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

Explore the Data Collection Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
University of Pennsylvania
AI Fundamentals for Non-Data Scientists
Skills you'll gain: Generative AI, Big Data, Machine Learning, Customer Data Management, Tensorflow, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Algorithms, Process Optimization, Data Analysis, Artificial Neural Networks, Natural Language Processing
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
738 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
Python for Genomic Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Bioinformatics, Data Structures, Jupyter, Python Programming, Programming Principles, Scripting Languages, Scripting, Data Processing, Computer Programming, Data Manipulation, File Management
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
1.8K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
Getting and Cleaning Data
Skills you'll gain: Data Manipulation, Data Cleansing, Data Wrangling, Data Integration, Data Quality, Data Transformation, Data Import/Export, Data Collection, Data Management, Web Scraping, Data Access, R Programming, Exploratory Data Analysis, MySQL, File Management, SQL, Application Programming Interface (API)
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
8.1K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Northeastern University
Data Privacy Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Information Privacy, Personally Identifiable Information, Data Ethics, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Journalism, Emerging Technologies, Media and Communications, Internet Of Things, Artificial Intelligence
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
676 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
DeepLearning.AI
Improving Deep Neural Networks: Hyperparameter Tuning, Regularization and Optimization
Skills you'll gain: Tensorflow, Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Performance Tuning, Artificial Neural Networks, Machine Learning Algorithms, Analysis, Debugging
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
63K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado System
Clinical Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Tidyverse (R Package), Clinical Data Management, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Modeling, Clinical Research, R Programming, Data Manipulation, Predictive Modeling, Database Design, Google Cloud Platform, Intensive Care Unit, Data Ethics, Data Quality, Risk Modeling, Natural Language Processing, Health Informatics, Statistical Modeling, Bioinformatics, Text Mining, Data Processing
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
469 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
DeepLearning.AI
DeepLearning.AI TensorFlow Developer
Skills you'll gain: Tensorflow, Computer Vision, Image Analysis, Keras (Neural Network Library), Natural Language Processing, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Deep Learning, Artificial Neural Networks, Generative AI, Applied Machine Learning, Predictive Modeling, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Text Mining, Forecasting, Data Processing, Supervised Learning
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
25K reviews
Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Meta
Meta Front-End Developer
Skills you'll gain: Jest (JavaScript Testing Framework), Version Control, UI/UX Research, Usability Testing, Responsive Web Design, Data Structures, Unix Commands, HTML and CSS, Git (Version Control System), Persona (User Experience), GitHub, Interaction Design, User Experience Design, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Bootstrap (Front-End Framework), React.js, Mobile Development, Front-End Web Development, Algorithms, Javascript
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
22K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Google
The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking
Skills you'll gain: Computer Networking, Network Troubleshooting, Network Administration, TCP/IP, Network Protocols, Network Routing, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Network Security, Wireless Networks, Network Model, Data Integrity
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
51K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Pennsylvania
Privacy Law and Data Protection
Skills you'll gain: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Information Privacy, Personally Identifiable Information, Regulatory Compliance, Data Security, Health Care Procedure and Regulation, Incident Response, Governance
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
789 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Santa Cruz
Bayesian Statistics: From Concept to Data Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Bayesian Statistics, Statistical Inference, Data Analysis, Probability, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Microsoft Excel, Probability Distribution, R Programming, Regression Analysis
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
3.2K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Microsoft
Microsoft Data Visualization
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), Data Presentation, Power BI, Data Ethics, Dashboard, Data Visualization Software, Data Modeling, Data Governance, Extract, Transform, Load, Interactive Data Visualization, Business Intelligence, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Data Architecture, Correlation Analysis, Data Cleansing, Data Transformation, Database Design, Statistical Visualization
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
67 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months