Data collection methods and tools

This process is the initial information gathering step, performed before anyone carries out any further or related research. Primary data results are highly accurate provided the researcher collects the information.

Secondary data is second-hand data collected by other parties and already having undergone statistical analysis. This data is either information that the researcher has tasked other people to collect or information the researcher has looked up. Quantitative data makes up a majority of secondary data.

The researcher asks questions of a large sampling of people, either by direct interviews or means of mass communication such as by phone or mail. This method is by far the most common means of data gathering. Projective data gathering is an indirect interview, used when potential respondents know why they're being asked questions and hesitate to answer.

For instance, someone may be reluctant to answer questions about their phone service if a cell phone carrier representative poses the questions. With projective data gathering, the interviewees get an incomplete question, and they must fill in the rest, using their opinions, feelings, and attitudes. In the realm of data collection, researchers use the Delphi technique by gathering information from a panel of experts.

Each expert answers questions in their field of specialty, and the replies are consolidated into a single opinion. Focus groups, like interviews, are a commonly used technique. The group consists of anywhere from a half-dozen to a dozen people, led by a moderator, brought together to discuss the issue. Questionnaires are a simple, straightforward data collection method.

Respondents get a series of questions, either open or close-ended, related to the matter at hand. Semi-structured Interviews - In this method, there subsist several key questions which cover the scope of the areas to be explored.

It allows a little more leeway for the researcher to explore the subject matter. Unstructured Interviews - It is an in-depth interview that allows the researcher to collect a wide range of information with a purpose.

An advantage of this method is the freedom it gives a researcher to combine structure with flexibility even though it is more time-consuming. Pros In-depth information Freedom of flexibility Accurate data. Cons Time-consuming Expensive to collect. What are the best Data Collection Tools for Interviews? Audio Recorder An audio recorder is used for recording sound on disc, tape, or film. Digital Camera An advantage of a digital camera is that it can be used for transmitting those images to a monitor screen when the need arises.

Camcorder A camcorder is used for collecting data through interviews. Pros Can be administered in large numbers and is cost-effective. It can be used to compare and contrast previous research to measure change.

Easy to visualize and analyze. Questionnaires offer actionable data. Respondent identity is protected.

Questionnaires can cover all areas of a topic. Relatively inexpensive. Cons Answers may be dishonest or the respondents lose interest midway. Questionnaires can't produce qualitative data. Questions might be left unanswered.

Respondents may have a hidden agenda. Not all questions can be analyzed easily. What are the best Data Collection Tools for Questionnaire? Formplus Online Questionnaire Formplus lets you create powerful forms to help you collect the information you need. Pros Informed decision-making. Easily accessible. Cons Self-reported answers may be exaggerated.

The results may be affected by bias. Respondents may be too shy to give out all the details. Inaccurate reports will lead to uninformed decisions. What are the best Data Collection Tools for Reporting? Newspapers Newspaper data are relatively easy to collect and are sometimes the only continuously available source of event data. Website Articles Gathering and using data contained in website articles is also another tool for data collection. Hospital Care records Health care involves a diverse set of public and private data collection systems, including health surveys, administrative enrollment and billing records, and medical records, used by various entities, including hospitals, CHCs, physicians, and health plans.

Pros Accuracy is very high. Easily accessible information. Cons Problems with evaluation. Difficulty in understanding. Tools to collect existing data include: Research Journals - Unlike newspapers and magazines, research journals are intended for an academic or technical audience, not general readers. A journal is a scholarly publication containing articles written by researchers, professors, and other experts. Surveys - A survey is a data collection tool for gathering information from a sample population, with the intention of generalizing the results to a larger population.

Surveys have a variety of purposes and can be carried out in many ways depending on the objectives to be achieved. Pros Easy to administer. There subsists a greater accuracy with results. It is a universally accepted practice. It diffuses the situation of an unwillingness of respondents to administer a report. It is appropriate for certain situations. It cannot be relied upon. Bias may arise. It is expensive to administer.

Its validity cannot be predicted accurately. What are the best Data Collection Tools for Observation? The best tools for Observation are: Checklists - state-specific criteria, allow users to gather information and make judgments about what they should know in relation to the outcomes. They offer systematic ways of collecting data about specific behaviors, knowledge, and skills.

Direct observation - This is an observational study method of collecting evaluative information. The evaluator watches the subject in his or her usual environment without altering that environment. Pros Information obtained is usually very detailed. Cost-effective when compared to one-on-one interviews. It reflects speed and efficiency in the supply of results. Cons Lacking depth in covering the nitty-gritty of a subject matter.

Bias might still be evident. Requires interviewer training The researcher has very little control over the outcome. A few vocal voices can drown out the rest. Difficulty in assembling an all-inclusive group. The best tools for tackling Focus groups are: Two-Way - One group watches another group answer the questions posed by the moderator.

After listening to what the other group has to offer, the group that listens are able to facilitate more discussion and could potentially draw different conclusions.

The main positive of the dueling-moderator focus group is to facilitate new ideas by introducing new ways of thinking and varying viewpoints. Pros Encourage participants to give responses.

It stimulates a deeper connection between participants. The relative anonymity of respondents increases participation. It improves the richness of the data collected. Cons It costs the most out of all the top 7. It's the most time-consuming. The best tools for combination research are: Online Survey - The two tools combined here are online interviews and the use of questionnaires.

This is a questionnaire that the target audience can complete over the Internet. It is timely, effective and efficient. Especially since the data to be collected is quantitative in nature. Dual-Moderator - The two tools combined here are focus groups and structured questionnaires.

Consider issues such as time of the respondents, required infrastructure, access to records, sensitive topics, respondent feelings, etc. For example, if your research has to do with depth and complex topics, you need to consider an in-depth interview or focus group. If the information you need requires standardized or quantifiable data then you need to think about observations or surveys.

For sensitive topics, self-administered interviews are generally preferred to face-to-face interviews as the first ones are seen as more private. Or, a face-to-face interview can include a self-administered module for this reason. Define the cost and your capacity to collect the data.

You ultimately should take into consideration all types of involved resources — from financial costs and employee time to software tools and infrastructure. You might need to provide funds for transport, training, expert consultant, operations planning, data reporting, etc.

The above post summarizes the most important advantages and disadvantages of the top 5 data collection methods. They can help you choose the best technique for gathering qualitative and quantitative data for your needs. Data collection methods and techniques are a powerful way to analyze decisions, gain competitive advantages , make improvements, and grow your organization.

Silvia Valcheva is a digital marketer with over a decade of experience creating content for the tech industry. She has a strong passion for writing about emerging software and technologies such as big data, AI Artificial Intelligence , IoT Internet of Things , process automation, etc. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page.

Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. On this page: What is data collection method? Definition, types, examples. The pros and cons of the top 5 data collection methods comparison chart Qualitative vs quantitative data gathering methods List of the top data collection tools How to choose the best data collection method for your needs — a step-by-step guide.

Today, collecting data is the key to almost any marketing and business strategy. Qualitative vs Quantitative data Quantitative data can be expressed as a number or can be quantified. It is easily amenable to statistical manipulation and mathematical calculations. Examples of quantitative data: shoe size, number of hours women spend on shopping, square feet of an apartment, price, length, amount, etc.

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