PR1

• Data


  Information like facts or numbers, collected and examined and considered for use to help decision-making
• Research Data


  Any information that has been collected, observed, generated or created to validate original research findings
• Data Collection


  The act of collecting data for research
• Data Gathering Instrument


  The instrument or "tools" used to gather data
• Common data collection methods

  • Interview
  • Observation
  • Questionnaire
  • Document Collection
• Interview


  A data collection method where the researcher asks respondents about a specific topic
• Types of interviews


  • Unstructured
  • Structured
  • Semi-structured
• Unstructured interview


  Does not always have guide questions, the researcher asks follow-up questions based on the answer
• Structured interview


  Has guide questions that are the same for all respondents, the content is pre-determined
• Semi-structured interview


  A mix of unstructured and structured, guide questions are followed but follow-up or additional questions are allowed as needed
• Observation


  A data collection method that enables the researcher to conduct data gathering in an immersive manner
• Types of observation


  • Participant observation
  • Direct observation
• Participant observation


  The researcher becomes immersed in the phenomena that is to be investigated
• Direct observation


  The researcher makes observations without taking part in the phenomena, only observing the phenomena itself without experiencing it
• Questionnaire


  A list of pre-determined questions with spaces for the respondents' answers
• Types of questions in a questionnaire

  • Yes/No
  • Recognition type
  • Completion type
  • Coding type
  • Subjective type
• Advantages of using questionnaires

  • Easily done online
  • Accessible anytime and anywhere
  • Low price method
  • Offers a wide range of methods of data collection
  • Flexibility when it comes to analyzing data
• Document Collection


  A data collection method used in Historical research and other research designs that require studying or examination of existing records to gather data
• Steps in the data collection process

  1. Identify issues and/or opportunities for collecting data

  2. Select issue(s) and/or opportunity(ies) and set goals

  3. Plan an approach and methods

  4. Collect data

  5. Analyze and interpret data

  6. Act on results
• Data collection methods


  • Experiment
  • Survey
  • Interview/focus group
  • Observation
  • Ethnography
  • Archival research
  • Secondary data collection