PAPER 2 - Research Methods - Types of data Flashcards
What is qualitative data?
Data expressed in words and non-numerical.
What is quantitative data?
Data that can be counted, usually given as numbers.
What is primary data?
Info obtained first hand by a researcher for the purposes of a research project. Often gathered directly from participants as part of an experiment, self-report or observation.
What is secondary data?
Info that has already been collected by someone else and so pre-dates the current research project. Such data might include the work of other psychologists or government statistics.
What is a meta-analysis?
The process of combining the findings from a number of studies on a particular topic to produce an overall statistical conclusion based on a range of studies.
Evaluate qualitative data.
Offers rich detail so has greater external validity.
Difficult to analyse.
Conclusions rely on subjective interpretations so open to bias.
Evaluate quantitative data.
Simple to analyse.
Objective interpretations so less open to bias.
Narrow in meaning and detail so doesn’t fully represent real life.
Evaluate primary data.
Target the required information.
Requires time and effort.
Evaluate secondary data.
Easily accessible, minimal effort.
Variation in quality, accuracy and relevance of data.
Evaluate meta-analysis.
Creates a larger, more varied sample and results can be generalised across larger populations = increased validity.
Prone to publication bias…researcher may not select all relevant studies, choosing to leave out those studies with negative or non-significant results.
