e-journalism outputs

data collection

Stavanger September 2, 2015

Summary

- What is research

- What is data collection

- Qualitative and quantitative methods

- Primary and secondary data

- Strenght and weakness point

- Ethical approach

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

We research everyday Humans are 'intuitive' scientists ....always asking questions and testing theories about themselves, others, events, the environment and the world around them. Research is asking a question and finding out the answer..... It is looking into something. It is looking for something. It is comparing and contrasting things. It is finding out more information

Humans are ‘intuitive’ scientists.. always asking questions and testing theories about themselves, others, events, the environment and the world around them. Research involves gaining knowledge, interpreting data and disseminating the findings.

We research everyday

Research is asking a question and finding out the answer.....

What is research?

It is looking into something It is looking for something It is comparing and contrasting things It is finding out more information

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

Data are facts, figures and other relevant materials, past and present, serving as bases for study and analysis

What is data?

What is data collection?

Data collection is a systematic approach to gathering information from a variety of sources to get a complete and accurate picture of an area of interest.

Why is data collection needed?

- To get information for analysis - To get idea about real time situation - For comparison between two (or more) situations

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

- Which data to collect - How to collect the data - Who will collect the data - When to collect the data

In collecting the data, the researcher must decide:

Consequences from improperly collected data include: - Inability to answer research questions accurately; - Inability to repeat and validate the study.

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

Quality or quantity?

Qualitative research Quantitative research

Deals with descriptions. Data can be observed but not measured. It approximates or characterizes but does not measure the attributes, characteristics, and properties of a thing or phenomenon.

Deals with numbers. Data which can be measured. This method rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit diverse experiences into predetermined response categories.

There are two general approaches to gathering and reporting information:

choose qualitative method for analyzing and researching concepts and abstraction

choose quantitative method for measuring variables and verifying existing theories or hypotheses or questioning them

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

PRIMARY

Data sources

SECONDARY

Data collected for the first time, by a method other than secondary research, to answer specific questions. Primary data comes from the researcher for the purpose of the specific purpose it hand

Data collected by others to be «re-used» by researcher. Published information available from other sources that has already been gathered.

Start by collecting this type

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

Secondary sources Secondary data

Published Printed Sources Books Journals/periodicals Magazines/newspapers

Published Electronic Sources E-journals General Websites Databases Weblogs

Types of secondary

sources

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

http://www.footprintnetwork.org personal footprint calculator http://esa.un.org/unpp/ demographics data www.indexmundi.com data and stats www.ipcc.ch Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change www.fao.org Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations http://standby.lbl.gov stand-by data www.energystar.gov energetic consumption data www.wri.org World Resources Institute www.eniscuola.net www.worldmapper.org cartograms

Recommended websites

IEA International Energy Agency www.worldenergyoutlook.org The annual World Energy Outlook (WEO) is now the world’s most authoritative source of energy market analysis and projections, providing critical analytical insights into trends in energy demand and supply and what they mean for energy security, environmental protection and economic development.

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

Collecting data

Methods of data collection

Observation

Interview

Questionnaire

Primary data

Each method has its advantages and limitations

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

observation Primary data

most commonly used in qualitative research

Non-participant

no intervention by a researcher

Types of observation

Participant the researcher intervenes in the

environment

Observation is a systematic data collection approach. Researchers use all of their senses to examine people in natural settings or naturally occurring situations. It is a social research technique that involves the direct observation of phenomena in their natural setting.

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

Interviews consist of collecting data by asking questions. Data can be collected by listening to individuals, recording, filming their responses, or a combination of methods.

interview Primary data

One of the major methods of data collection

Types of interview Structured

predetermined questions

Semi-structured no rigorous set of questions

Unstructured no organisation

Focused group interactive group

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

Primary data

questionnaire more appropriate for quantitative data collection

Types

Open format questions No predeterminated set of responses

Closed format questions Multiple-choice question

A questionnaire is a research tool that uses questions to gather information from multiple respondents.

Clear Easy to understand

The questionnaire was invented by Sir Francis Galton

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

Primary data

STRENGHT WEAKNESS

• Data interpretation is better • Targeted issues are addressed • Efficient spending for

information • Decency of data • Addresses specific research

issues • Greater control • Proprietary issues

• High cost • Time consuming • Inaccurate feedback • More number of resources is

required

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

Secondary data

STRENGHT WEAKNESS

• Cheap • Easily accessible • Immediately available • Will provide essential background and

help to clarify or refine research problem – essential for literature review

• Secondary data sources will provide research method alternatives

• Will also alert the researcher to any potential difficulties

• Secondary data can be general and vague

• The information and data may not be accurate. The source of the data must always be checked

• The data maybe old and out of date

• The sample used to generate the secondary data may be small

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

• Combining methodologies and types of data often provides the most useful results

• Combining archival information and administrative data with original qualitative and quantitative survey data allows for triangulation

• This approach can increase the level of professionalism, credibility and legitimacy

Combining different sources and methods

QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE

PRIMARY SECONDARY

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

An ethical approach

Adapting an ethical approach will contribute to:

a suitable and valid method good and useful results solid conclusions

When conducting research, one must consider ethics, in order that they work within the law, to professional guidelines and act morally.

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

Information contained in this presentation was produced within the NECST project "A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories" funded under the Erasmus Plus Programme by the European Commission. This presentation is the sole responsibility of the NECST Project and does not represent the opinion of the European Commission or of the National Agency Indire nor is the European Commission or the National Agency Indire responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

NECST – A New Energy Culture: Sustainability and Territories