4. Gathering Data for
the CLIP Inquiry

 

 Welcome
  Identifying Sources of Data
  Making Environments Safe
  Qualitive and Quantitive Data
  Choosing Methods
  Setting Up Data Collection
  Aligning with Principles
  Summing Up/Moving Ahead
   
   
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  Identifying Qualitative and Quantitative Data


Data collection methods are the procedures and techniques you use to answer your inquiry question. You may find answers to your question in previous research or in existing records. Whenever possible, use existing data rather than gathering more data so you can focus more time and resources on making meaning from the data and using what you learn.

There are two broad categories of data and data collection methods: quantitative and qualitative:

Quantitative data are numerical information. Quantitative inquiries use numerical and statistical processes to answer specific questions. Use questionnaires or records to obtain numerical data. Your institutional research office can provide, for example, quantitative measures of student success.

Qualitative data are narrative information, e.g., a response to an interview question about someone’s views about a program. Use qualitative methods to capture what people say about their meanings and interpretations. Obtain qualitative data by methods such as interviews, on-site observations, and focus groups. Data are analyzed by exploring the data to uncover themes and patterns. The method used to gather data affects the ease of analysis and utility of findings.		  
To download “Tips for Data Collection Methods,” click file type: <.doc> <.pdf>
     
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