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Types of Data

Mention the Types of Data with Examples

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12 views1 page

Types of Data

Mention the Types of Data with Examples

Uploaded by

snowdenite
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Types of Data

In statistics, data refers to any collection of values, measurements, or observations gathered


for analysis. These values represent information about specific variables, which are
characteristics or attributes that can vary among individuals or over time.

Types of Data

Data can be categorized into two main types: qualitative (categorical) and quantitative
(numerical). Let's break these down further:

1. Qualitative Data (also known as Categorical Data)


o Definition: Non-numeric data that represents categories or groups.
o Types:
 Nominal Data: Represents categories without any inherent order.
Example: Gender (Male, Female), Blood Type (A, B, AB, O).
 Ordinal Data: Represents categories with a meaningful order but no
fixed interval between them. Example: Pain Scale (Low, Medium,
High), Stages of Cancer (Stage I, Stage II, etc.).
o Example in Health Sciences: A study recording patients' smoking status
(Non-Smoker, Occasional Smoker, Regular Smoker) would produce
qualitative ordinal data.
2. Quantitative Data (also known as Numerical Data)
o Definition: Numeric data that represents measurable quantities.
o Types:
 Discrete Data: Consists of whole numbers and is countable. Example:
Number of hospital visits, Number of children.
 Continuous Data: Can take any value within a range and is often
measured. Example: Height, Weight, Blood Pressure.
o Example in Health Sciences: A study measuring the blood pressure of
patients before and after a treatment would produce quantitative continuous
data, as blood pressure is a measurable quantity that can take any value within
a range.

Real-Life Example

In a clinical trial, researchers may gather both types of data:

 Qualitative Data: They may record patients' smoking status (Non-Smoker,


Occasional Smoker, Regular Smoker) as categorical, ordinal data.
 Quantitative Data: They might also measure patients' blood pressure before and after
administering a new medication, providing continuous data to analyze the drug's
effect.

Understanding these data types is essential as they dictate the types of statistical tests and
analyses that can be applied in health sciences research.

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