✓ Types of Data (AO1 + AO3)

Question 1

What are the 2 Categories of Data?

Answer 1

Quantitative OR Qualitative
+
Primary OR Secondary

Question 2

What is Quantitative data?

Answer 2

data expressed in number form
e.g. test scores, IQ of ppts, no. of words recalled

Question 3

Positives of Quantitative data?

Answer 3

• simple to analyse
• easy to interpret difference between groups
• more objective & less prone to bias

Question 4

Negatives of Quantitative data?

Answer 4

• lack detail
• may lack external validity as it may fail to represent ‘real life’

Question 5

What is Qualitative data?

Answer 5

data expressed in word form
e.g. interview transcript, diary entry,
observation notes, responses to open q’s on a questionnaire

Question 6

Positives of Qualitative data?

Answer 6

• greater richness in detail than quantitative data
• allows more insight into thoughts, feelings & behaviours

Question 7

Negatives of Qualitative data?

Answer 7

• difficult to analyse & identify patterns
• may be prone to interpreter bias = subjective

Question 8

What is Primary data?

Answer 8

data that has been collected by the researcher themselves for the purpose of the study & data is first-hand from ppts
e.g. experiments, interviews, questionnaires, observations

Question 9

Positives of Primary data?

Answer 9

• data is fit for purpose as designed to meet the aim of that research
• the data collection technique can be designed to specifically target the info the researcher requires

Question 10

Negatives of Primary data?

Answer 10

• requires time & effort to design/collect

Question 11

What is Secondary data?

Answer 11

data that has been collected by someone other than the researcher conducting the research
e.g. published papers, books, gov statistics

Question 12

Positives of Secondary data?

Answer 12

• cheap
• easily accessible

Question 13

Negatives of Secondary data?

Answer 13

• data may be incomplete/outdated
• content of data may not fit the researchers needs
• original research may lack validity

Question 14

What is Meta-Analysis?

Answer 14

refers to the process of combining results from a number of studies on a particular topic to provide an overall view
(e.g. Khonken on the cognitive interview)
- it uses secondary data & data from previous research

Question 15

Positives of Meta-Analysis?

Answer 15

• results can be generalised across larger populations

Question 16

Negatives of Meta-Analysis?

Answer 16

• may be prone to selection bias as the researcher may pick and choose which studies to include
• publication bias (only studies with significant results are published)