Difference between quantitative and qualitative data Quantitative Qualitative Definition Numerical data that you get by counting or Descriptive data that be measured can’t measuring. Examples of Closed questioning / questionnaires Opinions this type of Traffic and pedestrian counts Photographs/sketches data Litter counts Interviews Rating / grading scores Website content Depth / width Open questioning Speed / velocity and selection of appropriate physical and human data. Social Economic Environmental Questionnaire to indicate if people Land use survey to establish if there Environmental survey / Photograph feel the regeneration has improved have been changes to or more survey to indicate if the regeneration the area and their lives. developments of economic activity. has led to improvements in the environment (buildings, open spaces etc). Measuring and recording data using different sampling methods. There are three main types of sampling: Random sampling This is the most accurate method as there is no bias involved as every person or place has an equal chance of being sampled. Systematic sampling This is a quick and easy method to use where a regular sample is taken, eg river depth readings may be taken every 50cm across the channel. This type of sampling does not always work well with questionnaires as it may not be possible to ask every 10th person, for example, who enters a shopping area. Stratified sampling This is where people or places are deliberately chosen according to the topic being investigated; for example, a questionnaire about a regeneration project might be asked to an equal number of males and females within pre-determined age groups; eg five males and five females aged 20-39, five of each gender aged 40-59 and so on. This can also be used alongside random or systematic sampling. Description and Description of data collection method Justification of data methods How this method was made more reliable of data Method Less biased collection methods. Fairer Reduce anomalies Questionnaire Sample size 30 Representative sample size. Not too few (less valid data) or too many (too time Randomly selected sample consuming to collect). Transect – three locations systematically selected Random sampling removes bias. This makes along a line crossing Longbridge Town Centre. conclusions more valid. Mixture of open and closed questions. Transect means larger area is covered. Results will be more accurate and represent Has the regeneration of Longbridge had a positive the whole area. impact on its town centre? Why?
Difference between quantitative and qualitative data Quantitative Qualitative Definition Numerical data that you get by counting or measuring. Descriptive data that can’t be measured Examples of this type of data Closed questioning / questionnaires Traffic and pedestrian counts Litter counts Rating / grading scores Depth / width Speed / velocity Opinions Photographs/sketches Interviews Website content Open questioning and selection of appropriate physical and human data. Social Economic Environmental Questionnaire to indicate if people feel the regeneration has improved the area and their lives. Land use survey to establish if there have been changes to or more developments of economic activity. Environmental survey / Photograph survey to indicate if the regeneration has led to improvements in the environment (buildings, open spaces etc). Measuring and recording data using different sampling methods. There are three main types of sampling: Random sampling This is the most accurate method as there is no bias involved as every person or place has an equal chance of being sampled. Systematic sampling This is a quick and easy method to use where a regular sample is taken, eg river depth readings may be taken every 50cm across the channel. This type of sampling does not always work well with questionnaires as it may not be possible to ask every 10th person, for example, who enters a shopping area. Stratified sampling This is where people or places are deliberately chosen according to the topic being investigated; for example, a questionnaire about a regeneration project might be asked to an equal number of males and females within pre-determined age groups; eg five males and five females aged 20-39, five of each gender aged 40-59 and so on. This can also be used alongside random or systematic sampling. Description and of data collection methods. Description of data collection method Method Justification of data methods How this method was made more reliable Less biased Fairer Reduce anomalies Questionnaire Sample size 30 Randomly selected sample Transect – three locations systematically selected along a line crossing Longbridge Town Centre. Mixture of open and closed questions. Has the regeneration of Longbridge had a positive impact on its town centre? Why? Representative sample size. Not too few (less valid data) or too many (too time consuming to collect). Random sampling removes bias. This makes conclusions more valid. Transect means larger area is covered. Results will be more accurate and represent the whole area.
Fieldwork%20Pupil%20Guide_HUMAN.docx