The process of collecting data can consist of surveys, experiments,
or the review of existing data.
Surveys
Surveys are a passive form of data collection, where the goal is
to gather data on existing conditions, attitudes or behavior.
Therefore in our example the agency may want to use a survey to sample current residents who live in areas which are currently
using wildfire use in their forests.
Experiments
Experiments or scientific studies are an active approach to data
collection. In conducting an experiment one varies some
environmental condition and then studies the effect of that
condition on the outcome. In our example, the agency could simply
increase the amount of wildfire use they have in some areas and
assess whether the opinion of the people in those areas has changed.
It should be noted that when conducting an experiment as many
factors should be held constant as possible.
Example
We could
measure the effects of a fertilizer on tree growth on a national
forest, but we would have little control over temperature, humidity,
insects etc… where as if we conducted the same experiment in a green
house we could control all of these variables.
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