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.

Best Data Collection Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Data Collection Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Survey Data Collection and Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Sampling (Statistics), Sample Size Determination, Surveys, Survey Creation, Research Methodologies, Data Collection, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Software, Interviewing Skills, Data Integration, Data Ethics, Research Design, Stata, R Programming, Data Quality, Statistical Modeling, Qualitative Research, Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Programming, Data Cleansing
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
1.4K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Data Collection: Online, Telephone and Face-to-face
Skills you'll gain: Surveys, Interviewing Skills, Data Collection, Sampling (Statistics), Unstructured Data, Research Methodologies, Data Capture, Qualitative Research, Data Validation, Data Quality
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
346 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Data Collection and Processing with Python
Skills you'll gain: JSON, Data Processing, Web Scraping, Restful API, Data Manipulation, Application Programming Interface (API), Python Programming, Data Transformation, Data Structures, Data Collection
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Maryland, College Park
Framework for Data Collection and Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Surveys, Research Methodologies, Data Collection, Research Design, Data Quality, Data Analysis, Data Validation, Sampling (Statistics), Big Data, Statistical Methods
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
764 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Data Analysis with Python
Skills you'll gain: Data Wrangling, Data Cleansing, Data Analysis, Data Manipulation, Data Import/Export, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Science, Statistical Analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Regression Analysis, Predictive Modeling, Pandas (Python Package), Scikit Learn (Machine Learning Library), Machine Learning Methods, Data Pipelines, NumPy
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
19K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado Boulder
Data Collection and Integration
Skills you'll gain: Web Scraping, Data Integration, Data Cleansing, Data Import/Export, Data Quality, Data Processing, Data Collection, Data Manipulation, SQL, Databases, Query Languages, Extensible Markup Language (XML), Pandas (Python Package), Application Programming Interface (API)
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
12 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Coursera Project Network
Introduction to Data Analysis using Microsoft Excel
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Excel, Excel Formulas, Spreadsheet Software, Pivot Tables And Charts, Data Analysis, Data Manipulation, Data Mining
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4K reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Vanderbilt University
Data Management for Clinical Research
Skills you'll gain: Clinical Data Management, Data Capture, Clinical Research, Data Management, Data Collection, Data Sharing, Data Strategy, Data Quality, Data Integrity, Data Validation, Regulatory Compliance
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Stanford University
Introduction to Statistics
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Statistics, Statistical Methods, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Analysis, Data Analysis, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Regression Analysis, Statistical Inference, Probability, Exploratory Data Analysis, Quantitative Research, Data Collection, Probability Distribution
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
4.1K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Python for Data Science, AI & Development
Skills you'll gain: Jupyter, Automation, Web Scraping, Python Programming, Data Manipulation, Data Import/Export, Scripting, Data Processing, Data Structures, Data Collection, Application Programming Interface (API), Pandas (Python Package), Programming Principles, NumPy, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Computer Programming
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
41K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Status: New AI skills
Google
Google Data Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Data Literacy, Data Visualization, Data Presentation, Data Ethics, Rmarkdown, Interactive Data Visualization, Interviewing Skills, Data Cleansing, Data Validation, Professional Networking, Ggplot2, Tableau Software, Presentations, Spreadsheet Software, Data Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Stakeholder Communications, Dashboard, Sampling (Statistics)
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
168K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Status: New AI skills
Google
Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce
Skills you'll gain: Media Planning, Search Engine Marketing, Email Marketing, Data Storytelling, Social Media Strategy, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Content Creation, Order Fulfillment, Google Ads, Professional Networking, Online Advertising, A/B Testing, Social Media Campaigns, E-Commerce, Customer Retention, Customer experience strategy (CX), Customer Relationship Management, Campaign Management, Interviewing Skills
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
39K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months