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
Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Extract, Transform, Load, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
CPA Pathways Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Extract, Transform, Load, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Master of Engineering in Engineering Management
Skills you'll gain: Object Oriented Design, User Story, Model Based Systems Engineering, New Product Development, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Data Mining, Strategic Decision-Making, Delegation Skills, Unsupervised Learning, Failure Analysis, Sampling (Statistics), Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, Supplier Management, Sustainability Reporting, Data Ethics, Statistical Modeling, Database Design, Generative AI, Process Capability, Engineering Management
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of London
Graduate Certificate in Computer Science
Skills you'll gain: Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction, Full-Stack Web Development, React Native, Agile Software Development, Data Ethics, Git (Version Control System), Event-Driven Programming, Version Control, Network Security, Web Applications, Computer Graphics, Relational Databases, Data Science, Natural Language Processing, Unsupervised Learning, Combinatorics, Web Development, Generative AI, Development Environment
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of London
Graduate Diploma in Computer Science
Skills you'll gain: Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction, Full-Stack Web Development, React Native, Agile Software Development, Data Ethics, Git (Version Control System), Event-Driven Programming, Version Control, Network Security, Web Applications, Computer Graphics, Relational Databases, Data Science, Natural Language Processing, Unsupervised Learning, Combinatorics, Web Development, Generative AI, Development Environment
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
Google Cloud
Einführung in die Datenanalyse in Google Cloud
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Google Cloud
Introducción al análisis de datos en Google Cloud
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Master of Science in Management
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Storytelling, Management Accounting, Fund Accounting, Operations Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Statement Analysis, Marketing, Risk Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Business Strategy, Extract, Transform, Load, Financial Auditing, Descriptive Statistics, Process Improvement, Marketing Analytics, Financial Market, Strategic Decision-Making, Corporate Tax, Global Marketing
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of North Texas
Bachelor of Science in General Business
Skills you'll gain: Operations Management, Compensation and Benefits, Integrated Marketing Communications, Organizational Change, Event Management, Grammar, Leadership Studies, Sales Process, Negotiation, Data Mining, Design Thinking, Regression Analysis, Public Policies, Global Marketing, Cultural Diversity, Business Mathematics, Social Justice, Social Media Strategy, Sociology, Life Sciences
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
IIT Roorkee
Executive MBA
Skills you'll gain: Mergers & Acquisitions, New Product Development, Capital Budgeting, Supply Chain, Integrated Marketing Communications, Business Marketing, Sales Process, Innovation, Succession Planning, Management Accounting, Supply Chain Management, Statistical Process Controls, FinTech, Marketing Management, Revenue Management, Sampling (Statistics), Project Portfolio Management, Financial Statement Analysis, Strategic Marketing, Service Recovery
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of Colorado Boulder
Semiconductor Photonics Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Semiconductors, Power Electronics, Display Devices, Computer Displays, Electronic Systems, Systems Design, Electrical Engineering, Technical Design, Electronic Components, Equipment Design, Basic Electrical Systems, Systems Analysis, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Process Control, System Requirements, Simulations, Engineering Calculations, Hardware Design, Physics, Computer-Aided Design
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of London
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Skills you'll gain: Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction, Full-Stack Web Development, React Native, Agile Software Development, Data Ethics, Git (Version Control System), Event-Driven Programming, Version Control, Network Security, Web Applications, Computer Graphics, Relational Databases, Data Science, Natural Language Processing, Unsupervised Learning, Combinatorics, Web Development, Generative AI, Development Environment
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years