SELECTING A DATA COLLECTION METHOD AND DATA SOURCE
Chapter 10
DATA COLLECTION METHODS & DATA SOURCES
Data collection method: a detailed plan of procedures that aims to gather data for the purpose of answering a research question Data source: the who (or what) that supplies the data
Firsthand data: data provided by people who have experienced some phenomenon directly Secondhand data: an indirect account of a phenomenon (e.g., case notes, bystander)
DATA COLLECTION AND THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Data collection supplies the critical link between theory and practice Data collection is a consideration for each phase of the research process
Phase 1: Problem area and research question Phase 2: Research design Phase 3: Data analysis Phase 4: Writing the report
Selecting a Problem Area and Research Question
Rethinking the research question from the data collection point of view, adds depth and dimension to underlying intention of the research question After the research problem is selected and the research question formulated, consider
different data sources available to the study different data collection methods suitable
Formulating a Research Design
Thinking about research design from the data collection point of view, increases the likelihood that the data collection method will fit well with the study context and sample The research design specifies when, where, and how often data are to be collected
Analyzing Data
Thinking about data analysis from the data collection point of view will produce results that have greater clarity All data collected should have an obvious place in the data analysis
Writing the Report
Thinking about writing a research report from the data collection point of view brings clarity to the purpose of data collection
Consider who is to be the expected audience of the report
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A DATA COLLECTION METHOD
Eight practical criteria
Size of study Scope of study Program participation Worker cooperation Intrusion into the lives of research participants Resources Time Previous research findings
Size
The number of people, places or systems represented in a research study
The greater the number, the more complex the data collection process
Scope
The scope our a research study refers to breadth or depth of the problem being investigated
Do different dimensions of the problem require different data collection methods?
Program Participation
Research studies that take place in agency settings should have the support of program personnel
Separate clinical activity and research activity Avoid data collection methods that conflict with clinical philosophy or practices Consider agency records as a source of existing data to avoid duplication of paperwork
Worker Cooperation
Data collection considerations
Make every effort to work cooperatively with the programs workers Be sensitive to the workloads of program workers Establish a way for workers to get feedback from the data they provide
Intrusion Into the Lives of Research Participants
Client self-determination takes precedence over research activity
A client will not be denied service for refusing to participate in a research study
Cultural considerations
The fit of the data collection method within the context of cultural norms Cultural bias of standardized measures Minority groups that have been over studied
Resources
Data collection is expensive
Cost of instruments (materials and supplies) Training data collectors Transportation costs for field research Data entry or transcription
Time
Research projects often have fixed completion dates, set by
Dissertation or thesis guidelines External pressures
Funding Politics
Time constraints will influence the choice of data collection method
Previous Research Studies
Learn from existing research studies
Which data collection methods worked best to study the problem Expand upon earlier research by trying different data collection approaches
SELECTION OF A DATA COLLECTION METHOD
Create a decision-making grid to choose a data the best data collection method (Table 22.1 for example)
List the criteria for selection List possible data collection methods With the research question in mind, assess each data collection method according to the set criteria
Decision-making grid (Table 15.1)
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Data Collection Methods
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Survey Secondary Content Existing Research Observation Analysis Analysis Statistics (Chapter 17) (Chapter 14) (Chapter 18) (Chapter 19) (Chapter 20) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
General Criteria: 1. Size 2. Scope 3. Program participation 4. Worker cooperation 5. Intrusion to clients 6. Resources 7. Time 8. Previous research + + + + 0 + + +
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TRYING OUT THE SELECTED DATA COLLECTION METHOD
Pilot Study carrying out all aspects of the data collection plan on a mini-scale
Test data collection procedures Assess the quality of the data collected
Data collection methods can also be tested in less formal ways
Try out a particular aspect of data collection (e.g., wording of interview questions) with individuals not involved in planning the study
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION
Use feedback from pilot testing to improve data collection procedures A smooth data collection process requires proactive planning
Implementation
The main guiding principle for implementing a data collection method is using a systematic approach
Detail the procedures so that persons collecting the data are skilled at performing data collection tasks Procedures for qualitative research studies will be more flexible than procedures for quantitative studies
Evaluation
The data collection method for any study should be evaluated by the researcher
Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the data collection method and the data source Assess the quality of implementation
how well data collection procedures were actually carried out
SUMMARY
A variety of data collection methods and data sources can be used in any research study Thinking through the entire research process from the data collection point-ofview can strengthen the study overall Researchers must way the pros and cons to decide upon the best data collection method for their particular study
