Non-Computer Collecting
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Literature Searches
Literature searches include searching for data within published works in either electronic or hardcopy form. This normally involves manual searches through a catalogue to physically locate a publication before using contents pages and indexes in the actual publication to locate data. Literature searches will likely return the most accurate data. |
Surveys and Interviews
Surveys and interviews are used to directly collect data from individuals. These kinds of collection methods involve a series of questions being asked to an individual in either a structured, e.g. rate on a scale of 1 to 10, or unstructured format, e.g. a free response question. This type of collection is used to get a person's view on a topic. |
Paper Forms
Paper forms use a series of questions on a piece of paper to collect a wide variety of information from an individual. These forms usually follow a structured question format where answers can only be provided within a certain range (e.g. What Is Your Age?). The information collected using paper forms are usually entered into a computer system for processing. This collection method also requires careful attention to the design of the paper form. The form should have instructions available and clearly stated to inform the user of what to do. They should also be consistent in colour, texture, font and paper size. Large print versions of the paper forms should be available for the sight impaired. In addition to this, paper forms must have enough space available for the user to provide their answer.
Paper forms use a series of questions on a piece of paper to collect a wide variety of information from an individual. These forms usually follow a structured question format where answers can only be provided within a certain range (e.g. What Is Your Age?). The information collected using paper forms are usually entered into a computer system for processing. This collection method also requires careful attention to the design of the paper form. The form should have instructions available and clearly stated to inform the user of what to do. They should also be consistent in colour, texture, font and paper size. Large print versions of the paper forms should be available for the sight impaired. In addition to this, paper forms must have enough space available for the user to provide their answer.
Manual Recording of Events
Manual recording of events involves recording data without the use of a computer. Any kind of data can be collected using this method but is usually collected in a manner and at a time where compiling the data into a system or computer would be inappropriate or impractical. An example of this would be writing data on a clipboard. |
Existing Non-Computer Data
Before the introduction of computers, data was still collected and was stored as 'non-computer data'. These records can still be used as sources of data, but require physically searching for the data and then analysing it without the aid of a computer. This kind of data includes books, journals, newspapers and microfiche.
Before the introduction of computers, data was still collected and was stored as 'non-computer data'. These records can still be used as sources of data, but require physically searching for the data and then analysing it without the aid of a computer. This kind of data includes books, journals, newspapers and microfiche.