Data Collection: Key Debates and Methods in Social Research

by Wendy Kay Olsen

Offering cross-referenced, accessible overviews of key theoretical issues and practical methods, Data Collection provides students and researchers alike with an indispensible introduction to the tools needed for data collection. This innovative book uses clear definitions, relevant interdisciplinary examples from around the world and up-to-date suggestions for further reading to give helpful ways to gather and use qualitative, quantitative, and mixed data sets. The book is divided into seven critical parts including Data An Introduction to Research Practices; Collecting Qualitative Data; Observation and Informed Methods; Experimental and Systematic Data Collection; Survey Methods for Data Collection; The Case Study Method of Data Collection; and Concluding Suggestions for Data Collection Groups. A stimulating, practical guide which can be read as individual concepts or as a whole, this text is an important resource for students and research professionals.

248 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2011

About the author

Wendy Olsen works as Professor of Socio-Economics and was previously head of the Department of Social Statistics in the School of Social Sciences. She worked till 2014 both for the Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM) and in Social Statistics (half-time in each). She has also taught sociology, development economics, and research methodology. She teaches statistics and PhD research methodology as well as computerised qualitative data analysis, the comparative method, the case-study method, and topics like gender, employment, and child labour in India. She also carries out externally funded research projects. She is fostering the use of mixed-methods datasets.