When a student set out to prove themselves as a scholar they must create a doctoral dissertation. This is a totally unique educational task, unlike any ever pursued in the students career. All of the research and learning that have previously prepared students for tests and term papers are now thrown out the window. The candidates are not reporting on the findings of other scholars, but they are creating their own unique findings designed to advance some aspect of their field of study. One of the skills that are unique to creating a great dissertation are those related to data collection. These skills will either make it easy or hard to complete the doctoral dissertation.

The Collection Process

The data collection process seems like it might be quite daunting at first but really collecting information is done in all of the old familiar ways that facts about a topic have been gathered since the beginning of education. One of the first methods is to talk and interview other people. Finding experts in your field to share their thoughts or asking volunteers to share their relevant stories can be a key step in gathering the information your dissertation will be based around.

If other people aren’t available for a live interview then there is always the old fashioned reading of their work. As long as you cite any direct information that you gather then it is always appropriate to read the works of relevant authors in your field of study. This also includes reading through the dissertations of students that have come before you. Reading others ideas about your topic of interest can work as a brain storming session for you, as ideas can be sparked in your mind and collected on lists. It will help stop wasting time working and developing an angle that has already been completed.

Some Collection Issues

When a scholar is collecting their data in any field it is important to maintain the integrity of the information collected. When any data is collected, the collector of the data needs to make sure that it remains pure. Preserving the integrity of the data means it will remain free of contamination made either intentionally or by accident. When you are working with tainted information of any kind, it will lead to inconsistent and faulty results. Make sure that the steps to collecting data safely are in place before the process begins, assuring the quality of the information. Then it is the responsibility of the collector to maintain a process of collection that will be maintained throughout the process as a quality control.