Transcript Data Collection and Triangulation - Winston

Data Collection and
Triangulation
Edwin D. Bell
Winston-Salem State University
What Do You Want to Know?
Your data collection method is determined
by the questions that you wish to ask.
 You need to identify a data source, i.e.,
where you want to get the information from,
which may be people or things, e.g. records,
minutes, or newspapers.

How Do You Get It?
How you get the data that you wish from
the data source is called the data collection
method.
 The methods may include: tests, surveys,
interviews, attitude scales, observations, and
journals (see Mills, 2003, Chapter 3)

Triangulation
It is generally accepted in action research
“that researchers should not rely on any
single source of data, interview,
observation, or instrument” (Mills, 2003, p.
52)
 “In research terms, this desire to use
multiple sources of data is referred to as
triangulation.” ( Mills, 2003, p. 52)

Sample Triangulation Matrix

On the following slide is a sample
triangulation matrix for an action research
project of a teacher that wanted to see if
some new instructional software would
improve students keyboarding skills
Research
Question
Data Sources
Students
Students
1. Pre-existing
knowledge
Student Survey
Computer
Knowledge
Pretest
2. Keyboarding
Speed
Pretest
Posttest
3. Appropriate
use of WP
Pretest software
Posttest software
4. Time on
Computers
Student survey
Figure 1. Triangulation Matrix Example ( Mills, 2003)
Students
Parents
Record
s
Teache
r help
Timed typing
Teacher
constructed Test
Parent
Survey
School
Lab
records
Data Collection Considerations
Reliability and validity
 Golafshani (2003) made the point that in
qualitative research reliability and validity
is replaced by the idea of trustworthiness,
which is defensible and recommended
triangulation as a way to establish this
trustworthiness of the results of a study.

References


Golafshani, N. (2003). Understanding reliability
and validity in qualitative Research. The
Qualitative Report, 8(4), 597-607. Retrieved
8/24/07 from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR84/golafshani.pdf
Mills, G. E. (2003), Action Research: A Guide for
the Teacher Researcher, 2nd Edition,
Merrill/Prentice-Hall: Upper saddle River, NJ.