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 California San Diego
Algorithmic Toolbox
Skills you'll gain: Algorithms, Program Development, Debugging, Development Testing, Test Engineering, Software Testing, Computational Thinking, Test Case, Computer Programming, Programming Principles, Data Structures, Theoretical Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Design Strategies
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
13K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Google
Assets, Threats, and Vulnerabilities
Skills you'll gain: Threat Modeling, Threat Management, Vulnerability Management, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Cyber Attacks, Vulnerability Assessments, Threat Detection, MITRE ATT&CK Framework, Data Security, Cyber Risk, NIST 800-53, Authorization (Computing), Malware Protection, Authentications, Security Strategy, Security Controls, Risk Management Framework, Identity and Access Management, Encryption
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3.6K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Google Cloud
Digital Transformation Using AI/ML with Google Cloud
Skills you'll gain: Serverless Computing, Digital Transformation, Cloud Services, Data Ethics, Cloud Infrastructure, Google Cloud Platform, Application Programming Interface (API), Applied Machine Learning, Hybrid Cloud Computing, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), Cloud Computing, Public Cloud, Technical Management, Business Transformation, Containerization, Technology Strategies, Cloud-Native Computing, Multi-Cloud, IT Management, Machine Learning
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
7.4K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Meta
Meta React
Skills you'll gain: Jest (JavaScript Testing Framework), React.js, Mobile Development, Web Applications, Event-Driven Programming, JavaScript Frameworks, Application Development, API Design, UI Components, Unit Testing, TypeScript, Javascript, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Integration Testing, Development Environment, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3.4K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Michigan State University
Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR
Skills you'll gain: Design Elements And Principles, Photography, Photo Editing, Peer Review, Graphic and Visual Design, Post-Production, Photo/Video Production and Technology, Digital Design, File Management, Adobe Creative Cloud, Creativity, Color Theory, Storytelling, Content Creation, Writing, Information Privacy, Web Design and Development
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
6.6K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers
Skills you'll gain: HTML and CSS, Javascript, Responsive Web Design, Ajax, Front-End Web Development, Web Design, Web Applications, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Browser Compatibility, Web Development, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Usability, Cross Platform Development
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
17K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Tableau Learning Partner
Data Analysis with Tableau
Skills you'll gain: Exploratory Data Analysis, Tableau Software, Statistical Visualization, Data Analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Predictive Analytics, Data Processing, Box Plots, Statistical Analysis, Data Cleansing, Scatter Plots, Data Visualization Software, Trend Analysis, Histogram, Data Manipulation, Regression Analysis, Correlation Analysis
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
89 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Google
Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts
Skills you'll gain: UI/UX Research, Usability Testing, User Experience Design, Usability, Presentations, User Research, User Experience, Design Research, Research Design, User Centered Design, Research Methodologies, Prototyping, Interviewing Skills, Information Privacy
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
5.9K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Google
From Likes to Leads: Interact with Customers Online
Skills you'll gain: Social Media Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Content Creation, Social Media Campaigns, Social Media Management, Marketing Analytics, Customer Engagement, Digital Advertising, Brand Awareness, Advertising, Target Audience
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Leeds
Exploratory Data Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Cleansing, Statistical Modeling, Statistics, Data Analysis, Statistical Inference, R Programming, Descriptive Statistics, Box Plots, Data Visualization Software, Histogram, Probability, Simulations
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Nanjing University
Data Processing Using Python
Skills you'll gain: Data Processing, Data Mining, Data Structures, Data Presentation, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Web Scraping, Data Analysis, Python Programming, Pandas (Python Package), NumPy, Data Visualization, Data Import/Export, Data Manipulation, Matplotlib, User Interface (UI) Design
4.1
Rating, 4.1 out of 5 stars
374 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
DeepLearning.AI
Convolutional Neural Networks in TensorFlow
Skills you'll gain: Tensorflow, Keras (Neural Network Library), Computer Vision, Image Analysis, Applied Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Artificial Neural Networks, Supervised Learning, Data Processing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
8.2K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks