notebook and laptop

Collect Data

For information on collecting data with mobile devices, please see Using Mobile Technology.

For resources on collecting data on sexual orientation & gender identity (SOGI), please see SOGI Data.

Evaluation results are only as good as the data collected. To obtain high quality data, it's important to define what you want to know, determine your sample, understand the cultural environment you'll be working in, develop and test the instrument, recruit, train and monitor data collectors, organize team logistics, and collect the data.

For guidance on consumer testing of educational materials and messaging, please see the Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California (TECC) Guide for Consumer Testing Educational Materials.

Scroll down for resources on conducting surveys, interviews, observations, and more. 

Conducting Surveys

Coalition Surveys

If you are a California tobacco control program looking for a satisfaction survey to use with your coalition, consider using our easy-to-use online survey. Here's a sample of what it includes. If you'd like to use it and it hasn’t already been shared with your SurveyAnalytics account, contact us and we'll share the folder in your account. From there, you can copy and customize the survey to fit your needs, send out a link to your coalition and analyze the data in a format of your choosing. It's a fast and convenient way to conduct your coalition survey!

Online Surveys

Education or Participant Satisfaction Surveys

Public Opinion Surveys/Intercept Surveys

Youth Tobacco Purchase Survey

  • Advice from the field

Interviewing Key Informants

Leading Focus Groups

For guidance about using focus groups for materials testing, contact the Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California (TECC)

Making Observations

Reviewing Media Activity & Policy Records

Other Methods