Data Collection Methods for Research

Data Collection Method/Research Design-Capstone Project The research design utilized will be a guide for data collection. In this instance, the project outline will aid in selecting the types of data to collect, analyze and review. Additionally, the outline will assist in keeping the research focused, and lessen the chances of becoming overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data that is available for review.
In collecting data for this Capstone Project, secondary data review and analysis is the most cost-effective method for gaining a better understanding of the non-profit sector, its challenges, and the role it plays in society. This secondary data has been collected by researchers, experts on the non-profit sector, and the non-profit institutions themselves. The data collected will originate from a variety of sources. Thus far, it would appear that data will be collected from official statistics and technical reports published by the non-profit sector for marketing or other purposes. Also, scholarly journals and non-profit trade publications appear to provide a large amount of information that has often been reviewed by peers in the field for accuracy and relevance. Data will also be gathered from literature review articles on specific areas of the non-profit sector, including workforce/human resource issues, the board of directors’ role in the non-profit, and historical perspectives of non-profits. Additional data may be collected from web-based sources, such as foundation websites, or websites of other sources that are specific to charities and the non-profit sector.
It is intended that data collected be current, with much of the information being gathered from sources that are less than ten (10) years old as many data sources update and substantiate older articles, or earlier