Data Collection

Key Debates and Methods in Social Research
Wendy Olsen
Data Collection
December 2011 | 248 pages | Sage UK
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Description

This innovative book for students and researchers alike gives an indispensable introduction to key issues and practical methods needed for data collection.

It uses clear definitions, relevant interdisciplinary examples from around the world and up-to-date suggestions for further reading to demonstrate how to gather and use qualitative, quantitative, and mixed data sets.

The book is divided into seven distinct parts, encouraging researchers to combine methods of data collection:

  • Data Collection: An Introduction to Research Practices
  • Collecting Qualitative Data
  • Observation and Informed Methods
  • Experimental and Systematic Data Collection
  • Survey Methods for Data Collection
  • The Case-Study Method of Data Collection
  • Concluding Suggestions for Data-Collection Concepts

A stimulating, practical guide which can be read as individual concepts from the methods toolkit, or as a whole, this text is an important resource for students and research professionals.

Contents

PART ONE: DATA COLLECTION: AN INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH PRACTICES

  • Research and Data Collection
  • Findings
  • Data
  • Causes
  • Sampling
  • Further Reading for Part One

PART TWO: COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATA

  • Interviews
  • Transcripts
  • Coding
  • Meaning
  • Interpretation
  • Observer Bias
  • Representations
  • Focus Groups
  • Document Analysis
  • Accuracy
  • Ethical Clearance
  • Further Reading for Part Two

PART THREE: OBSERVATION AND INVOLVED METHODS

  • Participation
  • Praxis
  • Action Research
  • Observation Methods
  • Online Data Collection
  • Further Reading for Part Three

PART FOUR: EXPERIMENTAL AND SYSTEMATIC DATA COLLECTION

  • Questionnaire Design
  • Handling Treatment Data
  • The Ethics of Volunteers
  • Market-Research Techniques
  • Creating Systematic Case Study Data
  • Further Reading for Part Four

PART FIVE: SURVEY METHODS FOR DATA COLLECTION

  • Operationalisation
  • Measurement
  • Causality
  • Data Cleaning
  • Data Extraction
  • Outliers
  • Subsetting of Data
  • Survey Weights
  • Further Reading for Part Five

PART SIX: THE CASE STUDY METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

  • Case Study Research
  • Comparative Research
  • Configurations
  • Contingency
  • Causal Mechanisms
  • Further Reading for Part Six

PART SEVEN: CONCLUDING SUGGESTIONS ABOUT DATA COLLECTION CONCEPTS

  • Facts
  • Reality
  • Retroduction
  • Further Reading for Part Seven

Additional materials

Description

This innovative book for students and researchers alike gives an indispensable introduction to key issues and practical methods needed for data collection.

It uses clear definitions, relevant interdisciplinary examples from around the world and up-to-date suggestions for further reading to demonstrate how to gather and use qualitative, quantitative, and mixed data sets.

The book is divided into seven distinct parts, encouraging researchers to combine methods of data collection:

  • Data Collection: An Introduction to Research Practices
  • Collecting Qualitative Data
  • Observation and Informed Methods
  • Experimental and Systematic Data Collection
  • Survey Methods for Data Collection
  • The Case-Study Method of Data Collection
  • Concluding Suggestions for Data-Collection Concepts

A stimulating, practical guide which can be read as individual concepts from the methods toolkit, or as a whole, this text is an important resource for students and research professionals.

Contents

PART ONE: DATA COLLECTION: AN INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH PRACTICES

  • Research and Data Collection
  • Findings
  • Data
  • Causes
  • Sampling
  • Further Reading for Part One

PART TWO: COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATA

  • Interviews
  • Transcripts
  • Coding
  • Meaning
  • Interpretation
  • Observer Bias
  • Representations
  • Focus Groups
  • Document Analysis
  • Accuracy
  • Ethical Clearance
  • Further Reading for Part Two

PART THREE: OBSERVATION AND INVOLVED METHODS

  • Participation
  • Praxis
  • Action Research
  • Observation Methods
  • Online Data Collection
  • Further Reading for Part Three

PART FOUR: EXPERIMENTAL AND SYSTEMATIC DATA COLLECTION

  • Questionnaire Design
  • Handling Treatment Data
  • The Ethics of Volunteers
  • Market-Research Techniques
  • Creating Systematic Case Study Data
  • Further Reading for Part Four

PART FIVE: SURVEY METHODS FOR DATA COLLECTION

  • Operationalisation
  • Measurement
  • Causality
  • Data Cleaning
  • Data Extraction
  • Outliers
  • Subsetting of Data
  • Survey Weights
  • Further Reading for Part Five

PART SIX: THE CASE STUDY METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

  • Case Study Research
  • Comparative Research
  • Configurations
  • Contingency
  • Causal Mechanisms
  • Further Reading for Part Six

PART SEVEN: CONCLUDING SUGGESTIONS ABOUT DATA COLLECTION CONCEPTS

  • Facts
  • Reality
  • Retroduction
  • Further Reading for Part Seven

Additional materials

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Data Collection

Key Debates and Methods in Social Research

Wendy Olsen
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December 2011 | 248 pages | Sage UK

Format Published Date ISBN Price

This innovative book for students and researchers alike gives an indispensable introduction to key issues and practical methods needed for data collection.

It uses clear definitions, relevant interdisciplinary examples from around the world and up-to-date suggestions for further reading to demonstrate how to gather and use qualitative, quantitative, and mixed data sets.

The book is divided into seven distinct parts, encouraging researchers to combine methods of data collection:

  • Data Collection: An Introduction to Research Practices
  • Collecting Qualitative Data
  • Observation and Informed Methods
  • Experimental and Systematic Data Collection
  • Survey Methods for Data Collection
  • The Case-Study Method of Data Collection
  • Concluding Suggestions for Data-Collection Concepts

A stimulating, practical guide which can be read as individual concepts from the methods toolkit, or as a whole, this text is an important resource for students and research professionals.


Table Of Contents:

  • PART ONE: DATA COLLECTION: AN INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH PRACTICES
  • Research and Data Collection
  • Findings
  • Data
  • Causes
  • Sampling
  • Further Reading for Part One
  • PART TWO: COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATA
  • Interviews
  • Transcripts
  • Coding
  • Meaning
  • Interpretation
  • Observer Bias
  • Representations
  • Focus Groups
  • Document Analysis
  • Accuracy
  • Ethical Clearance
  • Further Reading for Part Two
  • PART THREE: OBSERVATION AND INVOLVED METHODS
  • Participation
  • Praxis
  • Action Research
  • Observation Methods
  • Online Data Collection
  • Further Reading for Part Three
  • PART FOUR: EXPERIMENTAL AND SYSTEMATIC DATA COLLECTION
  • Questionnaire Design
  • Handling Treatment Data
  • The Ethics of Volunteers
  • Market-Research Techniques
  • Creating Systematic Case Study Data
  • Further Reading for Part Four
  • PART FIVE: SURVEY METHODS FOR DATA COLLECTION
  • Operationalisation
  • Measurement
  • Causality
  • Data Cleaning
  • Data Extraction
  • Outliers
  • Subsetting of Data
  • Survey Weights
  • Further Reading for Part Five
  • PART SIX: THE CASE STUDY METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
  • Case Study Research
  • Comparative Research
  • Configurations
  • Contingency
  • Causal Mechanisms
  • Further Reading for Part Six
  • PART SEVEN: CONCLUDING SUGGESTIONS ABOUT DATA COLLECTION CONCEPTS
  • Facts
  • Reality
  • Retroduction
  • Further Reading for Part Seven

Recent Product Reviews:

'Good data collection is the foundation on which good research is built, but most texts in social research methods focus more on data analysis than the many issues involved in obtaining the data to analyze. Wendy Olsen's lively and wide-ranging work does much to fill the gap' - W. Paul Vogt, Professor of Research Methods and Evaluation, Illinois State University 'Written with freshness and energy, with copious examples drawn from research in the UK, USA, India and South Africa, this lively guide to data collection includes excellent sections often under-played by methods textbooks, such as the comparative method; data cleaning; survey weights; and secondary analysis. The seriousness and mission of the dedicated researcher shines through its approachable narrative, providing an outstanding example of what a balanced mixed methods perspective has to offer' Geoff PayneProfessor of Sociology, Newcastle University, UK

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