What is data collection?

Data collection is the systematic process of gathering information like observations or measurements while doing research. When you’re performing research, you’re likely looking for answers to a question you have. When it comes to data collection, digging beyond the surface tells an intriguing story. Collecting data about what you’re researching can help you gain more insight into the details and information that’ll help you answer that question. Although it’s particularly useful in science-related applications, the beauty of data collection is that you can use it to discover answers to almost any query you dream up.

Why learn data collection?

Data are important for helping you (and others, and even computers) make all sorts of different decisions. It helps scientists learn whether their studies are working and assists marketers in sending the right messages to the right people. It's what lets us know if something new we tried is really working. As information becomes digitized, it becomes data that we can use in a variety of ways to accomplish whatever we’ve set out to do. But in order to do that, we need to gather the data first. Without data collection to compile that information, we can’t be truly efficient in analyzing those details — what if something is missing? If you’re aiming to understand how research is conducted and decisions are made, it’s essential to learn about data collection’s role.

What career opportunities can arise from learning data collection?

Almost every career that involves data provides opportunities for collecting those data, even if the primary focus isn’t only collecting data. A multitude of different analyst roles require plenty of time spent gathering data, whether you choose to work in fields like marketing, human resources or business or you’re specifically interested in working as a data scientist — someone who directs their efforts toward compiling data and translating it into information that others can use to make decisions. Even working as an actuary — a professional who assesses risks, often in insurance fields — allows you to focus much of your time on dealing with data. But these careers are just the beginning; dozens more give you the opportunity to collect data, so it’s an important skill to have and concept to understand even if it’s not the primary focus of your work.

How can taking online courses on Coursera help me learn data collection?

If you’re looking to boost your data literacy, taking our online classes provides a worthwhile opportunity to pursue your goals whenever it’s most convenient for you. Online courses give you the time and space you need to complete coursework from home while also providing you access to learning materials created by accomplished instructors and other field experts. You’ll enjoy learning the basic frameworks of data collection and analysis as you’re getting started learning about this topic by discovering the role of research, analysis and collection techniques. As you advance, you might choose to study more complex topics like utilizing the Python programming language to create programs that fetch and analyze data. And with a variety of learning programs, from certificates to specializations to course credits for college degrees, you can formalize your data analysis accomplishments as you continue to build skills.

Top Data Collection Courses - Learn Data Collection Online

Data Collection Courses Online

Explore data collection methods for research and analysis. Learn to design surveys, conduct interviews, and gather accurate data.

University of Michigan
Survey Data Collection and Analytics
Skills you'll gain: General Statistics, Probability & Statistics, Survey Creation, Research and Design, Data Analysis, Big Data, People Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Process Analysis, Data Management, Market Research, Social Media, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Estimation, Market Analysis, Scientific Visualization, Communication, Human Learning
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: [object Object]
Google
Google Data Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis, R Programming, SQL, Spreadsheet Software, Business Analysis, Business Communication, Data Visualization, Data Management, General Statistics, Big Data, Communication, Computer Programming, Data Science, Data Visualization Software, Databases, Exploratory Data Analysis, Extract, Transform, Load, Leadership and Management, Microsoft Excel, Problem Solving, Small Data, Statistical Programming, Tableau Software
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: [object Object]
Microsoft
Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis, Data Management, Data Mining, Data Model, Data Visualization, Extract, Transform, Load, Microsoft Excel, Power BI, SQL
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months