Official Statistics - PERVERT Flashcards
Practical factors
Strengths: Official statistics offer a readily available source of data collected by government agencies or other authoritative bodies, making them convenient and accessible for researchers.
Weaknesses: However, official statistics may be limited in scope or relevance to specific research questions, and researchers may encounter challenges in accessing or interpreting the data due to issues such as data quality or availability.
Ethical factors
Strengths: Official statistics are typically collected through established protocols and procedures, ensuring consistency and reliability in data collection and reporting.
Weaknesses: Nonetheless, researchers must still critically evaluate the validity and reliability of official statistics, considering factors such as data collection methods, sample representativeness, and potential biases.
Reliability
Strengths: Official statistics can yield reliable data when collected and reported according to standardized protocols and quality control measures.
Weaknesses: However, reliability may be compromised by factors such as measurement error, sampling biases, and inconsistencies in data collection or reporting over time or across jurisdictions.
Validity
Strengths: Official statistics can demonstrate high external validity, as they often reflect real-world phenomena and population trends captured through systematic data collection methods.
Weaknesses: Yet, the validity of official statistics may be limited by factors such as measurement validity, sample representativeness, and the accuracy of reporting or recording practices.
Examples
Strengths: Official statistics encompass a wide range of data sources, including demographic data, economic indicators, crime statistics, and health outcomes, which are routinely collected and reported by government agencies and international organizations.
Weaknesses: However, official statistics may vary in quality and reliability depending on the specific data source, collection methods, and reporting practices, requiring careful scrutiny and validation by researchers.
Representativeness
Strengths: Official statistics can enhance the representativeness of findings by providing data on large population samples or entire populations, allowing researchers to make generalizations and comparisons across different groups or geographic areas.
Weaknesses: Nonetheless, the representativeness of official statistics may be limited by factors such as sampling biases, underreporting or nonresponse, and the exclusion of certain populations or subgroups from data collection efforts.
Theoretical factors
Strengths: Official statistics can contribute to theoretical development by providing empirical evidence and data-driven insights that inform theoretical frameworks and hypotheses.
Weaknesses: However, the use of official statistics in theoretical research may be limited by factors such as data availability, measurement validity, and the need to consider contextual factors and alternative explanations in interpreting statistical associations.
