Response to data collection

Research Question:

What is the reliability of open source intelligence against terrorism for national security within the United States?

Hypothesis:

Open source intelligence is reliable material for national security agencies to utilize against terrorist threats facing the United States.

Data Collection:

Some of the different data collection methods that I chose to look into included case studies, surveys, grounded theory, content analysis of documents, collection of archival data, stratified sampling technique (quantitative approach), questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. These different data collection methods were either quantitative or qualitative strategies and therefore, I plan to use the mixed-methods approach to incorporate both types into my research project.

The most significant part of my research (data collection and research method wise) will be the case studies, grounded theory, content analysis of documents, and collection of archival data. Case studies are helpful to my research in that a wide variety of persons, organizations, or events can be inspected. Grounded theory is a constructive tool because it looks at events or activities, examines their essence so to speak, and attempts to explain why the activity or even occurred. Content analysis of documents will be an easily accessible source to benefit my research paper as well as collection of archival data.

Since I don’t think the government would be too happy about handing out questionnaires or surveys to their analysts – contracted out or not – I don’t believe that those options will assist me in my paper. Focus groups and interviews would also be difficult to conduct given the circumstances. I might not be able to apply the stratified sampling technique personally in the way that I would like but I can use it when analyzing documents released to the public containing end results in the past from government sources.