TYPES OF DATA AND DATA

COLLECTION

Dr. Ashraf Aqel

MOH Jordan
 Types of Data
Qualitative or categorical variables
Nominal
Ordinal

Quantitative variables (Numerical)

Discrete variables
Continuous variables
 Categorical Variables

Cannot be measured numerically

Categories must not overlap and must

cover all possibilities

Classified as nominal or ordinal

 Categorical Nominal Variables
Named categories
No implied order among categories
Examples
Gender – Male/Female
Blood Groups – 0, A, B, AB
Ethnic Group – Chinese, Malay,
Indian, Jordanian
Eye color –
brown/black/blue/green/mixed
 Categorical Ordinal Variables

❑ Same as nominal but ordered categories

❑ Differences between categories not
considered equal
❖ Examples
Grading – Excellent, satisfactory,
unsatisfactory
Pain severity – no pain, slight pain,
moderate pain, severe pain
 Quantitative Variables

Can be measured numerically

Weight
# of admissions to the hospital
Concentration of chlorine
Can be discrete or continuous
 Discrete - Numerical Variables

Integers that correspond to a count

Can assume only whole numbers
Examples
# of bacterial colonies on a plate
# of missing teeth
# of accidents in a time period
 Continuous Data
Continuous data is measured
Can take any value within a defined
range
Limitations imposed by the measuring
stick
❖ Examples – blood pressure, height,
weight, blood pressure, time
Dependent and independent variables

Whether a variable is dependent or independent is determined

by the statement of the problem and study objectives

Dependent :the variable that is used to describe or measure

the problem under study.

Independent :the variables that are used to describe or

measure the factors that are assumed to cause or at least to
influence the problem
• Primary and Secondary Data.
Thank
you