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

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership & Management
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Variance Analysis, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Generative AI, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Semiconductor Photonics Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Semiconductors, Display Devices, Power Electronics, Control Systems, Computer Displays, Electronic Systems, Systems Design, Technical Design, Electronic Components, Electronics, Basic Electrical Systems, Electric Power Systems, Engineering, Scientific, and Technical Instruments, Electrical Power, Electronic Hardware, Equipment Design, Electronics Engineering, Systems Analysis, Electrical Engineering, Simulations
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
Status: New
Coursera
Mapping the Mission: User Personas & Journey Design in Figma
Skills you'll gain: Persona (User Experience), Figma (Design Software), User Research, User Experience Design, User Centered Design, UI/UX Strategy, User Flows, Collaborative Software, Customer Insights
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Colorado Boulder
Engineering Management Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: User Story, Supplier Management, Project Schedules, Sustainability Reporting, Project Closure, Engineering Management, Financial Analysis, Milestones (Project Management), Financial Statement Analysis, Cost Estimation, Personal Development, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Team Leadership, Stakeholder Management, Resilience, Agile Project Management, Self-Awareness, Capital Budgeting, Project Risk Management, Cost Management
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
Google Cloud
Responsible AI for Developers: Fairness & Bias - Polski
Skills you'll gain: Data Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Open Source Technology, Google Cloud Platform, Tensorflow
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Master of Science in Computer Science
Skills you'll gain: User Story, Systems Engineering, Real-Time Operating Systems, New Product Development, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Failure Analysis, Delegation Skills, Object Oriented Design, Sampling (Statistics), Supplier Management, Sustainability Reporting, Accountability, Data Ethics, Data Mining, Statistical Modeling, Unsupervised Learning, Proposal Writing, Generative AI, Process Capability, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
Georgetown University
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies
Skills you'll gain: Vulnerability Assessments, Operations Management, Data Storytelling, Business Strategy, Design Thinking, Competitive Intelligence, Survey Creation, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Social Justice, Descriptive Statistics, Environment, Business Ethics, Capital Budgeting, Market Opportunities, Storytelling, Marketing Planning, International Relations, Artificial Intelligence, Policy Development, Political Sciences
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
Universidad de los Andes
Inteligencia Artificial: Machine learning, ética y nuevas tendencias Certificado MasterTrack®
Skills you'll gain: Supervised Learning, Unsupervised Learning, Anomaly Detection, Dimensionality Reduction, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Regression Analysis, Probability & Statistics, Data Ethics, Image Analysis, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, Embedded Systems, Applied Machine Learning, Linear Algebra, Machine Learning Algorithms, Statistical Methods, Predictive Modeling, Bayesian Statistics, Ethical Standards And Conduct
Credit offered
Mastertrack · 6 - 12 Months
University of London
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Skills you'll gain: Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction, Game Design, Full-Stack Web Development, React Native, Agile Software Development, Animations, Data Ethics, Git (Version Control System), Event-Driven Programming, Network Security, Web Applications, Data Science, Natural Language Processing, Unsupervised Learning, Combinatorics, Database Design, Web Development, Generative AI, Usability Testing
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Global Challenges in Business Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Variance Analysis, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Generative AI, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Managerial Economics & Business Analysis Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Variance Analysis, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Generative AI, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Certificado en Finanzas Corporativas
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Capital Markets, Accrual Accounting, Financial Analysis, Income Statement, Derivatives, Digital Transformation, Risk Management, Business Valuation, Financial Reporting, Balance Sheet, Financial Data, Financial Accounting, Corporate Strategy, Value Propositions, Securities (Finance), Capital Budgeting, Corporate Finance, Technology Strategies
Credit offered
Mastertrack · 6 - 12 Months