Checklist for the Documentation of Data Collection

Here you find a checklist that may help you in writing your Documentation of Data Collection.*

Sampling

  • Methodology of sampling and its rationale; if applicable, information on corrections during the research process or after the pretest
  • In case of research collaborations and/or international projects, specifications should be described; if different approaches were necessary, the differences should be; this may also include different legal situations and licensing obligations in the participating countries

Description of survey group

  • Description of case characteristics
  • Sociodemographic data
  • Regional and social positioning
  • Declaration about informed consent

Methods & Data compilation

  • Explanation of method selection
  • Information on preparation & implementation
  • Information on guideline design and pretest
  • Specifications about interviewers and their preparation

Interpretation & Data quality

  • Description of evaluation method
  • Coding, QDA-software, code-lists
  • description of the labour division in case of teamwork
  • Feedback effects of findings on the research process
  • Validity evaluation measures

Data security, protection & privacy

  • Explanation on the procedure for anonymization

Reference framework

  • Presentation of the literature and other sources of information used for the study; bearing in mind that secondary use may be far in the future.

Other

  • Ethical considerations
  • Empirical challenges


The checklist can be downloaded here.

*based on Susanne Kretzer (2013): Infrastruktur für qualitative Forschungsprimärdaten – Zum Stand des Aufbaus eines Datenmanagementsystems von Qualiservice. In: Huschka, D. et al.: Forschungsinfrastrukturen für die qualitative Sozialforschung. Berlin: Scivero.