4.2.3.2.1 Quantitative, qualitative, primary and secondary data Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 2

The 20 questions

1. Quantitative data are best described as:

   • Data that come from a previously published study, reused by the same researcher
   • Data collected only through open interviews, which are then coded for each theme
   • Numerical data that can be counted, measured or statistically analysed
   • Descriptive data in the form of words, themes or narratives drawn from the participants

2. Qualitative data are best described as:

   • Data that always come from a national database that holds figures for each region
   • Data collected by the researcher for their own study only, and not reused by others
   • Numerical data that can be averaged across the whole sample to find a typical value
   • Descriptive, non-numerical data such as words, themes or observations

3. Primary data are:

   • Data obtained from a meta-analysis of published studies, combined into one result
   • Data collected by the researcher for the specific purpose of their own study
   • Data collected by someone else and reanalysed by the researcher for a new question
   • Data that have been published in a national archive, open to all researchers

4. Secondary data are:

   • Data that cannot be analysed statistically, because they are recorded as words only
   • Data that are always qualitative in nature, taken from interviews and open answers
   • Data originally collected by others for a different purpose and then reanalysed
   • Data collected by the researcher in a pilot study only, before the main study begins

5. Meta-analysis is:

   • A single experiment with a very large sample, designed to produce a precise estimate
   • A statistical technique that combines the results of many studies to find an overall effect
   • A form of observation in naturalistic settings, where behaviour is recorded as it happens
   • A qualitative method that records participants' thoughts, feelings and experiences in full

6. A key strength of qualitative data is that it:

   • Removes all bias from the research process, so the findings are completely neutral
   • Always produces exactly the same results in each study, so it can be repeated exactly
   • Allows results to be averaged easily across a population of many different people
   • Provides rich detail and insight into people's experiences and meanings

7. A limitation of quantitative data is that it:

   • Can only be collected from children, because adults rarely give useful numbers
   • Always requires a large laboratory, which makes the method expensive to run
   • May lack depth and fail to capture the meaning behind the numbers
   • Cannot be analysed statistically, so the results can only be described in words

8. A researcher analyses national census data for a study. What type of data is this?

   • Observational data collected covertly
   • Secondary data
   • Primary data
   • Qualitative pilot data

9. A researcher analyses transcripts of interviews about grief. What type of data is this?

   • Ordinal data
   • Secondary quantitative data
   • Quantitative data
   • Qualitative data

10. A researcher collects scores on a rating scale from 200 participants. What type of data is this?

    • Meta-analytic data
    • Quantitative data
    • Qualitative data
    • Case study data

11. A researcher combines the results of 30 published studies on sleep and sleep quality. What type of analysis is this?

    • Meta-analysis using secondary data
    • A pilot study with primary data collected
    • An unstructured interview study of groups
    • A case study of one participant over time

12. Quantitative data allow researchers to:

    • Collect data without any sample, using the full population as the source of numbers
    • Avoid all forms of measurement error, since the numbers are always exact and correct
    • Carry out statistical analysis and compare groups or conditions precisely
    • Describe the meaning of experiences in full detail, using the words of each participant

13. A disadvantage of secondary data is that:

    • The data are always out of date and cannot be analysed with current statistical methods
    • The data may not have been collected to answer the researcher's specific question
    • The data are always qualitative and therefore unusable for any statistical testing
    • The data cannot be combined with any other data, so each set must be used alone

14. A researcher uses open questions and then codes the responses into numerical categories. What has happened to the data?

    • Quantitative data have been converted into qualitative data by writing a description
    • The data have become a case study, because they now describe one individual in depth
    • Qualitative data have been converted into quantitative data through coding
    • The data have become secondary data, because they were collected by another team

15. Evaluate qualitative data. Which point is most accurate?

    • They are always objective and free from interpretation, since the words speak for themselves
    • They offer depth but interpretation can be subjective, which raises questions of reliability
    • They can never be used in psychological research, because words cannot be tested at all
    • They are always more reliable than quantitative data, because the answers are full of detail

16. Why can meta-analysis increase the generalisability of findings?

    • It combines many studies and samples, so the results are less dependent on any single group
    • It removes the need for any statistical analysis, since the combined results are obvious
    • It always uses a single large sample from one location, so the findings are local only
    • It only includes studies conducted in a laboratory, which keeps the conditions the same

17. Evaluate secondary data for a study on attitudes. Which point is most accurate?

    • It is cost-effective, but the variables may not match exactly what the researcher needs
    • It removes all ethical concerns about the study, since the people were already recruited
    • It guarantees that the researcher will obtain significant results, because the data are large
    • It is always more valid than primary data, because secondary sources are checked by others

18. Why is quantitative data sometimes criticised for reducing meaning?

    • Quantitative data are always collected without participants, so the numbers come from machines
    • Turning complex experiences into numbers can lose the context and nuance that explain behaviour
    • Numbers cannot be used to describe any human behaviour, since people are too complex to count
    • Numbers are always inaccurate in psychology, because people change their answers from day to day

19. Which statement best distinguishes primary from secondary data?

    • Primary data are always quantitative, while secondary data are always qualitative in every case
    • Primary data are from meta-analysis, while secondary data are from interviews carried out in the field
    • Primary data are collected for the current study, while secondary data already exist and are reused
    • Primary data are always from laboratories, while secondary data always come from fieldwork in the community

20. Which is an example of secondary quantitative data?

    • Interviews the researcher conducted with participants about their sleep habits and routines
    • Observations recorded by the researcher in a park of how people sleep on the benches
    • Responses to a questionnaire the researcher wrote and distributed to a sample of students
    • Published national statistics on hours of sleep, reanalysed by a researcher

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