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Methods & Data Collection

Veronica Terriquez, UCSC SociologySteve McKay, UCSC Sociology

Objectives:• To discuss the links among methods,

community engagement, and knowledge(s);

• To review the strengths and weaknesses of various forms of data;

• To discuss methodological and ethical issues as they relate to your projects.

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Forms of data will discuss

1. Administrative /published quantitative data

2. Original survey data3. Spatial data/maps4. Focus group data5. Interview data6. Ethnographic/participant observation

data 7. Visual data8. Other?9. Mixed-methods

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1. Administrative /published quantitative data(government data, census data, published academic

data sets)Examples of community engagement: Defining the research question(s); disseminating the results. General strengths: sometimes generalizable (census); seen as valid and reliable in academic & policy settings; inexpensive if you can download it for freeGeneral weaknesses: often contain limited or inadequate measures; do not address in-depth questions; don’t capture uniqueness of local contextOther?:

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2. Original survey dataExamples of community engagement: Defining the research question(s); defining survey questionnaire items; reviewing survey instrument; administering survey; disseminating the results.General strengths: allow you to obtain a larger sample; allow you to measure patterns; sometimes generalizableGeneral weaknesses: often lack depth; sometimes difficult to obtain a representative sample or census; can be expensiveOther?:

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3. GIS & Maps

Examples of community engagement: Defining the research question(s); contributing to data that is mapped; reviewing maps; disseminating the results.General strengths: allow you to view patterns; can be useful for community strategy.

General weaknesses: largely descriptive

Other?:

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4. Focus groupsExamples of community engagement: Defining the research question(s); defining discussion questions; convening the participants; running the focus group; analyzing and disseminating the results.General strengths: can identifies community issues, concerns, and solutions; can allow participants to generate new ideas or share their views with each other; can allow you to explore social processes in depthGeneral weaknesses: most outspoken study participants may influence the othersOther?:

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5. Interviews (semi-structured, oral history)

Examples of community engagement: Defining the research question(s); developing interview questions; conducting interviews; analyzing results; disseminating findings. General strengths: may allow you to gain in-depth data; may allow you to understand study participant’s perspectives and experiencesGeneral weaknesses: often limited in sample size; transcribing can take a long time; retrospective; not generalizable.Other?:

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6. Ethnography/Participant ObservationExamples of community engagement: facilitating access; defining study design; data collection; analyzing the results; disseminating findings.General strengths: in-depth understanding; answers why questions; understanding positionality, subjectivity; and meaning; helps illuminate local knowledge; goes beyond self-reporting; useful for theory building

General weaknesses: time consuming; who the researcher is strongly influences the findings; not generalizableOther?:

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7. Visual dataCommunity engagement: design & case selection; producing visual data; research disseminationGeneral strengths: cultural impact; helps communicate community’s interests; reaches multiple and broader audiences;General weaknesses: not representative; measurable outcomes unclear.

Other?:

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8. Other Types of Data

Community engagement:

General strengths:

General weaknesses:

Other?:

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9. Mixed-Methods Research

Research that combines different types of empirical data to answer a research question or a set of research questions.

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Principles of Mixed-Methods Research

• Method Balance

*Comprehensive Documentation

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TRIANGULATION

An approach to data analysis that synthesizes

data from multiple sources. Triangulation often

involved using data collected through different

methods, by different researchers, and/or from

different populations. Triangulation allows for

findings to be corroborated across data sources,

reducing the impact of potential biases that can

exist using a single source of data.

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Break-Out Groups

What types of data might you be using for your project or work?

What is the role of the community in determining the study design, data used, data collection, and data analysis?

What ethical issues may arise from the methodological choices you make?