Data collection or data gathering is the process of gathering and measuring

information Information is an Abstraction, abstract concept that refers to something which has the power Communication, to inform. At the most fundamental level, it pertains to the Interpretation (philosophy), interpretation (perhaps Interpretation (log ...

on targeted variables in an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate outcomes.

Data Data ( , ) are a collection of discrete or continuous values that convey information, describing the quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted for ...

collection is a

research Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

component in all study fields, including physical and

social science Social science (often rendered in the plural as the social sciences) is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among members within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the ...

humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture, including Philosophy, certain fundamental questions asked by humans. During the Renaissance, the term "humanities" referred to the study of classical literature a ...

, and

business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for ...

. While methods vary by discipline, the emphasis on ensuring accurate and honest collection remains the same. The goal for all data collection is to capture evidence that allows

data analysis Data analysis is the process of inspecting, Data cleansing, cleansing, Data transformation, transforming, and Data modeling, modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Da ...

to lead to the formulation of credible answers to the questions that have been posed. Regardless of the field of or preference for defining data ( quantitative or qualitative), accurate data collection is essential to maintain research integrity. The selection of appropriate data collection instruments (existing, modified, or newly developed) and delineated instructions for their correct use reduce the likelihood of errors.

Methodology

Data collection and validation consist of four steps when it involves taking a

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

and seven steps when it involves sampling. A formal data collection process is necessary, as it ensures that the data gathered are both defined and accurate. This way, subsequent decisions based on arguments embodied in the findings are made using valid data. The process provides both a baseline from which to measure and in certain cases an indication of what to improve.

Tools

Data collection system

Data management platform

'' Data management platforms'' (DMP) are centralized storage and analytical systems for data, mainly used in

marketing Marketing is the act of acquiring, satisfying and retaining customers. It is one of the primary components of Business administration, business management and commerce. Marketing is usually conducted by the seller, typically a retailer or ma ...

. DMPs exist to compile and transform large amounts of demand and supply data into discernible information. Marketers may want to receive and utilize first, second and third-party data. DMPs enable this, because they are the aggregate system of DSPs (demand side platform) and SSPs (supply side platform). DMPs are integral for optimizing and future advertising campaigns.

Data integrity issues

The main reason for maintaining

data integrity Data integrity is the maintenance of, and the assurance of, data accuracy and consistency over its entire Information Lifecycle Management, life-cycle. It is a critical aspect to the design, implementation, and usage of any system that stores, proc ...

is to support the observation of errors in the data collection process. Those errors may be made intentionally (deliberate falsification) or non-intentionally (

random In common usage, randomness is the apparent or actual lack of definite pattern or predictability in information. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps often has no order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. ...

or systematic errors). There are two approaches that may protect data integrity and secure scientific validity of study results: * Quality assurance – all actions carried out before data collection * Quality control – all actions carried out during and after data collection

Quality assurance (QA)

QA's focus is prevention, which is primarily a cost-effective activity to protect the integrity of data collection. Standardization of protocol, with comprehensive and detailed procedure descriptions for data collection, are central for prevention. The risk of failing to identify problems and errors in the research process is often caused by poorly written guidelines. Listed are several examples of such failures: * Uncertainty of timing, methods and identification of the responsible person * Partial listing of items needed to be collected * Vague description of data collection instruments instead of rigorous step-by-step instructions on administering tests * Failure to recognize exact content and strategies for training and retraining staff members responsible for data collection * Unclear instructions for using, making adjustments to, and calibrating data collection equipment * No predetermined mechanism to document changes in procedures that occur during the investigation

User privacy issues

There are serious concerns about the integrity of individual user data collected by

cloud computing Cloud computing is "a paradigm for enabling network access to a scalable and elastic pool of shareable physical or virtual resources with self-service provisioning and administration on-demand," according to International Organization for ...

, because this data is transferred across countries that have different standards of protection for individual user data. Information processing has advanced to the level where user data can now be used to predict what an individual is saying before they even speak.

Quality control (QC)

Since QC actions occur during or after the data collection, all the details can be carefully documented. There is a necessity for a clearly defined communication structure as a precondition for establishing monitoring systems. Uncertainty about the flow of information is not recommended, as a poorly organized communication structure leads to lax monitoring and can also limit the opportunities for detecting errors. Quality control is also responsible for the identification of actions necessary for correcting faulty data collection practices and also minimizing such future occurrences. A

team A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to in ...

is more likely to not realize the necessity to perform these actions if their procedures are written vaguely and are not based on feedback or education. Data collection problems that necessitate prompt action: *

Systematic error Observational error (or measurement error) is the difference between a measurement, measured value of a physical quantity, quantity and its unknown true value.Dodge, Y. (2003) ''The Oxford Dictionary of Statistical Terms'', OUP. Such errors are ...

s * Violation of protocol *

Fraud In law, fraud is intent (law), intentional deception to deprive a victim of a legal right or to gain from a victim unlawfully or unfairly. Fraud can violate Civil law (common law), civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrato ...

or scientific misconduct * Errors in individual data items * Individual staff or site performance problems * Shadow effect

References

External links

All about data collection
– TechTarget.com {{Authority control Survey methodology Design of experiments