When selecting a location for data collection, consider:

• Accessibility. Choose a location that is convenient to your sources and those who will be collecting the data. For most inquiries this will be a campus location.
  
  
• Familiarity. Choose a meeting place that is familiar and comfortable for your sources.
  
  
• Quality of Acoustics. Choose a location in which your sources and those collecting the data are able to hear each other easily. If you are intending to tape record, choose
  a place with minimal background noise.
  
  
• Availability. Consider whether there are locations in which many of your sources are available. For example, if your sources are faculty from other colleges, you may want to meet with them at a regional or national conference.

Before firming up your data collection plans, consider how you will analyze your data. Your data collection can complicate or ease your analysis. Review Module 5 and then come back to your data collection plan and consider ways to ease the analysis task.