Session 2
Data Collection Tool
The purpose of this session is to learn about different tools that can be used to collect data to answer your research, and to map out/summarise what the different tools are so that you can use this information to guide your decision-making regarding the data collection tool you will use in your own research.
What are Data Collection Tools (Instruments)?
Data collection is how a researcher approaches addressing a research question and is critical to a study’s success (Brink et al., 2018). The data collection process includes how the data is collected, how results and findings are derived from the collected data, and a rationale for the methods used (Brink et al., 2018).
A description of the data collection process should be grounded in the literature. It should be clear and specific enough for a researcher to understand what was done and any assumptions made. Quality data collection helps to ensure that the results of the research are accurate and cannot be easily challenged by critics (Brink et al., 2018).
Data collection tools also referred to as instruments or techniques, are the means that are used to gather data (Brink et al., 2018). Data collection tools vary in complexity - they can be a simple checklist, a more detailed questionnaire, or a sophisticated physiological measure (Brink et al., 2018).
It is in your best interest as a researcher to be familiar with the different techniques of collecting data, including their applications, strengths and limitations, so that you can choose a technique most suitable for your research’s purpose, setting and population (Brink et al., 2018). A well designed and applied data collection tool should:
​
-
Address the purpose of the research.
-
Obtain the most complete and accurate information possible.
-
Do so efficiently with regards to time and other resources.
One of the most fundamental considerations in choosing a data collection tool is whether to use qualitative or quantitative research designs. Quantitative research designs are used to test hypotheses, and more structured data collection tools are used to gather numerical information from as many cases as possible (Stuart et al., 2015). Qualitative research designs are aimed at creating meaning, and the data collection tools that are used allow for the gathering of detailed information from a few cases (Stuart et al., 2015). There are various quantitative and qualitative data collection tools - you will be learning about the most common types in this session.
Things we need to consider when thinking about the tools we use
When looking at the data collection tools that we use, we need to consider if they are appropriate for the context where we want to use them. For example, with a quantitative tool that measures a variable, is that tool reliable (does it measure something consistently in that group) and valid (does the tool measure the thing it is intended to measure) for that specific context (Hayward et al., 2021).
​
You also need to consider if the questions you ask perpetuate a certain problematic discourse around a group of people or other aspects. For example, questions about ethnicity in demographic questionnaires might be problematic as they provide a reductionistic perspective of ethnic groups that do not fully capture how people in that population identify themselves. We should also critically reflect on and interrogate the tool we want to use and the questions etc. we want to use in the tool – we should ask ourselves if the tool is going to adequately represent the worldviews or attitudes of the population we will be sampling from, what kind of data we can anticipate that we will get from asking these questions, and who will it benefit. If you are designing a tool, co-developing or at least getting input from the population you will be conducting the research can be useful in ensuring that the tool and questions etc. you use are appropriate etc.
​
If using a pre-existing tool, looking at previous research done with the tool, how the tool operated in populations like the one you want to research, and piloting the tool from a small sample from the community may assist with this process (Hayward et al., 2021). You might also want to consider if there are data collection tools that are more culturally sensitive to use.
Quantitative Data Collection Tools
Quantitative data collection tools allow for the gathering of numerical data on which researchers can perform statistical analyses (Stuart et al., 2015). Quantitative data are collected in a more structured manner when compared to qualitative data, which are usually unstructured or semi-structured. Researchers must choose appropriate data collection methods and approaches. An ideal data collection tool captures a construct that is accurate, truthful, and sensitive (Polit & Beck, 2017).
Qualitative Data Collection Tools
Qualitative data collection tools enable a researcher to gather rich, deep data from multiple, complex phenomena in specific contexts (Bezuidenhout et al., 2014). These tools allow the researcher to explore and understand, which contrasts with quantitative data collection tools which are aimed at measuring, quantifying, predicting and generalising (Bezuidenhout et al., 2014). Qualitative data collection tools are more than simply focusing on the procedures of gathering qualitative data (Creswell & Poth, 2016). Researchers need to (Creswell & Poth, 2016):
​
-
Expect ethical issues with regards to gaining permissions;
-
Have a good sampling strategy;
-
Have a depended means for recording information;
-
Be responsive to issues as they arise in the field;
-
Store collected data securely.
While the above points are relevant to quantitative data collection, there are even more pertinent to qualitative data collection due to the extensive, deep nature of the information that is collected from a small sample using more unstructured methods.
​
Researchers often use the common means of collecting qualitative data, like interviews or observations (Creswell & Poth, 2016). However, the range of data collection tools available is expanding (Creswell & Poth, 2016) and becoming easier to conduct with technology. This means that the researcher can better choose a data collection tool to answer the research question.​
