Module 4: Collect
Data
What is Data?
Data is a collection of information gathered by observations, measurements, research or analysis.
They may consist of facts, numbers, names, figures or even description of things.
Data is classified into:
• Qualitative Data
• Quantitative Data
Quantitative Data refers to any information that can be quantified — that is, numbers. If it can be
counted or measured, and given a numerical value, it's quantitative in nature. Quantitative variables
can tell you "how many," "how much," or "how often."
Some examples of quantitative data:
• How many people attended last week's webinar?
• How much revenue did our company make last year?
• How often does a customer rage click on this app?
Popular quantitative data collection methods are surveys, experiments, polls, and more.
Source: www.fullstory.com/blog/qualitative-vs-quantitative-data
What is Data?
Qualitative data is descriptive, expressed in terms of language rather than numerical values.
Qualitative data analysis describes information and cannot be measured or counted. It refers to the
words or labels used to describe certain characteristics or traits.
You would turn to qualitative data to answer the "why?" or "how?" questions. It is often used to
investigate open-ended studies, allowing participants (or customers) to show their true feelings and
actions without guidance.
Popular data collection methods are in-depth interviews, focus groups, or observation.
Source: www.fullstory.com/blog/qualitative-vs-quantitative-data
Difference between qualitative & quantitative data
• Quantitative data is numbers-based, countable, or measurable. Qualitative data is interpretation-
based, descriptive, and relating to language.
• Quantitative data tells us how many, how much, or how often in calculations. Qualitative data can
help us to understand why, how, or what happened behind certain behaviors.
• Quantitative data is fixed and universal. Qualitative data is subjective and unique.
• Quantitative research methods are measuring and counting. Qualitative research methods are
interviewing and observing.
Source: www.fullstory.com/blog/qualitative-vs-quantitative-data
Data Collection: Sources
Sources of information or evidence are often categorized as primary, secondary, or tertiary
material. These classifications are based on the originality of the material and the proximity of the
source or origin. This informs the reader as to whether the author is reporting information that is
first hand or is conveying the experiences and opinions of others which is considered second hand.
• Primary Sources: These sources are records of events or evidence as they are first described or
actually happened without any interpretation or commentary. It is information that is shown for
the first time or original materials on which other research is based. Primary sources display
original thinking, report on new discoveries, or share fresh information.
Examples of primary sources: Theses, dissertations, scholarly journal articles (research based),
some government reports, symposia and conference proceedings, original artwork, poems,
photographs, speeches, letters, memos, personal narratives, diaries, interviews, autobiographies,
and correspondence.
Source: https://crk.umn.edu/library/primary-secondary-and-tertiary-
source
Data Collection: Sources
• Secondary Sources: These sources offer an analysis or restatement of primary sources. They often
try to describe or explain primary sources. They tend to be works which summarize, interpret,
reorganize, or otherwise provide an added value to a primary source.
Examples of Secondary Sources: Textbooks, edited works, books and articles that interpret or review
research works, histories, biographies, literary criticism and interpretation, reviews of law and
legislation, political analyses and commentaries.
• Tertiary Sources: These are sources that index, abstract, organize, compile, or digest other
sources. Some reference materials and textbooks are considered tertiary sources when their chief
purpose is to list, summarize or simply repackage ideas or other information. Tertiary sources are
usually not credited to a particular author.
Examples of Tertiary Sources: Dictionaries/encyclopedias (may also be secondary), almanacs, fact
books, Wikipedia, bibliographies (may also be secondary), directories, guidebooks, manuals,
handbooks, and textbooks (may be secondary), indexing and abstracting sources.
Source: https://crk.umn.edu/library/primary-secondary-and-tertiary-
source
Organization of Data
Organization of data refers to classifying and organizing data to make it more meaningful and
usable. In an organization process, data is ranked in the most logical and orderly fashion so that
anyone who seeks to use the data for whatever reason can get it readily available.
• Organization of data offers insights to take actionable steps that help analysts and researchers
understand the population and demography better. Organization or classification of data is done
in such a manner that the extractor of data gets easy access to all of the data in a simple and easy
manner. So, it helps the researchers save time and resources while looking for actionable insights.
It includes classification, pictorial and graphical presentation.
Classification is the process of classifying or categorizing data depending on their resemblances and
affinities. Classification leads to the unity of attributes that may be available in a diversity of
individuals.
• Classification helps in gathering entities with similar attributes as the entities are grouped
according to their qualities that may be fixed according to research objectives.
Source: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/organization-of-data
Organization of Data
• Classification is a must for raw data to be grouped into actionable forms. Without classification,
raw data will be of no use and it will require lots of hardship to find the required patterns for a
study.
• Classification removes these hardships in finding useful data from a set of received raw data
patterns in a study.
• Classification of data is usually done according to the needs of the study. The categories in a
classification process must be classified in a meaningful sense so that they can be used without
having to reach erroneous outcomes. That is why neat classification is so important in the
statistical process of data organization.
Source: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/organization-of-data
Organization of Data
LATCH Principle: it stands for Location, Alphabet, Time, Category and Hierarchy.
Location: compares the information coming form various sources.
Alphabet: Used for very large bodies of information. Not always the best organization method –
forced organization rather than natural.
Time: Used for events that occur over a fixed duration. Easy to understand, easy to draw
comparisons and conclusions.
Category: Well reinforced by color & placement. Grouped by similar importance – a value
judgment.
Hierarchy: Assign value or weight to the information; usually on a scale
Source: https://parsonsdesign4.wordpress.com/resources/latch-methods-
of-organization/
Organization of Data
LATCH Principle:
For example, “If you were preparing a report on the automobile industry, you could organize cars by place
of manufacture (location), year (time), model (category), or Consumer Reports ratings (hierarchy). Within
each, you might list them alphabetically.
Your choice would depend on what you wanted to study or convey about the industry. If you wanted to
describe the different types of cars, your primary organization would probably be by category. Then, you
might want to organize by hierarchy, from the least expensive to the most. If you wanted to examine car
dealerships, you would probably organize first by location, and then by the number or continuum of cars
sold.
“After the categories are established, the information about the cars is easily retrievable. Each way of
organizing permits a different understanding; each lends itself to different kinds of information; and each
has certain reassuring limitations that will help make the choices of how the information is presented
easier.”
Source: https://www.davisandco.com/blog/need-organize-content-latch-it
Organization of Data
Mind Mapping: A mind map is a diagram used to visually organize information. A mind map is often
created around a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank landscape page, to
which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of words are added.
Major ideas are connected directly to the central concept, and other ideas branch out from those.
By planning with a mind map you promote creative thinking and avoid forced linear thinking.
• The idea behind mind mapping is to start with a big idea or central thought, typically as a blob in
the middle of your map. From there, you will progressively work your way visually, through
various branches of a tree to more specific supporting concepts. You’ll continue branching out as
far as you want, until you end up with information that is even more defined, specific, or
actionable.
Source: https://computers.tutsplus.com/tutorials/mind-mapping-101-the-visual-way-to-organize-
information--cms-21182
Organization of Data
A mind map of an example weekly routine
Source: https://computers.tutsplus.com/tutorials/mind-mapping-101-the-visual-way-to-organize-
information--cms-21182
Organization of Data
Graphical Representation: A graph is a categorized representation of data. It helps us understand
the data easily. Data is a collection of numerical figures collected through surveying. Once the data
is collected it is arranged, summarized, classified, and finally represented graphically. This is the
concept of graphical representation of data.
• The graph helps us understand the data or information even when we have no idea about it.
• It saves time.
• It makes it easier for us to compare the data for different time periods or different kinds.
• It is mainly used in statistics to determine the mean, median and mode for different data and
interpolation and extrapolation of data.
Source: https://www.embibe.com/exams/basic-graphical-representation/#Graphical-
Representation
Organization of Data
Types of Graphical Representation:
• Line Graph: A line graph is a chart used to show information that changes over time. We plot line
graphs by connecting several points with straight lines. Another name is a line chart. Example:
The following graph shows the number of motorbikes sold on different days of the week.
Source: https://www.embibe.com/exams/basic-graphical-representation/#Graphical-
Representation
Organization of Data
Types of Graphical Representation:
• Histogram: Continuous data represented on the two-dimensional graph is called a histogram. In
the histogram, the bars are placed continuously side by side without a gap between consecutive
bars. In other words, rectangles are erected on the class intervals of the distribution. The areas of
the rectangles formed by bars are proportional to the frequencies. Example: Following is an
example of a histogram showing the average pass percentage of students..
Source: https://www.embibe.com/exams/basic-graphical-representation/#Graphical-
Representation
Organization of Data
Types of Graphical Representation:
• Bar Graph: Bar graphs can be of two types – horizontal bar graphs and vertical bar graphs. While a
horizontal bar graph is applied for qualitative data or data varying over space, the vertical bar
graph is associated with quantitative data or time-series data.
• Bars are rectangles of varying lengths and of equal width usually are drawn either horizontally or
vertically. We consider multiple or grouped bar graphs to compare related series. Component or
sub-divided bar diagrams are applied for representing data divided into several components.
Example: The following graph is an example of a bar graph representing the money spent month-
wise
Source: https://www.embibe.com/exams/basic-graphical-representation/#Graphical-
Representation
Organization of Data
Types of Graphical Representation:
• Pie Chart: The pie chart is a type of graph in which a circle is divided into Sectors where each
sector represents a proportion of the whole. Two main formulas used in pie charts are: To
calculate the percentage of the given data, we use the formula: (Frequency ÷ Total Frequency) ×
100. To convert the data into degrees we use the formula: (Given Data ÷ Total value of Data) ×
360°.
Source: https://www.embibe.com/exams/basic-graphical-representation/#Graphical-
Representation
