Types of data

• Quantitative data is data in the form of numbers. It can be quantified (i.e counted and manipulated mathematically)
• Quantitative data is described with descriptive statistics and are displayed on graphs 
• Qualitative data is anything other than numbers. It is often in the form of words, but can be in the forms such as a video or images  
• Data collected from interviews, open question questionnaires, case studies  are qualitative data
• data collected in experiments and closed-question questionnaires are quantitative data
• primary data is the original data which has been collected by the researcher specifically for the purpose of their investigation
• secondary data is data which already exists and has been collected by another researcher.
• primary data can be collected from

  • experiments , observations, interviews, case studies
• secondary data can be collected from

  • government/business statistics and records, previously published studies 
• Milgram's study of obedience collected both quantitative and qualitative data
• How does Milgram's experiment show both qualitative and quantitative data?

  • asking the participants afterwards how they felt about delivering the shock
  • quantitative data would be how many delivered a shock
• What is a strength of quantitative data?

  • can be compared mathematically and scientifically
  • researchers can mathematically and objectively analyse data more easily
• What is a weakness of quantitative data?

  • less detailed
  • may miss out important details and context
• what is content analysis?

  • a way of analysing qualitative data to make it easier to analyse
• What are key features in content analysis?

  • turning qualitative data into quantitative data
  • in order to use descriptive and inferential statistics with the data so it can be meaningfully understood
  • involves the use of 'coding units'
• What is the process of content analysis?

  1. formulate a research question
  2. select a sample of qualitative data
  3. decide on coding units (has to be operationalised)
  4. read through the entire sample, tallying the frequency of each coding unit
  5. statistical testing is carried out on this data to look for patterns related to the research question
• primary data


  • Original data collected for the study
  • it is collected from participants directly/first hand
• Secondary data


  • Data from another study previously conducted
• What is a meta analysis?

  • involves taking several smaller studies within a certain research area
  • using statistics we can identify similarities and trends within those studies to create a larger study.
• Why can a meta-analysis be more reliable than a regular study?

  • it is based on a larger data set
  • any issues with one study will be balanced out by other studies
• What are the strengths of using primary data?

  • data gathered is more likely to be focused on the purpose of the research
  • less peripheral information
  • can make sure conditions are controlled before collecting data whereas secondary data may have been gathered under differing conditions