Introduction to Data Collection in Research Studies
Collection of data is an essential aspect of most projects in many areas of health research, observational studies, qualitative work, and Randomised Controlled Trials. Many staff are tasked with deciding what, when and how data should be collected for their study. Collecting the right data is essential to answer the research question. This course will cover the basics of data collection in research studies, why it is important and tips on how to ensure data integrity.
| Date | 13 June 2025 |
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| Fee | £0 (pilot course) |
| Format | Online |
| Audience | Internal University of Bristol only, pilot course (prerequisites apply) |
In our 2024-2025 programme this course ran as a pilot, open to University of Bristol staff and PGR students only. We intend that this course will be available to all in our 2025-2026 programme. Find out more about pilot courses.
Course profile
This course aims to explain the basics of data collection in research studies, why it is important and tips on how to ensure data integrity.
Please click on the sections below for more information.
This online course will be taught over 1 full day. There will be a mix of lectures followed by interactive practical sessions based on real life examples and challenges.
By the end of the course participants should know:
1. how to use research protocols to decide which data items should be collected;
2. tips on how to collect different types of data;
3. ways to clean and improve the data quality prior to analysis;
4. who should be involved, and when to involve the required stakeholders;
5. expectations of external stakeholders (regulators, Sponsors and end users); and
6. striking the balance between collecting enough data to answer the study question whilst not overburdening data collection teams and ensuring collection of permissible data.
This course is intended for any staff who have to collect data for research projects. Collection of data is an essential aspect of most projects in many areas of health research, observational studies, qualitative work, and Randomised Controlled Trials.
The course will cover:
- how to use research protocols to decide which data items should be collected;
- tips on how to collect different types of data;
- ways to clean and improve the data quality prior to analysis;
- who should be involved, and when to involve the required stakeholders;
- expectations of external stakeholders (regulators, Sponsors and end users); and
- striking the balance between collecting enough data to answer the study question whilst not overburdening data collection teams and ensuring collection of permissible data.
This course will be led by Dr Lucy Culliford and Dr Sarah Baos from the Bristol Trials Centre.
To make sure the course is suitable for you and you will benefit from attending, please ensure you meet the following prerequisites before booking:
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Eligibility |
This course is available to University of Bristol staff and postgraduate researchers only. Candidates must be able to fully attend the course and provide feedback. |
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Conditions |
Pilot courses are extremely popular and all live sessions must be attended in full. You should only book onto this course if you are able to commit to attending in full and have time to provide detailed feedback. Attendance is monitored. Failure to attend in full, without a valid reason, will result in your access to pilot course materials being rescinded and you will not be permitted to attend any further pilot courses within the same academic year. |
Before booking this course, please make sure you read the information provided above about the target audience and prerequisites. It is important that you have access to the relevant IT resources needed for the course and meet the knowledge prerequisites to ensure you can get the most from the course.
We do not charge fees for pilot courses, nor do they count against your allocation of free course places. However, in return we ask that you take the time to provide full and thorough feedback so we can effectively evaluate the success of the course.
Pilot courses are extremely popular and all live sessions must be attended in full. You should only book onto this course if you are able to commit to attending in full and have time to provide detailed feedback. Attendance is monitored. Failure to attend in full, without a valid reason, will result in your access to pilot course materials being rescinded and you will not be permitted to attend any further pilot courses within the same academic year.
Bookings are taken via our online booking system, for which you must register an account. To check if you are eligible for free or discounted courses please see our fees and voucher packs page. All bookings are subject to our terms & conditions, which can be read in full How to pay your short course fees..
For help and support with booking a course refer to our contact us, here or feel free to booking information page directly. For available payment options please see: FAQs
Participants are granted access to our virtual learning platform (Blackboard) 1 to 2 weeks in advance of the course. This allows time for any pre-course work to be completed and to familiarise with the platform.
To gain the most from the course, we recommend that you attend in full and participate in all interactive components. We endeavour to record all live lecture sessions and upload these to the online learning environment within 24 hours. This allows course participants to review these sessions at leisure and revisit them multiple times. Please note that we do not record breakout sessions.
All course participants retain access to the online learning materials and recordings for 3 months after the course.
Please note that this is a pilot course and therefore no Materials & Recordings (UoB only) option is available.