Data Collection with Epicollect5
Disclaimer: Based in user experience alone
Epicollect5 is 100% free and limitless*
- Open Source
- Uses Google accounts
- Holds only your email
- Data ownership retained by project manager
- Giving access to a third person = explicit access to data
- Daily back-ups
*Within fair use policy
Data
Limitations
- Requires an expensive phone
- Water and shock-proofing is a must
- Daily access to power sources
- Frequent access to the internet for data uploading
How does it work?
First you need a Google account
- You can use it to login at Epicollect
Ready to create a new project
Add in your project’s details
Congratulations!
You have now created your project website. Click on
OK, OPEN FORMBUILDER NOW
The Form Builder is your friend:
That’s it! Now go out there!
The Epicollect5 App
1. Download the app
2. Login
3. Add project
4. Recording & Uploading data
Add Entry:
Upload Now > Upload Data
Utility with R
Downloading the data
View Data to download as .csv.
Unique Identifiers allow linking the two spreadsheets
| ec5_uuid | created_at | title | 1_Name | 2_Gender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| d541a4c6… | 2019-01-12T19:45… | Cristian | Cristian | Male |
| ec5_uuid | ec5_parent_uuid | created_at | title | 3_Weight_kg | 4_Height_cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5d3e90c… | d541a4c6… | 2019-01-12T19:47… | 80177 | 80 | 177 |
Use R’s merge function to join forms
parent <- read.csv(‘file_path’, check.names=F)
child <- read.csv(‘file_path’, check.names=F)
tutorial <- merge(parent, child,
by.x=‘ec5_uuid’, by.y= ‘ec5_parent_uuid’)
Other cool stuff that you can do
- Record date and time, location, pictures,
- Add jumps or groups of questions to forms
- Map your data
- Add collectors, curators…
Useful links:
User guide: https://epicollect5.gitbooks.io/epicollect5-user-guide/content/
iOS App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epicollect5/id1183858199?mt=8
Android Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.ac.imperial.epicollect.five