What is data?

What is data?(OR, OF METHODS AND MADNESS)

Data is just information gathered for a particular purpose.

MethodData Flavor #1: Primary Research Data

First hand – data gathered by the researcher through some sort of method

Yields both quantitative and qualitative data

Observation Researcher plans to look at a particular thing for a particular thing◦ Low impact research – presence only – no deliberate

interaction with living beings◦ Low impact or no IRB◦ Yields both quantitative and qualitative data

Participant Observation Researcher plans to look at a particular thing for a particular thing or for general understanding◦ Researchers becomes part of or joins the environment

◦ Most common when observing social beings, such as humans◦ Low impact or social sciences IRB◦ Yields mostly qualitative data

Interviews: individual Researcher talks to one person about a particular topic◦ Usually recorded◦ Core questions planned◦ Can allow improvisation◦ Can talk to many people◦ Yields mostly qualitative data◦ Soc Sci IRB

Interviews: focus group Researcher gathers particular people in small groups (3-7) to ask specific questions◦ Some room for improvisation◦ Usually recorded◦ Careful consideration for group composition◦ Yields basic quantitative data◦ Yields mostly qualitative data◦ Low impact or social sciences IRB

Surveys Researcher designs specific questions for participants to answer◦ Easy to administer, hard to design

◦ Qualtrics @ UF – access through e-learning◦ Can use a mix of text and image

◦ Minimum of 30 for any kind of reliability◦ Yields mostly quantitative data with some qualitative

◦ Always has problem of population and self-report◦ Soc Sci IRB

ExperimentalQuasi-Experimental

Prospective, planned method where researcher controls variables to extent possible

Measures participant behavior relative to a particular (independent) variable

MethodData Flavor #2:Secondary Research

Does NOT require IRB

Also includes “re-use” of existing data

Sources of secondary research

Any existing thing, structure, object, place, publication, data source!◦ Census◦ Art◦ Historical documents◦ UF repository◦ Other people’s data

Provides novel perspective!