Types of Data
Data Categories
Data can be categorised as either qualitative (descriptive) or quantitative (numerical)
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Examples of qualitative data include expressive observations gathered through field notes, surveys, interviews or case studies
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Examples of quantitative data include measurements or amounts that can be counted and analysed statistically
Data can be further characterised as being either discrete (distinct units) or continuous (infinite scale)
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Discrete: Nominal data is composed of non-ordered categories (such as eye colours) while ordinal data can be ranked (e.g. pain scales or disease staging)
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Continuous: Interval data has a uniform scale between values but lacks a true zero point (e.g. IQ scores), while ratio data has an absolute zero (e.g. height or weight)
Data Type Examples
Nominal Data
Ordinal Data
Interval Data