One of the most fundamental aspects of a research is data collection. Inadequately collected or incorrect data can delay or even impede the research study from completion. Therefore, before researchers begin any type of data collection, they need to ensure that they choose the appropriate data collection method based on the selected sampling strategy and research design.
In criminal justice and criminological research, four types of data collection techniques are frequently utilized: (1) survey, (2) interview, (3) observation, and (4) secondary data methods.
Data analysis takes the raw data collected from the interviews and converts it into evidence that aids in the construction of an understanding of the phenomenon under investigation.
For this discussion please answer the following questions:
Which one of the above data collection methods do you believe yields the best data for analysis and why?
Why is data analysis a critical component of a research?