Learning Aim B Flashcards
(96 cards)
What is primary data?
Data that is collected by the researcher
What is secondary data?
Data that has been gathered by someone other than the researcher
What is empirical data?
Data obtained by observations, measurements or from experiences
What are the 4 methods of primary data?
- interviews
- questionnaires
- observations
- experiments
What is a strength of primary data?
- data is up to date as it would have been recently collected
What are the 3 limitations of primary data?
- time consuming
- validity and reliability can be undermined because of flaws in research
- costly
What are the 5 methods of secondary data?
- Statistics produced by the government
- Journals
- Letters
- Personal diaries
- Newspapers
What is a strength of secondary data?
- Quick and cheap to get as it already exists
What are the 2 limitation of secondary data?
- May contain bias
- May lack validity for current research needs
What is quantitative data?
Data that is numerical (numbers)
What is qualitative data?
Data made up of words e.g. sentences, paragraphs or descriptions which helps to understand human behaviour
What are the methods of quantitative data?
- graphs
- pie charts
- tables
- questionnaires
- interviews
- observations
- surveys
What are two strengths of quantitative data?
- Reliable
- Easy to analyse
What are 2 limitations of quantitative data?
- Impossible for researchers to explain the reasons for people’s behaviours as it lacks depth
- Lacks validity as it only shows “how much” not “why”
What are the methods of qualitative data?
- unstructured interviews
- observations
- secondary sources e.g. diaries and case studies
What are the 2 strengths of qualitative data?
- in depth
- more meaningful and can explain human behaviour
What is the limitation of qualitative data?
Lacks objectivity
What does it mean when something is reliable?
When another researcher is able to repeat your study the exact way you did and get the same results
What does it mean when something is valid?
When your results show the “true picture” of the group you’ve studied
What is an objective?
When you make sure that your personal opinion and beliefs do not influence the results of your study and you must be unbiased
What is a pilot study?
A small scale trial run of the first draft of the questionnaire which allows the readers her to spot any mistakes and correct them before carrying out the main survey
What is an open question?
A question that can’t be answered with just “yes” or “no” so a more detailed response is required
What is closed question?
This is a question that can be answered with just “yes” or “no” so a more straightforward answer.
What is a respondent?
An individual from the selected sample who submit a completed questionnaire to the researcher