During which phase of the research process is data collection executed?

Data collection is a critical step in the research process and is specifically carried out during the data collection phase. This phase is dedicated to gathering information that is necessary to address the research questions or hypotheses identified earlier in the research process.

During this phase, researchers would implement the methodologies they have developed, which may include surveys, experiments, interviews, or other data-gathering techniques, to collect quantitative or qualitative data. It is essential for the integrity and reliability of the research findings that this step is executed correctly and systematically, as the data collected will support the analysis and conclusions drawn later in the research process. The success of the study largely depends on how well data is collected during this specific phase.

In contrast, the analysis phase focuses on interpreting and making sense of the collected data, while the design phase involves planning how the research will be conducted, including selecting methods and determining the study framework. The literature review phase involves examining existing research and theoretical background related to the study topic, informing the research design but not involving data collection itself. Thus, the data collection phase is clearly delineated from these other stages, which is why it is the correct answer.