METHODS OF

COLLECTING DATA
Checklist
Conferences and
Interview

CHECKLIST
A list that specifies many
attributes, such as behaviors,
traits, assignments, or skills.
When that attribute is seen,
some method is used to either
check it off or indicate the
number of times it was present.

TYPES OF CHECKLIST
1. STUDENTS CHECKLIST
2. TEACHERS CHECKLIST
3. OPEN ENDED CHECKLIST

STUDENT CHECKLIST
Checklist that are used by the
students.
Sample Checklist
Ping Hew was using action
research to study writing
workshops in her fifth-grade class.
As part of this, each student had a
portfolio they were required to
maintain that included, among

At the end of every class, put a tally mark behind any activities done in
every session.
Weekly Checklist for September 1-30 1999

Generating/Prewritin
g

Drafting

Revising

Editing

Conferencing/talking

Reading

Other
Writing topics:

Special skills learned or used:

Things I have questions about:

TEACHERS CHECKLIST
Can also be designed for use by
teachers to indicate exactly
what skills have been
introduced or mastered and
when.
Helpful in guiding instruction
and providing evidence that
skill have been covered.

Writing Checklist For Second and Third Grade Students

Student: ____________________________________
Describe the students progress using the following key: 3= very much, 2 = some, 1= very
little, 0 = not at all
ATTRIBUTES
DATES
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.

Uses invented spelling to hold ideas.

Can spell most words on the 100 MWF list.
Uses capital letters for beginning of sentences.
Uses periods and question marks.
Displays a willing attitude toward writing activities.
Is able to write attentively for about 15-20 minutes.
Able to brainstorm ideas for writing.
Knows what nouns, verb s, and adjectives are
Has ideas to share
Is able to organize ideas.
Is able to talk about his or her writing
Is able to write an acceptable rough (first) draft
Able to edit or revise the rough draft effectively
Uses complete sentences

Words per fifty (WPF) spelling scores:

Observation or comments:
_____________________________________________________________

OPEN-ENDED CHECKLISTS
*Contains a list of skills with
enough space for students to
describe their ability,
understanding or usage of each
skill.
*Provides an accurate indicator of
students level of understanding

WRITING SKILLS
EXPLANATION OF HOW YOU USE

SKILL
EACH SKILLS
Capitalization of names

There versus Their

Adjectives

Writing Dialogue

Paragraphs

Commas

CONFERENCES AND INTERVIEWS

CONFERENCES
INTERVIEWS
One or more
Students respond
students talk
to planned
about their work
questions, which
or some aspect of
are best
classroom
conducted on an
functioning.
individual basis.
Can be conducted
individually or in
small groups.

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT
CONFERENCES
Student should always do the
majority of talking and lead the
conversation in a conference.
Exchange is open ended, and
teacher questions are used simply
as prompts to get students talking.
Can last anywhere from 2 to 15
minutes.

Sample Problem and Questions for Students Conferences.

In Jason Hinkles ninth- grade biology class, his students are
assigned conference time to talk about their projects, which include
a series of experiments and lab reports. Knowing they are going to
meet with him, students are able to prepare and make sure they
have something to say.
Hows it going?
What are you working on?
Tell me about that.
What is something you seem to do well?
What might be something that gives you problems? (Tell
me about that.)
Read part of your story.
Do a long division problem, and talk out loud as you are
doing it.
Tell me what you do in a cooperative group.
What skills have you learned?
What part of science is most interesting to you?
What is something interesting or important that you

CHECKLIST FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENT CONFERENCE DATES

Lay Z.

8/23

9/13

10/4

Kris W.

8/23

9/13

10/4

Luhan X.

8/23

9/13

10/4

Kai K.

8/24

9/14

10/11

Ashley C.

8/24

9/14

10/11

Camille D.

8/24

9/14

10/11

SMALL GROUP CONFERENCES

Meet with 3-8 students at one time.
An effective data collecting method in that you
are able to see a number of students fairly
quickly and watch them interacting with each
other.
Valuable teaching tool because students are
able to hear and respond to the thoughts of
other students.
Little talk from the teacher.
Can also be adapted for use in a variety of
situations like:
Good books, current or historical events, research
projects, writing projects, moral dilemmas, math
skills, problem solving skills, textbook reading

RULES FOR SMALL GROUP

CONFERENCES


CHECKLIST FOR SMALL GROUP CONFERENCES
GROUP: ____________________________ Date:
________________________

YES

NO

1.

The group stayed on task.

1.

Everyone responded or ask a question.

1.

The group used time wisely.

1.

Everyone was prepared for the conference.

INTERESTING OR IMPORTANT IDEAS

1.

2.

3.

SOME

INTERVIEWS
Differs from a conference in that an interview has
a specific set of questions prepared in advance
and is teacher directed.
Questions should be asked in the same order
each time to maintain consistency.

TIPS
Keep your interviews short ( you can always ask
follow-up questions.)
End each interview with an open-ended question,
such as, is there anything else that you want to
say about?
Do not try to take detailed field notes during the
interview.

HIERARCHY OF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Which would you rather reads? (a) Fiction

(b) science fiction (c) nonfiction (d)
historical fiction (e) mysteries.
2. What is your favorite reading genre?
3. Name a very good book or your favorite
book.
4. Tell me what you like to read.
5. Tell me about your reading.

Closed response

Open -ended

VIDEO AND AUDIOTAPES

Provide you with information
related to students nonverbal
behaviors their location or
movement throughout a lesson.
Audiotapes are quicker, easier,
less intrusive, more natural and
easy to listen.

DATA RETRIEVAL
CHARTS
Data retrieval chart
(DRC) are visual
organizers that are used
to help you (or your
students) collect and
organize information.

Students in Pam Bauers fifth grade class

created the DRC to determine the kinds of
desserts chosen by the students. Tally marks were
used to indicate the numbers of times each
dessert was chosen.
Use tally marks to indicate the numbers of times each dessert
was chosen.
FEMALES

MALES

Pie

Cake

Cookie

None

RATING CHECKLIST
Specifies traits you are looking for
in a product or performance and
allows the observer to assign
levels of performance to each trait.
Uses one word indicator.
Students evaluated their own
level of performance on one side,
and the teacher evaluated their
performance on the other.

SCIENCE SKILLS
Key: 4= outstanding, 3= very good, 2=
average, 1=low
STUDENT

SKILL

TEACHER

Observe and describe

Create a graph

Weighing

Predicting

Organize data- create

groups
Conclude

Use a lab report

Students:
______________________________________
Teacher:
______________________________________
Grade: _________________
Comments: