Levels of Measurement

Question 1

Quantitative Data

Answer 1

Data that is measured on some numerical basis, if only by frequency (e.g. time taken to carry out a task).

Question 2

Qualitative Data

Answer 2

Data that is in non-numerical, narrative form, (e.g. transcripts from an interview). It emphasises meanings, experiences, descriptions, etc. Qualitative data can be later quantified to some extent (e.g. putting people into categories and then count them).

Question 3

What can Quantitative Data be divided into?

Answer 3

1) Parametric Data
2) Non-Parametric Data

Question 4

1) Parametric Data

Answer 4

Have equal intervals between units; there is the same distance between 0 and 1 as there is between 1 and 2 (e.g. ruler). It includes interval and ratio levels of measurement.

Question 5

Interval

Answer 5

Contains equal intervals between units.

Question 6

Ratio

Answer 6

Contains equal intervals between units but also ratio has an absolute zero and interval doesn’t. For example, ‘0’ centimetres is ‘zero’ in length (ratio). However, ‘0’ degrees centigrade is not ‘zero’ temperature. This is an arbitrary zero fixed at a convenient temperature (interval).

Question 7

2) Non-Parametric Data

Answer 7

The intervals are not the same, the scales are not rigid; stretched in some places and squashed in others (e.g. self-esteem questionnaires). It includes nominal and ordinal levels of measurement.

Question 8

Nominal

Answer 8

Nominal level of measurement; naming or categorising pps’ responses (e.g. gender, nationality, smoking status). Putting scores in order is meaningless but can count frequency of responses (e.g. male = , female - 11).

Question 9

Ordinal

Answer 9

Ordinal level of measurement; the intervals are not the same but can be put in order (e.g. first, second, third in a race). Can give a numerical score (e.g. strongly agree 1 agree 2) scores can be added up.