Introduction to Types

of Data
Short Story: "The Office Efficiency Dilemma"
At a mid-sized marketing firm, the management team noticed that productivity seemed to
dip every Wednesday afternoon. While employees were usually efficient and met deadlines,
something about Wednesdays seemed to slow everyone down. This trend was concerning
because it affected project timelines and client satisfaction.
To address the issue, the management team decided to investigate. They wanted to collect
data to understand what was causing the drop in productivity and how they could fix it.
One group of managers suggested analyzing the number of tasks completed each hour on
Wednesdays compared to other days of the week. They believed this data would help
identify exactly when productivity declined.
Another group believed it was important to understand the employees' experiences and
feelings. They proposed conducting focus group interviews with team members to gather
qualitative data about their work environment, stress levels, and any other factors that might
be influencing productivity.
As the investigation got underway, the team started collecting different types of data to
understand and address the office efficiency dilemma.
INTRODUCTION

• Data is a crucial component of

research, providing the foundation
for understanding phenomena,
making decisions, and developing
theories.
Types of Data

• Quantitative Data: Involves numerical

measurements that can be quantified and
statistically analyzed
• Examples:
• Survey Results: Number of People who
agree or Disagree with a statement
• Test Scores: Measuring student’s
performance in an exam
Types of Data

• Qualitative Data: Descriptive data that

explores characteristics, meanings, and
experiences.
• Examples:
• Interview Transcripts: Textual data from
a conversation exploring someone’s
personal experience.
• Open-Ended Survey Responses: Written
feedback from participants describing
their opinions or experiences.
Definition of Quantitative Data
Quantitative data is data that can be Objective: Focuses on objective
measured or counted and expressed measurements and the numerical
numerically. It allows researchers to analysis of data collected through polls,
quantify variables, compare differences, questionnaires, and surveys.
and identify patterns.
Statistical Analysis: Enables statistical
Example: testing to determine relationships
between variables or to generalize
• Collecting data on the heights and
findings from a sample to a population.
weights of participants in a fitness
study.
• Counting the number of errors made
by participants in a memory recall
test.
Definition of Qualitative Data
Qualitative data captures the qualities or Subjective: Emphasizes personal
characteristics of experiences and experiences, opinions, and feelings, often
phenomena. It provides depth and context collected through methods such as
by focusing on understanding the "how" and interviews and focus groups.
"why" of a situation.
Descriptive Rich, detailed data that provides
Example: insights into complex issues or social
phenomena.
• A participant’s detailed account of their
experiences in a therapeutic session.
• Identifying common themes from
multiple participants’ responses about
their experiences with remote learning.
Strengths of
Quantitative Data
• Precise Measurement: Allows for accurate,
numerical measurement of variables, making
comparisons easier
• Generalizability: Data collected from a
representative sample can often be generalized to
a larger population
• Replicability: Standardized procedures make it
easier to replicate studies and verify results
• Example: A large-scale survey measuring the
prevalence of mental health issues in a population
provides generalizable results due to its structured
methodology
Weaknesses of
Quantitative Data
• Lack of Depth: May not capture the complexity
of human experiences and behaviors
• Contextual Limitations: Can miss contextual
factors that influence data, as it often focuses on
numerical trends rather than underlying reasons
• Rigid Methodology: Structured data collection
methods may not be flexible enough to explore
unexpected findings or new areas of interest
• Example: A survey measuring customer
satisfaction might not reveal the specific reasons
behind dissatisfaction due to its predefined
response options
Strengths of Qualitative
Data
• In-Depth Understanding: Provides a rich, detailed
understanding of complex issues, capturing
participants' perspectives in their own words
• Flexibility: Data collection methods can be
adapted as new insights emerge, allowing for
exploration of unexpected findings
• Contextual Insights: Captures the context and
nuances of experiences, offering a holistic view of
phenomena
• Example: In-depth interviews with patients about
their experiences with a new therapy provide valuable
insights into emotional and psychological impacts
Weaknesses of
Qualitative Data
• Limited Generalizability: Findings are often
based on smaller, non-representative samples,
making them less generalizable
• Subjectivity: Analysis is more subjective and
may be influenced by researcher biases
• Time-Consuming: Data collection and analysis
can be more time-consuming and resource-
intensive
• Example: Analyzing hours of interview data
requires extensive time and may be subject to
interpretation biases
Representing
Quantitative Data with
Graphs
Representing Quantitative Data with Graphs
• Bar Graphs • Histograms:
Used to compare quantities across Purpose: A histogram is a type of bar chart that
different categories shows the frequency distribution of a set of
continuous data. It groups data into intervals
• Line Graphs and displays how many data points fall into
each interval.
Display trends over time or
relationships between variables • Scatter Plots:
• Pie Charts A scatter plot (aka scatter chart, scatter
graph) uses dots to represent values for two
Represent proportions and different numeric variables. The position of
percentages of a whole each dot on the horizontal and vertical axis
indicates values for an individual data point.
Scatter plots are used to observe relationships
between variables.