is suitable in the following cases:

  1. When regular and continuous information is needed.
  2. When the information is to be used by magazines, radio, journals, etc.
  3. When the area of investigation is large.
  4. When a very high degree of accuracy of information is not needed.

Merits of Information from Local Sources or Correspondents:

Various advantages of Information from Local Sources or Correspondents are as follows:

1. Wide Coverage:

The method of information from local sources allows the investigator with a fairly wide coverage of investigation.

2. Economical:

In terms of time, money, and effort involved, this method is quite economical.

3. Continuity:

The correspondents keep on supplying almost regular information to the investigator.

4. Suitable for Special Purpose:

The method of collecting information from local sources is suitable for some special purpose investigation. For example, price quotations from the different pulses market to construct Index Number of pulse prices.

Demerits of  Information from Local Sources or Correspondents:

Various disadvantages of Information from Local Sources or Correspondents are as follows:

1. Lack of Uniformity:

Uniformity of data lacks in this method because a large number of correspondents collect data for the investigation.

2. Loss of Originality:

As there is no personal contact with the respondents, there is no originality in the collected data.

3. Personal Bias:

As the correspondents collect the data and pass on the information to the investigator, the chances of personal biases are higher.

4. Less Accurate:

The data collected for investigation under this method is not that accurate.

5. Delay in Collection:

As this method is time-consuming, there is a delay in the collection of information.


Last Updated : 06 Apr, 2023
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