Data analysis Flashcards
What are the components of psychological research
Abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusions/ limitations
What is the abstract
Gives us an overview of what we are about to read
What is the introduction
Sets the scene, sets out aims of research, reviews current research
What is the methods section for
Explains how the research was conducted and justifies why and what they have done
What is the results section
Presents the findings and shows it in a format that is understandable
What is discussions section
Discusses the findings, impact and their relevance
Looks at these findings against what else is out there
What is the conclusion and limitations stage
Tells us the key findings
Implications in the future
The way that our methodology had an impact on the validity and generalisability
Ways that the research may not be perfect
Pros of Quantitative data
Simpler to analyse, better external validity, more objective, free from bias
Weaknesses of quantitative data
Gives less detail to experimenter
Strengths of qualitative data
Gives richer detail to experimenter
Weaknesses of qualitative data
Harder to analyse
Hard to generalise in uncontrolled environment
More subjective
Can be bias
What is primary data
Data that has been collected by the researcher, data that is participant generated and may have been gathered from an experiment, interview, questionnaire or observation
What is secondary data
Data that has been collected by someone other than the person conducting the research
Often secondary data has already been subject to statistical testing and significance has been shown
May be gathered from journal articles, books, websites, government data, etc.
Strengths of primary data
Data is fit for purpose as it is authentic data gathered to fit the purpose of a particular investigation
Weaknesses of primary data
Data requires excessive planning, preparation and resources to gather it
Strength of secondary data
The data is relatively inexpensive and easily accessed and requires minimal effort for the researcher
Weaknesses of secondary data
Little control over the quantity and quality of the data
the content of the data may not perfectly fit what the investigator is trying to research
What is meta-analysis
A form of research that utilises secondary data
It is a process in which data from lots of studies that use the same techniques and research questions are combined
A statistical analysis is then performed on the results of these studies to produce an effect size as the dependent variable in order to assess overall trends
What is content analysis
Content analysis is a widely used research technique that systematically examines and interprets textual, visual, or multimedia content to identify patterns, themes, and meanings
Why is content analysis used
- Understanding Communication: It helps researchers explore the meaning, structure, and function of communication.
- Tracking Trends: Content analysis is useful for monitoring changes in cultural norms, public opinion, or market behaviour over time.
- Cross-Disciplinary Applications: This method is used in various fields, including sociology, marketing, media studies, and psychology.
What is a coding frame
Coding framework is used to establish categories to classify data systematically.
How can researchers ensure the results of a content analysis are reliable and valid
Establishing clear coding schemes, training coders, and checking inter-coder reliability
What is the difference between content and thematic analysis
Thematic analysis focuses on extracting high-level themes from within data, while content analysis—especially sub-categorical methods like summative content analysis—focus on the reoccurrence of concepts or keywords at a more surface-level of analysis i.e. their frequency
What is test-retest reliability
The consistency of a measurement when applied multiple times to the same individual
