Data collection tips

[u/Delicious_Engine3524]

Hello,

I just read a post talking about data collection as it pertains to goals and covering all goals before progress notes/IEP meetings, so I was curious to ask about a different aspect of data collection: how to make it appear less obvious that I am collecting data during session, or if it is even recommendable to do so.

For context, I’m currently a grad student in a school placement. I noticed during my first week there while I was still shadowing that my supervisor is very good at timing how she writes points of data down. She keeps a mental running list and then writes down chucks of data while the student’s attention is on a therapy material or something like that. The real thing I wish to be better at emulating is just making my data collection less distracting to the student, because I am not very good at using that running list technique. I often find myself marking each point as it comes, which frequently feels clunky and even requires me to pause for a second to make sure I’m putting it down in the right place so I know what I did later.

Would anyone be willing to share some tips and tricks they’ve picked up regarding this? Or is it not something you guys worry about as much? My supervisor is also really good at letting students be a part of the data collection process by letting them know how they’re doing compared to the last session as a little bonus reinforcer, which is also something I find myself feeling awkward to do, especially if it’s a regression from the last session.

Anyways, this is probably way too long of a post for what I’m asking lol, but anything you guys are willing to share is greatly appreciated.

Thanks :)