types of data

Question 1

what is primary data ?

Answer 1

• data collected specifically towards a research aim, which has not been published before

Question 2

what is secondary data ?

Answer 2

• data originally collected towards another research aim, which has been published before

Question 3

why is primary data more reliable than secondary data ?

Answer 3

• because it has not been manipulated in any way

Question 4

hoe can secondary data give a clearer insight into a research area ?

Answer 4

because data is drawn from several sources

Question 5

what is meant by a meta-analysis ?

Answer 5

• a process in which a large number of studies which have involved the same research question and methods of research are reviewed together and combined data is tested by statistical technique’s to assess the effect size

Question 6

benefit of using a meta-analysis ?

Answer 6

it allows for the identification of trends and relationships

Question 7

what is nominal data ?

Answer 7

data that involves counting the frequency data (tally charts)
- it includes data which can be categorised and counted
- discrete categories

Question 8

why is nominal data a crude measure ?

Answer 8

because it tells us very little about the scores

Question 9

what is ordinal data ?

Answer 9

it involves ranking data in place order
e.g rating scales
the data is ordered but the intervals between each value are unequal
often used when data is based on estimated

Question 10

issue with ordinal data and rating scales ?

Answer 10

non-specific and open to interpretation
1 persons may be another persons 7

Question 11

what is interval data ?

Answer 11

• the data is ordered and the intervals between each value are equal
  e,g measurements of time or temperature