Phase 4 · Data Collection — Bushwick Daily Grocery Price Index

Prepared by *

Date

A. Design the dataset — before you touch a shelf

The dictated field list is gone on purpose: deciding what a price observation must capture is your job, and it's where the method actually gets built. Work it out as a team, then build the instrument once and use it identically.

What does a single price observation need to capture?

One row = one item at one store. List every field that row must hold for the number to be trustworthy and traceable later — think about what your analysis and your fact-check will demand of it, not just the price.

How will you capture it in the field?

A phone form that writes to the sheet, direct rows in the sheet, something else? Justify the choice — speed in the aisle vs. clean data vs. photos attached.

How do photos attach to the right row?

Every price should trace to a product photo and a price-tag photo. State your naming or upload scheme so a photo is never orphaned.

One "Regular" price per item per store — how do you enforce it?

Duplicates and missing cells are the two ways this data goes bad. How will you see gaps and avoid doubles as you go?

B. Links to your live collection

Link to your collection instrument (form or sheet)

Link to the Price Data sheet / Master Tracker

Link to the photos folder

C. Collection log & coverage

Check coverage at the end of each collecting day: which store × item cells are still empty? Empty cells are assignments for tomorrow.

Progress by store
Store	Date collected	Items priced	Gaps still open	Notes / oddities

Collection notes

Substitutions made, stores that pushed back, anything that will need a caveat in the article.

Coordinator review

The Coordinator (who also edits) records the decision here. You don't start the next phase until this reads Approve.

Decision

Approve Revise — see notes Hold

Notes / what to fix

Reviewed by

Date