When you have decided an appropriate research design, the next step is to consider data sources to gather information. You can choose either human sources such as quantitative surveys and qualitative case studies or use non-human sources such as existing statistics and documents. But first having an in-depth understanding of both so as to make a wise decision is suggested.

Human data sources
One of the most significant decisions that you need to make when using human subjects in your research is whether it relates to the sample selected to represent your chosen population. You have two sampling techniques: probability sampling that is used for quantitative research and non-probability sampling that is used for qualitative research.

The aim of descriptive quantitative is to give the most accurate description of a trend. You can ask every member of the relevant population to collect data, but this is not possible. That is why probability sampling is used for quantitative research. There are three types of probability sampling: random sampling, systematic random sampling, and stratified random sampling.

In the random sampling method, subjects are chosen randomly with the assumption that any element has the same chance as any other of being included in the sample. In systematic random sampling, the subjects are chosen consistently. For instance, every second name or every seventh person. A stratified random sampling selects subjects randomly from categories.

Non-probability sampling methods are used when you have to expand your understanding of an event. The most common methods that fall under this sampling type are purposive samples, theoretical samples, quota sampling, convenience sampling, and snowball sampling.

Non-human data sources
You can also collect your data from existing sources if you are not considering humans for the collection of your data. However, you still have to ponder over the types of these sources. Here are the existing sources that you can consider for data collection.

• Existing statistics
• Documents such as portfolios, textbooks, timetables, curriculum plans
• Archival sources such as old published documents, letters, ledgers, diaries, workbooks, minutes of meetings
• Visuals like paintings, sketches, photographs, maps, logos, symbols, and computer-generated images
• Audiovisuals such as tape recordings, video recordings, radio broadcasts, films, dramatic representatives
• The internet, for instance, educational sites, govt. Sites, organisation sites

​So go on and re-think on your research parameters and choose its ingredients wisely and in a well-informed manner.

​

Education is our birth right and all of us strive hard to make our academic career a fruitful one. Our academic journey is not always focused on getting a high paid job at the end, but to earn wisdom that lead us to become a true human being. During this process of learning, our naïve mind starts opening up and we start seeing the world from the eyes of a learner. We start exploring the subjects we have been taught, we try to experiment with the knowledge we gain. But, do you think an institutional education is enough to shape up our minds or to answer our questions that keep popping up inside our mind?

Obviously, a school or college or university is the place that supplies the fuel for our knowledge, but the world is big enough and there are lot more things happening outside these institutions. Once you step out of your known educational arena, you will find a world of information waiting for you to grab it, to grasp it, to absorb it within you. When we opt for gaining extra knowledge outside our regular studies, it helps us to give our future a better shape.
Don’t always depend on the answers that are provided at your institution, rather go a step forward and find your answer from different source of information. Make optimum use of e-libraries, read a lot and enhance your knowledge. There are different online courses available that can add on to your career and give it a boost when you will seek for placement. If you are in school now, you can register with some online tutorials that will help you to prepare for your exams in a better way. There are online options for students of every age, standard and field. All you need is to have that zeal inside you that pushes you to make your academic journey an impressive one. 

When the students start their academic education, they are in the process of learning. Most of the students may have the same experience on their way towards the development of skills and acquire knowledge. There  is a variety of routes available for learning, which are different from each other. Different forms of communicating tools and interaction medium are available, which made the process of learning easier. Teachers can assist students in their academic journey by making use of latest tools and technologies. As the students participate in new ways of learning they learn things with more interest, which eventually help them in reaching their academic goal.