Editing Biostatistics (section)

=== Data collection ===

Data collection methods must be considered in research planning, because it highly influences the sample size and experimental design.

Data collection varies according to the type of data. For [[qualitative data]], collection can be done with structured questionnaires or by observation, considering presence or intensity of disease, using score criterion to categorize levels of occurrence.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sandelowski|first1 = Margarete|title=Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Sampling, Data Collection, and Analysis Techniques in Mixed-Method Studies|journal=Research in Nursing & Health |date=2000|volume=23|issue=3|pages=246–255|doi=10.1002/1098-240X(200006)23:3<246::AID-NUR9>3.0.CO;2-H|pmid=10871540|citeseerx=10.1.1.472.7825|s2cid=10733556 }}</ref> For [[quantitative data]], collection is done by measuring numerical information using instruments.

In agriculture and biology studies, yield data and its components can be obtained by [[metric measure]]s. However, pest and disease injuries in plants are obtained by observation, considering score scales for levels of damage. Especially, in genetic studies, modern methods for data collection in field and laboratory should be considered, as high-throughput platforms for phenotyping and genotyping. These tools allow bigger experiments, while turn possible evaluate many plots in lower time than a human-based only method for data collection.
Finally, all data collected of interest must be stored in an organized data frame for further analysis.