Collecting and organizing data, 7.5 credits

Bachelor of science or professional qualification of at least 180 credits within public health, health care, or a subject area relevant to social sciences. Furthermore, knowledge in English equivalent to English B (with at least the Pass grade) is required.

The aim of the course is to provide knowledge of questionnaires and interviews as data collection methods and an orientation of how to handle collected data in a structured way. On completion of the course, the student should be able to: - discuss strengths and weaknesses of questionnaires and interviews as a data collection method, and in relation to other data sources. - design, plan and carry out a questionnaire study based on a formulated question. - account for how to measure and minimise different sources of error in questionnaire and interview studies. - reason about rules, regulations, and laws that govern the collection of individual data. - apply basic principles of database management.

The course gives theoretical and practical knowledge and skills around, questionnaires and interviews as data collection methods, within the public health field. The course will treat sources of error, selection population, selection framework, methods for data collection (placement/telephone/web/interview), the construction of questionnaires, formulation of issues, combinations of different data collection methods and handling of collected data and ethical and legal preconditions that must be considered in data collection.

The course mixes lectures, seminars, group assignment and individual assignment. Attendance and active participation is compulsory at seminars and group assignments.

The examination will consist of four components: a. group work on survey construction. Graded Pass or Fail. b. group work and group assignment on database management, reported orally at seminar. Graded Pass or Fail. c. individual written assignment on database management. Graded Pass or Fail. d. an individual written examinaton. Graded Pass, Pass with distinction or Fail. To obtain the grade Pass on the course, the student must be awarded Pass on all four examination components. To obtain the grade Pass with distinction the student must be awarded Pass with distinction on component d and Pass on remaining components. Compulsory participation Group work, seminars and completion of assignments are compulsory. The course director assesses if and, in that case, how absence can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts or compensated absence in accordance with the course director's instructions, the student's results for the course/respective part will not be registered in LADOK. Limitation of number of occasions to write the exam: The student has the right to write the exam six times. If the student has not passed the exam after four participations he/she is encouraged to visit the study counselor. The number of times that the student has participated in one and the same examination is regarded as an examination session. Submission of a blank examination is regarded as an examination. An examination for which the student registered but not participated in will not be counted as an examination.

After each course occasion there will be at least six occasions for the examination within a 2-year period from the end of the course.

Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Education. The course language is English.