MT1- Types of Data Flashcards
1
Q
Quantitative data
A
- information in numerical form and it includes statistics expressed through graphs, pie charts and tables.
- is usually collected through questionnaires, structured interviews and experiments.
2
Q
Quantitative data strengths
A
data is easy to analyse and easy to present using graphs and charts, it is reliable, it makes it possible to make comparisons.
3
Q
Quantitative data limitations
A
- data doesn’t make it possible for the researcher to explain the reasons for people’s behaviour as it lacks depth.
- data lacks validity as it only shows us ‘how much’, not ‘why’.
4
Q
Primary Data
A
- original information collected by the researchers themselves for their own purposes.
- is gathered through methods like interviews, questionnaires, observations and experiments.
5
Q
Primary Data strengths
A
- this data is up to date as it would have been recently collected.
- researcher can gather precisely the information they want.
6
Q
Primary Data limitations
A
- its validity and reliability can be undermined due to flaws in research design
- it can have ethical limitations.
- gathering this type of data is time consuming and costly
7
Q
Secondary Data
A
- pre existing data that’s been created by someone else but the researcher can use it for their purposes.
- comes from official statistics produced by the government and documents such as letters, personal diaries, photos, newspapers, etc.
8
Q
Secondary Data strengths
A
quick and cheap to obtain as it already exists.
9
Q
Secondary Data limitations
A
- data may contain bias introduced by the original researcher.
- data may not contain the specific information needed by the current researcher.
10
Q
Qualitative data
A
- information usually presented through words.
- gathered through such methods as unstructured interviews, observations and secondary sources such as diaries or letters.
11
Q
qualitative data strengths
A
-data is in-depth, more meaningful and can be used to explain human actions.
12
Q
qualitative data limitations
A
-data can be accused of lacking objectivity – it may contain bias.
