Quantitative Data

Definition

Quantitative data are data represented numerically, including anything that can be counted, measured, or given a numerical value. Quantitative data can be classified in different ways, including categorical data that contain categories or groups (like countries), discrete data that can be counted in whole numbers (like the number of students in a class), and continuous data that is a value in a range (like height or temperature). Quantitative data are typically analyzed with statistics. 

Examples

Examples of quantitative data are a spreadsheet of numbers or data collected from a survey question where an answer must be selected from a pre-determined set of values.

Tools

Quantitative data analysis can be conducted in many software programs, including Microsoft Excel and R (https://www.r-project.org/).

Relevant Literature

Deakin University Library created a great video explaining the difference between qualitative and quantitative research and data:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iws9XCyTEk

 

This guide provides a detailed explanation of quantitative data as compared to qualitative data:

https://www.fullstory.com/blog/qualitative-vs-quantitative-data/

 

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