research methods: types of data Flashcards
What is qualitative data?
Data that is expressed in words describing behaviour, thoughts or feelings and is non-numerical
What are examples of qualitative data?
A transcript from an interview or an unstructured observation
What are the strengths of qualitative data?
- offer researchers more detail and depth than quantitative data
- because they collect more information and use open-ended questions so pps are not limited in the responses they give
- thus, has higher external validity
What are the limitations of qualitative data?
- Harder to display and analyse
- patterns and comparisons within data may be harder to identify
What is quantitative data?
Data that is expressed numerically
What is an example of quantitative data?
The number of words recalled on a memory test
What are the advantages of quantitative data?
- objectively measured, reducing the likelihood of bias, increasing its credibility
- easy to display e.g. in a graph/chart
- easy to interpret
- can be compared to other results
What are the disadvantages of quantitative data?
- lacking depth and detail so may fail to represent ‘real-life’
- only focuses on individual’s behaviours which can be mathematically measured
Is quantitative or qualitative data preferrable?
A combination of quantitative and qualitative data may be preferrable
What is primary data?
original data collected by the researcher for the purpose of scientific investigation
What are examples of primary data?
Field research, observations, results of an experiment
What is secondary data?
Data that has been collected previously not by the researcher conducting the current investigation
What are examples of secondary data?
Statistics, journals, articles/report
What are the strengths of primary data?
- Authentic data obtained from the pps themselves for the purpose of the investigation
- you can be sure its reliable
- increases validity as the researcher can control the data collection process carefully
What are the limitations of primary data?
- Time consuming and expensive
- e.g. paying participants for their time and other researchers for their work
What are the advantages of secondary data?
Makes your research faster and more cost effective as the data already exists
What are the disadvantages of secondary data?
- decreased validity as the data is not collected to answer the research question directly
- so less specific and relevant
- decreased validity as the researcher had no role in the data collection process, so cannot ensure that the data was collected free from bias or variables
What is meta-analysis?
A process that collects and combines the results of a range of previously published studies asking similar research questions
What happens to the results of meta-analysis?
The data is collected and reviewed together and can include statistically combining all the data to produce an overall effect size and conclusion
What are the advantages of meta-analysis?
- The large sample size produces results that are more statistically powerful than studies with a small number of participants
- allows us to create larger, more varied sample with results that can be generalised across much larger populations, increasing validity
What are the disadvantages of meta-analysis?
- It is prone to publication bias as the researcher may not select all relevant studies
- may choose to leave out studies with negative or non-significant results
- the conclusions from the meta-analysis will be biased because they only represent some of the relevant data
- has all the weaknesses of secondary data
