data collection

Meaning

Data collection is the systematic process of gathering information from various sources to address research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes. It can involve methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, and experiments. Accurate collection is vital to maintaining research integrity.

Examples

• Online surveys have made data collection much faster and more cost-effective.

  Online surveys have made data collection much faster and more cost-effective.

• The research team spent three months on field-based data collection.

  The research team spent three months on field-based data collection.

• We must ensure that our data collection methods comply with privacy laws.

  We must ensure that our data collection methods comply with privacy laws.

• Errors during the data collection phase can compromise the entire study.

  Errors during the data collection phase can compromise the entire study.

• The researcher designed a strict protocol to standardize the data collection process.

  The researcher designed a strict protocol to standardize the data collection process.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The datas collection took longer than we expected.

  ✓ The data collection took longer than we expected.

  'Data' is already plural or collective in academic contexts; it should never be written with an 's' as 'datas.'

• ✗ We did a lot of information collection last month.

  ✓ We did a lot of data collection last month.

  While 'information' is similar, 'data collection' is the standard, formal academic collocation for gathering research inputs.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Before we can analyze the results, we must complete the ___ process.

  💡 The phase of gathering research information.

  Show answer

  data collection

• The ethics committee approved our plan for participant ___.

  💡 The systematic gathering of study variables.

  Show answer

  data collection