The data collected for your study informs the analysis of your research. Gathering data in a transparent and thorough manner informs the rest of your research and makes it persuasive to your audience.

We will look at the data collection process, the methods of data collection that exist in quantitative and qualitative research, and the various issues around data in qualitative research.

Data in research

When it comes to defining data, data can be any sort of information that people use to better understand the world around them. Having this information allows us to robustly draw and verify conclusions, as opposed to relying on blind guesses or thought exercises.

Necessity of data collection skills

Collecting data is critical to the fundamental objective of research as a vehicle to organize knowledge. While this may seem intuitive, it's important to acknowledge that researchers must be as skilled in data collection as they are in data analysis.

Collecting the right data

Rather than just collecting as much data as possible, it's important to collect data that is relevant for answering your research question. Imagine a simple research question: what factors do people consider when buying a car? It would not be possible to ask every living person about their car purchases. Even if it was possible, not everyone drives a car, so asking non-drivers seems unproductive. As a result, the researcher conducting a study to devise data reports and marketing strategies has to take a sample of the relevant data to ensure reliable analysis and findings.

Data collection examples

In the broadest terms, any sort of data gathering contributes to the research process. In any work of science, researchers cannot make empirical conclusions without relying on some body of data to make rational judgments.