SW 300 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Michael Williams (Geographer), Data Analysis
Document Summary
Data collection is the link between theory and practice. The role of data collection in connecting theory and practice is understood when looking at the entire research process. Data collection comes before the steps of analyzing the data and writing the research report. Identifies the general problem area and the population to be studied. It tells us what we want to collect data about and alerts us to potential data sources, but does not necessarily specify the exact manner in which our data will be gathered. One factor that affects how our question will be answered depends on how we conceptualize and measure the variables within it. Also, the source of the data (who or what is providing them) affects how it will be answered. Since social work problems are complex, data collection is strengthened when two or more data sources are used. Designing the research study and collecting the data.
