CHAPTER 1 - OBTAINING DATA

LESSON 1 - DATA COLLECTION

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, students should:
1. Define data collection;
2. Explain the critical objective of data collection and importance of quality data in research work;
3. Discuss the importance of ensuring accurate and appropriate data collection;
4. Define and differentiate quality control and quality assurance;
5. Enumerate the results of improper data collection; and
6. Define and differentiate the two methods of collecting data and types of data.

Introduction
In research, statisticians use data in many ways. Data can be used to describe situations or events.
For example, a manufacturer might want to know something about the consumers who will be
purchasing his product so he can plan an effective marketing strategy. In another situation, the
management of a company might survey its employees to assess their needs to negotiate a new contract
with the employees’ union. Data can be used to determine whether the educational goals of a school
district are being met. Finally, trends in various areas, such as the stock market, can be analyzed, enabling
prospective buyers to make more intelligent decisions concerning what stocks to purchase. These
examples illustrate a few situations where collecting data will help people make better decisions on
courses of action.

Lesson Proper
Data Collection
- The process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest, in an established
systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research questions, test hypotheses, and
evaluate outcomes.

- The process of gathering and measuring data, information or any variables of interest in a
standardized and established manner that enables the collector to answer or test hypothesis and
evaluate outcomes of the particular collection.

- This is an integral, usually initial, component of any research done in any field of study such as the
physical and social sciences, business, humanities and others.

- A process by which the researcher collects the information from all the relevant sources to find
answers to the research problem, test the hypothesis and evaluate the outcomes.
- Defined as the procedure of collecting, measuring and analyzing accurate insights for research using
standard validated techniques. A researcher can evaluate their hypothesis on the basis of collected
data.
 - In most cases, data collection is the primary and most important step for research, irrespective of
the field of research. The approach of data collection is different for different fields of study,
depending on the required information.

- Enables a person or organization to answer relevant questions, evaluate outcomes and make
predictions about future probabilities and trends.

- The systematic approach to gathering and measuring information from a variety of sources to get a
complete and accurate picture of an area of interest.

Most Critical Objective of Data Collection

- Ensuring that information-rich and reliable data is collected for statistical analysis so that data-driven
decisions can be made for research.

Primary Goal of any Data Collection Endeavor

- To capture quality data or evidence that easily translates to rich data analysis that may lead to
credible and conclusive answers to questions that have been posed.

The Importance of Ensuring Accurate and Appropriate Data Collection

Regardless of the field of study or preference for defining data (quantitative, qualitative), accurate data
collection is essential to maintaining the integrity of research. Both the selection of appropriate data
collection instruments (existing, modified, or newly developed) and clearly delineated instructions for
their correct use reduce the likelihood of errors occurring.
Consequences from improperly collected data include:
• inability to answer research questions accurately
• inability to repeat and validate the study
• distorted findings resulting in wasted resources
• misleading other researchers to pursue fruitless avenues of investigation
• compromising decisions for public policy
• causing harm to human participants and animal subjects

Issues Related to Maintaining Integrity of Data Collection:

The primary rationale for preserving data integrity is to support the detection of errors in the data
collection process, whether they are made intentionally (deliberate falsifications) or not (systematic or
random errors).

Most, Craddick, approaches Crawford, Redican, Rhodes, Rukenbrod, and Laws (2003) describe ‘quality
assurance’ and ‘quality control’ as two that can preserve data integrity and ensure the scientific validity
of study results. Each approach is implemented at different points in the research timeline (Whitney, Lind,
Wahl, 1998):
1. Quality assurance - activities that take place before data collection begins
2. Quality control - activities that take place during and after data collection

Quality Assurance
• Since quality assurance precedes data collection, its main focus is 'prevention' (i.e., forestalling
problems with data collection).
 • Prevention is the most cost-effective activity to ensure the integrity of data collection.
• This proactive measure is best demonstrated by the standardization of protocol developed in a
comprehensive and detailed procedures manual for data collection.
*validity - the degree to which an instrument actually measures what it purports to measure
*standardization of protocol - ensuring that all elements of a protocol are implemented in exactly the
same manner

content analysis – a technique used in qualitative analysis to study written material by breaking it into
meaningful units, using carefully applied rules.

Quality Control
While quality control activities (detection/monitoring and action) occur during and after data collection,
the details should be carefully documented in the procedures manual. Quality control also identifies the
required responses, or ‘actions’ necessary to correct faulty data collection practices and also minimize
future occurrences. These actions are less likely to occur if data collection procedures are vaguely written
and the necessary steps to minimize recurrence are not implemented through feedback and education
(Knatterud, et al, 1998).
Examples of data collection problems that require prompt action include:
• errors in individual data items
• systematic errors
• violation of protocol
• problems with individual staff or site performance
• fraud or scientific misconduct

*documented – furnished with or supported by written/recorded citations

*scientific misconduct – fabrication, falsification or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing
research results (Steneck, Zinn, 2003)

Accurate Data Collection

- Essential to maintaining the integrity of research, making informed business decisions and ensuring
quality assurance.
For example:
✓ In retail sales, data might be collected from mobile applications, website visits, loyalty programs
and online surveys to learn more about customers.
✓ In a server consolidation project, data collection would include not just a physical inventory of
all servers, but also an exact description of what is installed on each server -- the operating
system, middleware and the application or database that the server supports.

- Essential to ensure the integrity of the research, regardless of the field of study or data preference
(quantitative or qualitative). The selection of appropriate data collection tools and instruments
which may be existing, modified or totally new, and with clearly defined instructions for their proper
use, reduces, the chances of errors occurring during collection.
Distorted findings are often the result of improper data collection such as misleading questions on
questionnaires, unknowingly omitting the collection of some supporting data, and other unintentional
errors. This would lead to a skewed conclusion that may be useless.
While collecting the data, the researcher must identify the type of data to be collected, source of data,
and the method to be used to collect the data. Also, the answers to the questions that who, when and
where the data is to be collected should be well addressed by the researcher.

There are two methods of collecting data. They are,

1. Quantitative Data Collection
2. Qualitative Data Collection

Quantitative Data Collection Methods

- It rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit diverse experiences,
into predetermined response categories. They produce results that are easy to summarize, compare,
and generalize.

Qualitative Data Collection Methods

- It play an important role in impact evaluation by providing information useful to understand the
processes behind observed results and assess changes in people’s perceptions of their well-being.
Regardless of the kinds of data involved, data collection in a qualitative study takes a great deal of
time. The researcher needs to record any potentially useful data thoroughly, accurately, and
systematically, using field notes, sketches, audiotapes, photographs and other suitable means. The
data collection methods must observe the ethical principles of research.

Generally, there are two types of data: quantitative data and qualitative data.
Quantitative data is any data that is in numerical form -- e.g., statistics and percentages.
Qualitative data is descriptive data -- e.g., color, smell, appearance and quality.

In addition to quantitative and qualitative data, some organizations might also make use of secondary
data to help drive business decisions. Secondary data is typically quantitative in nature and has already
been collected by another party for a different purpose. For example, a company might use U.S. Census
data to make decisions about marketing campaigns. In media, a news team might use government health
statistics or health studies to drive content strategy.

As technology evolves, so does data collection. Recent advancements in mobile technology and the
Internet of Things are forcing organizations to think about how to collect, analyze and monetize new
data. At the same time, privacy and security issues surrounding data collection heat up.