Research Methods - Data types

Question 1

Quantitative data

Answer 1

Numbers & categories

Question 2

Qualitative data

Answer 2

Detailed thoughts & feelings

Question 3

Strengths of quantitative data

Answer 3

Simple to analyse
Objective & less open to bias

Question 4

Limitations of quantitative data

Answer 4

Lacks details (issues with ecological validity & unrepresentative)

Question 5

Strengths of qualitative data

Answer 5

Detailed
Broad insights into thoughts/feelings
High ecological validity

Question 6

Limitations of qualitative data

Answer 6

Subjective
Expensive & time consuming
Hard to make comparisons

Question 7

Primary data

Answer 7

Collected directly by the researcher

Question 8

Secondary data

Answer 8

Collected from pre-existing research

Question 9

Strengths of primary data

Answer 9

Authentic data
Perfectly fits the aim

Question 10

Limitations of primary data

Answer 10

Expensive & time consuming to obtain

Question 11

Strengths of secondary data

Answer 11

Inexpensive
Less time consuming

Question 12

Limitations of secondary data

Answer 12

Outdated
Not always a perfect fit for aim

Question 13

Measures of central tendency

Answer 13

Mean, median, mode

Question 14

Measures of dispersion

Answer 14

Range, standard deviation

Question 15

Nominal data

Answer 15

Categorical

Question 16

Ordinal data

Answer 16

Ranked/ordered

Question 17

Interval data

Answer 17

Data on a scale equal distance from each other

Question 18

Ratio data

Answer 18

Same as interval but not negative or by equal distance