What are the tools for Data collection?

Data collection means “gathering, storing, accessing, and using the original information to satisfy the intended objective of the data collection”. There are many types of Data collection tools, i.e. Qualitative Data collection tools, and Quantitative Data collection tools. The Data collection methods that can be classified as Quantitative Data collection tools include Surveys and usage data. While Data collection methods that can be classified as Qualitative Data collection tools include Interviews, Focus Groups, and Document analysis.

Primary data is defined as “the data that is gathered for the first time by the researcher”. It is considered as the original data for the research and is intended to be used in order to satisfy the objectives of the research. Researchers use different ways and methods to collect primary data including “Interviews, Questionnaire, Focus Groups, and Observations”.

 Data collection 

Data collection is defined as “the procedure of collecting, measuring and analyzing accurate insights for research using standard validated techniques”. The collected data help the researcher assess the validity of their hypothesis. Many researchers believe that data collection is the most important step for research, where it defines the validity of the research. The approach of Data collection differs from area to another, and also differs based on the set objectives of the research.

 Data collection Methods: Phone vs. Online vs. Interviews 

Considering the media used to conduct the data collection, there are four alternatives to collect the data, that said. Data collection may be conducted in-person through conducting Interviews, via mail, telephone or via online sites. These media have advantages and disadvantages as will be shown below:

In-Person Interviews

Advantages: it enables the researcher to obtain trusted data, and enable discussion to ensure gathering all related matters. While the disadvantages of this method are that it is considered time consuming and expensive to conduct.

In-person Interviews always are better than the other types of interviews, and will certainly provide valuable data to support the claims of the research.

The selection of a certain type of Data collection depends on the availability of resources. For example, conducting Questionnaires is considered the least tool that require resources and effort.

Conducting an effective Online survey

When deciding to collect data using survey, you should start by developing the list of questions that reflect the objectives of the research and provides sufficient answers to the questions and hypothesis of the research. If you are unable to do so, you should consider other means of Data collection such as conducting focus group discussions or any other Qualitative Data collection tools. However, you should always consider using at least one type of Qualitative Data collection tools to support the data collected.

 Qualitative Data collection tools 

Qualitative Data collection tools are tools that aim to gather insights and provide reasoning to a certain issue as well as to provide insights from the target group. Qualitative Data collection tools emerged to support the findings of quantitative tools and to capture more human related activities that are hard to be captured in traditional tools. Where Qualitative Data collection tools provides better awareness and perception of the target group, which will eventually result in a much deeper results and analysis.

 Quantitative Data collection tools 

Quantitative Data collection tools aim to collect data that can be quantified and is based on numerical aspects. Accordingly, Quantitative Data collection tools are typically involve numbers and calculations represented in the form of statistical analysis.

Quantitative Data collection tools can be defined as “entailing the collection of numerical data and exhibiting the view of relationship between theory and research as deductive”. Quantitative Data collection tools typically look at relationships between numerically assessed variables through incorporating statistical techniques.

Quantitative Data collection tools usually collect data from the population of the study using a selected sample and through incorporating Data collection instruments.

 The types of Data collection Tools 

Despite the fact that there are different Data collection tools. A list of primary Data collection tools includes the following:

1. Interviews
2. Surveys
3. Observation
4. Field visits
5. Focus Groups

 Important traits of Data collection Tools 

Data collection, whether it is meant for scientific research or for business, is never thought of as a simple task especially in the case of qualitative data collection tools. A person who seek to gather qualitative data have to overcome different hurdles to design Qualitative Data collection tools.

 Benefits of Data collection Tools 

In today’s changing and dynamic environment, data has altered the very way in which we face challenges, tackles them, and plan to compact and overcome them. The following are the main benefits of using Data collection.

• Collect data to respond to raised claims.
• Solve business problems.
• Analyze performance.
• Improve workflow.
• Understand market & customers.

 Watch: Data Collection Methods 

With greetings: Al - Manara Consulting to help researchers and graduate students