Analysing data Flashcards
What are the 3 types of data?
- Nominal
- Ordinal
- Interval
What is nominal data?
- A frequency count for distinct categories where something can only belong to 1 category
E.g. The number of people who pass or fail a driving test
What is ordinal data?
- Where numbers can be placed in ascending or descending rank order
E.g. On a rating scale where 1= unattractive and 10= highly attractive or commits 1st, 2nd, 3rd on a test
What is interval data?
- Measurements are taken from a scale where each unit is the same size and the gap between each unit is fixed and equal
E.g. The difference between a temperature 100 degrees and 90 degrees is the same difference as between 90 degrees and 80 degrees
Which average would you use for nominal data?
The mode
Which average would you use for ordinal data?
The median
Which average would you use for interval data?
The mean
What is a strength of nominal data?
It’s easy to generate from closed questions, as large amounts of questions can be collected and categorised quickly, increasing reliability
What is a weakness of nominal data?
Because it doesn’t give a numerical score for each participant, this type of data doesn’t permit sensitive analysis
What is a strength of ordinal data?
It indicates relative values on a linear scale instead of just totals, making it more informative than nominal data
What is a weakness of ordinal data?
The data is subjective as scaled data is open to interpretation
E.g. On a scale of 1-5 attractiveness, 4 could mean different things to different people
What is a strength of interval data?
It is the most informative as the points are directly comparable because they’re all of equal value, making it highly reliable
What is a weakness of interval data?
In internal scales that do not contain scientific measurements, there is no absolute baseline to the scale, so scoring 0 may not mean the participant doesn’t demonstrate the variable but that the scale doesn’t measure it
