types of data AO3

Question 1

give the strengths of qualitative data

Answer 1

• offers a researcher much more richness of detail than quantitative data
• it is much broader in scope and gives the participant/respondent the opportunity to more fully report their thoughts, feelings and opinions on a given subject
• therefore it has greater external validity than quantitative data as it provides the researcher with a more meaningful insight into the participant’s worldview.

Question 2

give the weaknesses of qualitative data

Answer 2

• often difficult to analyse. it tends not to lend itself to being summarised statistically so that patterns and comparisons within and between data may be hard to identify
• as a consequence, conclusions often rely on the subjective interpretations of the researcher and these may be subject to bias, particularly if the researcher has preconceptions about what he/she is expecting to find.

Question 3

explain the strengths of quantitative data

Answer 3

• they are essentially the opposite to qualitative data
• relatively simple to analyse therefore comparisons between groups can be easily drawn
• data in numerical form tends to be more objective and less open to bias

Question 4

explain the limitations of quantitative data

Answer 4

• much more narrower in meaning and detail
• therefore fails to represent ‘real life’

Question 5

what are the strengths of primary data

Answer 5

• it fits the job - it is authentic data obtained from the participants themselves for the purpose of a particular investigation
• questionnaires and interviews for example can be designed in such a way that they specifically target the information that the researcher requires

Question 6

what are the weaknesses of primary data?

Answer 6

• requires time and effort on the part of the researcher
• conducting an experiment requires planning, preparation and resources which is a limitation compared to secondary data which can be accessed within a matter of minutes.

Question 7

what are the strengths of secondary data?

Answer 7

• may be inexpensive and easily accessed requiring minimal effort
• when examining secondary data the researcher may find that the desired information already exists and therefore there is no need to conduct primary data collection

Question 8

what are the weaknesses of secondary data?

Answer 8

• there may be substantial variation in the quality and accuracy of secondary data. Information may at first appear to be valuable but, on further investigation it may be outdated or incomplete.
• the content of the data may not quite reach the researchers needs or objectives. This may challenge the validity of any conclusions.

Question 9

explain the strengths of a meta-analysis

Answer 9

• it allows us to create a larger, more varied sample
• results can then be generalised across much larger populations
• this therefore increases validity

Question 10

explain weaknesses of a meta analysis

Answer 10

• prone to publication bias, sometimes referred to as the file drawer problem.
• the researcher may not select all relevant studies, choosing to leave out those studies with negative or non-significant results.
• therefore the conclusions from the meta analysis will be biased because they only represent some of the relevant data.