[01] Murtala Ganiyu Murgan, Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyah of Laws, International Islamic University, Kualar Lumpur, Malaysia.

Data is the supplied information of respondent on a specific area of research. The importance of data to research cannot be over emphasized as this enables accurate information on research work .Techniques for data gathering are the various methods of collecting data for research findings .The issue of data gathering starts after defining the research problem and after making the research design. Data gathering is equally very important to research work, as research findings will be affected by poor data collection techniques. This paper analyses various techniques of data gathering in legal research which include, survey sampling technique, questionnaire technique, mailed questionnaire technique, interview method, observation method, field work and diary studies technique with critical examination of the advantages and disadvantages of each of the techniques The paper finally concludes that adequate care must be generally taken to ensure that data collection techniques are properly applied and managed so as to avoid collection of inaccurate and misleading information which may lead to poor research result.

Techniques, Data Gathering, Legal Research

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