Deciding on your raw material

Which source materials?
For the research topic I have in mind, my raw data or evidence base will be drawn from the following sources. (Indicate any that you plan to use.)
■	Numerical data or material that I generate myself through experiments, surveys, questionnaires or interviews
■	qualitative data or material that I generate myself through experiments, surveys and questionnaires or interviews
■	records of my observations of individuals or groups in controlled or everyday settings
■	my lab books
■	easily accessible datasets already in the public domain, such as official statistics, meteorological records, financial records, or specialist databases
■	data from private sources, such as family or company records not in the public domain
■	published material such as literary texts, government papers, statutes, companies’ online collections of printed historical manuscripts, legal documents, political papers, philosophical tracts, DVDs, musical scores, etc.
■	largely unpublished documents, manuscripts, records, scores, such as those held in private, specialist or official collections
■	my own records of live events, such as interviews
or performances I attended
■	other people’s recording of live events, such as recordings of interviews, broadcasted performances, reviews of events
■	rare objects or artefacts
■	material sources, such as rocks, minerals or
textiles.

Permissions?
Y ■ N ■ Will special permission be needed in order to make use of any source materials such as documents and artefacts?
Y ■ N ■ If so, is there a cost involved?
Y ■ N ■ If there is an application process for using the material, would I hear back early enough to make practical use of the source?
Y ■ N ■ Will the source be sent to
me?
Y ■ N ■ Will I receive the source back quickly?
Y ■ N ■ Will I have to travel to use the source?
Y ■ N ■ Will there be a limit to how long I am given access to the source?
Y ■ N ■ Will I have enough funds to cover the full costs of using these sources?
Y ■ N ■ Will I have sufficient time to make use of the source in the way I would need, taking into consideration the time required from application to receipt to the end of the permission?
Y ■ N ■ Is this source essential: would my research project be viable without it?