RESEARCH METHODS: Types of Data

• What type of data represents how much, long, or many of something?

  Quantitative Data
• What type of data is expressed more in words and cannot be counted?

  Quanlitative Data
• Why is quanitative data considered easy to interpret?

  Because it is more objective, making it easier to establish reliability
• What is primary data?

  Original data collected specifically for the purpose of the investigation
• What is secondary data?

  Data collected by someone else other than the researcher
• What is meta-analysis?

  A research method that uses secondary data from many studies to discuss findings
• What are the steps involved in meta-analysis?

  • Uses secondary data
  • Involves data from multiple studies with the same research questions
  • Researchers discuss findings and produce qualitative data
  • Quantitative approach calculates the size effect and shows overall trends
• What is one advantage of meta-analysis?

  Increased validity as conclusions are based on a wider sample
• What is a disadvantage of meta-analysis?

  It is prone to publication bias
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of primary data?

  Advantages:

  • Data collection can be tailored to the study's aim and hypothesis

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Lengthy and expensive process to collect
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of secondary data?

  Advantages:

  • Cheaper and easier to access

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • May not fit the study's needs or be of poor quality
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative data?

  Advantages:

  • In-depth and rich data increases external validity
  • Helps understand why people behave in certain ways

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Difficult to interpret and make statistical comparisons
  • Prone to researcher bias and subjectivity
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative data?

  Advantages:

  • Allows for statistical analysis and comparisons
  • Objective and scientific, easier to establish reliability

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Ignores why behavior has occurred
  • Reduces people to mere numbers