Data Handling And Analysis

Question 1

Quantitative data?

Answer 1

• Quantitative data is numerical data that can be statistically analysed.
• Experiments, observations, correlations and closed/rating scale questions from questionnaires all produce quantitative data.

Question 2

Qualitative data ?

Answer 2

Qualitative data is non-numerical language-based data collected through interviews, open questions and content analysis. It allows researchers to develop insights into the nature of subjective experiences, opinions and feelings.

Question 3

Primary data ?

Answer 3

Primary data refers to data that has been collected directly by the researcher, solely for the purpose of their investigation.

Question 4

Secondary data?

Answer 4

• Secondary data is information that someone else has collected e.g. the work of other psychologists that has been published in journals or government statistics.

-They are sometimes used by other researchers, as they are often cheaper and more convenient than gathering one’s own primary data.

Question 5

Meta-Analysis

Answer 5

A meta-analysis is where researchers combine the findings from multiple studies to draw an overall conclusion

Question 6

Measures of central tendency

Answer 6

Measures of central tendency are descriptive statistics that depict the overall ‘central’ trend of a set of data. There are three key measures: mean, median and mode.

Question 7

What is a mode?

Answer 7

the most frequently occurring number in a data set.

Question 8

What is median?

Answer 8

the middle score when the data are in numerical order.

e.g. the median of numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 would be 3),

Question 9

What is the mean

Answer 9

sometimes referred to as the average, stemming from the method to calculate it: the sum of all numbers in the data set, divided by how many numbers there are in the data set.

e.g. the mean of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 would be calculated:

[1+2+3+4+5+6] / 6 = 3.5

Question 10

What is standard deviation

Answer 10

Standard deviation is a measure of dispersion that shows the spread of scores around the mean. The greater the standard deviation the great the spread of scores around the mean.

Question 11

Formula for standard deviation?

Answer 11

Draw formula

Question 12

What is a positive correlation?

Answer 12

A positive correlation occurs when two variables are related and as one variable increases/decreases the other also increases/decreases (i.e. they both move in the same direction). For example, you might expect to find a positive correlation between height and shoe size.

Question 13

Negative correlation

Answer 13

A negative correlation occurs when two variables are related and as one variable increases the other decreases.
- For example, you might expect to find a negative correlation between the school performance of high school students and the amount of time they are absent from school.

Question 14

Zero correlation

Answer 14

Zero correlation means that there is no relationship between the co-variables in a correlation study.

Question 15

Normal Distribution

Answer 15

A normal distribution is an arrangement of data that is symmetrical and forms a bell-shaped pattern where the mean, median and/or mode falls in the centre at the highest peak.

Question 16

What is a skewed distribution?

Answer 16

A skewed distribution is one where frequency data is not spread evenly (i.e. normally distributed); the data is clustered at one end.

Question 17

What data that is positively skewed ?

Answer 17

Data that is positively skewed has a long tail that extends to the right.

Question 18

What data that is negatively skewed ?

Answer 18

Data that is negatively skewed have a long tail that extends to the left.

Question 19

General rule for positive skew?

Answer 19

• the mode is the lowest out of mean , mode and median

Question 20

General rule for negative skew?

Answer 20

Negative skew mode is normally highest out of mean , median , mode

Question 21

Nominal data

Answer 21

Nominal level data is frequency or count data that consists of the number of participants falling into categories. ( e.g. 7 people passed their driving test the first time and 6 people didn’t.)

Question 22

Ordinal data

Answer 22

Ordinal level data is data that is presented in rank order (e.g. places in a beauty contest, or ratings for attractiveness).

Question 23

Interval data

Answer 23

Interval level data is data measured in fixed units with equal distance between points on the scale. For example, temperature measured in centigrade.

Question 24

Ratio data

Answer 24

ratio (a continuous scale with an absolute zero).

Question 25

Thematic analysis

Answer 25

Thematic analysis is a method for analysing qualitative data that involves identifying and reporting patterns within the material to be analysed. The material to be analysed might be a diary, TV advertisements, or interview transcripts.

Question 26

What is a correlation coefficient?

Answer 26

A correlation coefficient can range between -1.0 (perfect negative) and +1.0 (perfect positive).

Question 27

Are median And average are the same?

Answer 27

Yes