Quantitative and Qualitative Data | AQA A-Level Psychology (7182)
Quantitative and Qualitative Data
- 149 questions
- 6 subtopics
- Paper 2: Psychology in context
- Paper 2
Quantitative and Qualitative Data covers the kinds of data psychologists collect and how they are summarised and displayed, from the distinction between numbers and description through to the first statistical test on the specification.
It sits within research methods and can be assessed on any of the three papers.
Sample questions from Quantitative and Qualitative Data
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Quantitative and qualitative data; the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques
Why are case studies considered a qualitative data collection technique?
Show the answer
They involve in-depth investigation of individuals or small groups, gathering detailed descriptive information about experiences, behaviours, and circumstances over time. -
Quantitative and qualitative data; the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques
Why does quantitative data allow for generalisations to wider populations?
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Because numerical data from representative samples can be statistically analysed to determine whether findings are likely to apply beyond the sample studied. -
Primary and secondary data, including meta-analysis
Why might secondary data not be ideal for a researcher's investigation?
Show the answer
It may not perfectly fit the researcher's needs as it was collected for a different purpose. -
Primary and secondary data, including meta-analysis
Why might combining studies in a meta-analysis produce invalid conclusions?
Show the answer
Combining studies with different methodologies or measures may not be valid, as the studies may not be directly comparable. -
Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion
Apart from the highest value, what else must be identified to calculate the range?
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The lowest value in the data set. -
Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion
Define the median and explain how it is identified in a data set.
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The median is the middle value when all scores are arranged in order from lowest to highest. If there is an even number of values, the median is the midpoint between the two central values. -
Presentation and display of quantitative data: graphs, tables, scattergrams, bar charts
What does it mean when data points on a scattergram are widely dispersed with no clear pattern?
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This indicates a weak or no correlation between the two variables -
Presentation and display of quantitative data: graphs, tables, scattergrams, bar charts
What two columns are typically found in a frequency table?
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One column for values (scores or categories) and another column for their frequencies (how often each occurs)
The 6 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative and qualitative data; the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques | What separates numerical data from rich descriptive data, which techniques collect each, and the strengths and limitations that follow. | 21 |
| Primary and secondary data, including meta-analysis | Data gathered first-hand against data already collected by someone else, what a meta-analysis does with existing studies, and the file drawer problem. | 13 |
| Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion | The mean, median and mode and when each suits the data, and the range and standard deviation as measures of spread. | 47 |
| Presentation and display of quantitative data: graphs, tables, scattergrams, bar charts | Scattergrams, bar charts, histograms and tables, what each is used to show, and the conventions for setting out axes. | 21 |
| Distributions: normal and skewed distributions | The shape of a normal distribution and the proportion of scores within each standard deviation, positive and negative skew, and which tests assume normality. | 22 |
| Introduction to statistical testing; the sign test | When the sign test applies, how the observed value of S is calculated, how it is compared against a critical value, and the significance level conventionally used in psychology. | 25 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Psychology Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,999 questions with their answers.