What is qualitative data
- language based data collected through interviews, open questions and content analysis
- gathered in wirtten form- words!
What is quantitative data
- collected through analysing numerical data
- gathered in numerical form- numbers
Strengths of quantitative data
- gives objective numerical data
- easy to compare findings and draw conclusions
- can predict trends and patterns
Weaknesses of quantitative data
- no emotions/feelings to understand the experience
- no real detail or personal insight
- data collected in artificial settings
Strengths of qualitative data
- allows researchers to develop insights into the nature of subjective experiences, opinions and feelings
- real feel for emotions
Weaknesses of qualitative data
- time consuming to analyse
- not often replicable
What is data
information gathered during the course of a study
What is triangulation
- using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data
- first use qualitative and then quantitative
What are the 4 stages of conducting an experiment
1) causal observations about a feature of the world
2) these observations will then form a theory
3) theories will produce a number of further explanations
4) experimenter sets out to support or challenge the hupothesis
What is raw data
information gathered during research before any analysis has been done
What is the nominal
data allocated to category headings and frequency data collected for each named heading
What is the ordinal
involves the ability to rank the individuals measurements into place order
What is the interval
- the most sensitive numerical data
- based on standardised data
What are descriptive statistics
refers to the different ways a data set can be summarised
What are measures of central tendency
any way in which a type of average is calculated showing the mid point or finding a typical value from the middle of the data set
What is a normal distribution curve
- name for the bell shaped symmetrical curve that often forms a view of psychological data
- mean is mid point
- median and mode either side
What is a negative skew on a normal distibution curve
where the mean is less than the median and mode
What is a positive skew on a normal distibution curve
where the mean is more than the median and mode
What are measures of dispersion
- show how scores in a set are spread out
- tells us whether the scores are similar to one another or whether they vary
What is the mean
the most sensitive measure of central tendency because all scores are used to calculate it
+more sensitive than median
-misrepresentative if there is an extreme value
What is the median
the central measurement of the set once all scores have been rank ordered
+not affected by extreme score so gives a representative value
-less sensitive than mean- does not take into account all the values
What is the mode
the most frequently occurring score
+useful when data is in categories
-not a useful way of describing data when there are several modes
What is the range
a measure of dispersion that gives an indication of how far the scores are spread out
+quick and easy to calculate
-affected by extreme values
What is standard deviation
-a more sensitive measure of dispersion
-the spread of scores around the mean
-every score is used to caluclate this measurement
+it is a precise measure of dispersion because all values taken into account
-much harder to calculate than the range
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Experimental design13
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Operationalisation of variables14
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Sampling18
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Correlations and pilots9
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Questionnaires10
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Interviews7
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Observations23
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Ethics11
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Experimental research methods12
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Data analysis24
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Content analysis4
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Psychology in the economy5
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Peer review6
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Psychology as a science11
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Presenting data3
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Report writing7
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Levels of measurement3
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Thematic analysis3
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Statistical tests12
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Validity6
