Data Handling and Analysis (Research Methods)

Question 1

Qualitative data

Answer 1

Expressed in words, in depth-non numerical (thoughts, feelings etc).

Question 2

Quantitative data

Answer 2

Numerical data

Question 3

Primary data

Answer 3

Obtained first hand by the researcher for the purpose of the current study

Question 4

Secondary Data

Answer 4

Information already collected by others or already in existence so pre-dates current project

Question 5

Meta-analysis

Answer 5

Combining the findings from a number of studies on a particular topic for an overall conclusion

Question 6

Examples of descriptive statistics

Answer 6

Central tendency, measures of dispersion, charts and graphs

Question 7

Measures of central tendency show what

Answer 7

The average of a set of data (mean, median or mode)

Question 8

The mean is..

Answer 8

found by adding all scores and dividing by the number of scores - the arithmetic average

Question 9

The median is..

Answer 9

The central/middle value (once all data is in order)

Question 10

The mode is…

Answer 10

The most frequently occurring value

Question 11

Strength of the mean

Answer 11

Most representative as it uses all the data scores

Question 12

Weakness of the mean

Answer 12

Easily distorted by outliers

Question 13

Strength of the median

Answer 13

Unaffected by extreme scores/outliers

Question 14

Weakness of the median

Answer 14

Less sensitive (ignores extreme values that may be important!)

Question 15

Strength of the mode

Answer 15

easy to calculate

Question 15

Weakness of the mode

Answer 15

Crude, not very useful, doesn’t represent all the data, might me more than one!

Question 15

Measures of dispersion show..

Answer 15

The spread of data (range or standard deviation)

Question 16

The range is

Answer 16

overall data spread. Biggest value minus the smallest value

Question 17

Strength of the range

Answer 17

Easy to calcuate

Question 18

Weakness of the range

Answer 18

Doesn’t take into account all data, extreme values only

Question 19

The standard deviation is

Answer 19

a measure of the average deviation from the mean

Question 20

How do you calculate standard deviation?

Answer 20

Step 1: Find the mean.
Step 2: For each data point, find the square of its distance to the mean.
Step 3: Sum the values from Step 2.
Step 4: Divide by the number of data points.
Step 5: Take the square root.

Question 21

What type of graph should I use to represent the strength and direction of a correlation?

Answer 21

Scatter graph/Scattergram

Question 22

When plotting a scatter gram which co-variable goes on the X axis?

Answer 22

It doesn’t matter!

Question 23

What type of graph represents the frequency of each variable by the height of its spaced columns and is only used with Discrete data?

Answer 23

Bar Chart

Question 24

When plotting a bar chart which variable goes on the X axis?

Answer 24

The categories (the IV)

Question 25

What type of graph displays continuous data and uses the height and width of touching bars to show frequency?

Answer 25

Histogram

Question 26

The X axis of a histogram must start at..

Answer 26

True 0

Question 27

What does the Y axis of a histogram represent?

Answer 27

the frequency

Question 28

A summary table would display...

Answer 28

Raw data

Question 29

A normal distribution graph looks like...

Answer 29

a Bell curve, symetrical

Question 30

In a normal distribution the mean, median and mode are

Answer 30

The same (at the highest peak of the curve)

Question 31

In a normal distribution the tails of the curve never touch what?

Answer 31

The X axis (they are never 0)

Question 32

A distribution curve that is not symmetrical is known as..

Answer 32

a Skewed distribution

Question 33

In a positively skewed distribution the curve leans..

Answer 33

towards the Y axis

Question 34

In a positively skewed distribution, the longer tail is on the left or right?

Answer 34

The right

Question 35

In a negatively skewed distribution the curve leans..

Answer 35

away from the Y axis

Question 36

In a negatively skewed distribution, the longer tail is on the left or right?

Answer 36

left

Question 37

In a skewed distribution curve, the measures of central tendency appear in what order (starting at the top of the curve working down the tail)?

Answer 37

Mode, median, mean

Question 38

In a normal distribution curve - what percentage of people appear within 1 standard deviation of the mean (either side)?

Answer 38

68%

Question 39

In a normal distribution curve - what percentage of people appear within 2 standard deviations of the mean (either side)?

Answer 39

95%

Question 40

In a normal distribution curve - what percentage of people appear within 3 standard deviations of the mean (either side)?

Answer 40

99.7%

Question 41

A positive correlation is

Answer 41

As one variable increases so does the other

Question 42

A negative correlation is

Answer 42

As one variable increases the other decreases

Question 43

Zero correlation is

Answer 43

No relationship between variables

Question 44

How can we tell the strength of a correlation

Answer 44

How tightly packed the points are around the line of best fit or correlation coefficient

Question 45

A statistical measure of the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables is known as..

Answer 45

Correlation Coefficient

Question 46

Correlation Coefficient is between..

Answer 46

+1 and -1

Question 47

A correlation coefficient of 0.1-0.3 (positive or negative) is what strength relationship?

Answer 47

Weak

Question 48

A correlation coefficient of 0.4-0.6 (positive or negative) is what strength relationship?

Answer 48

Moderate

Question 49

A correlation coefficient of 0.7-0.9 (positive or negative) is what strength relationship?

Answer 49

Strong

Question 50

A correlation coefficient of 1 (positive or negative) is what strength relationship?

Answer 50

A perfect correlation

Question 51

DV Data which is in rank order (ranked or rated)

Answer 51

Ordinal data

Question 52

DV data which is categorical

Answer 52

Nominal data

Question 53

DV data which is measured in fixed units with equal distance between points on the scale or set intervals

Answer 53

Interval data

Question 53

Which variable determined the level of data in a study?

Answer 53

Dependent variable

Question 54

Name a qualitative method of data analysis

Answer 54

Content analysis or thematic anaylsis

Question 55

In a content analysis what technique is performed on the data?

Answer 55

Coding

Question 56

Content analysis converts qualitative data to

Answer 56

Quantitative data

Question 57

Thematic analysis produces what type of data?

Answer 57

Qualitative