Kinds of data

  Kind Explanation Examples
  Nominal A number or value is just used as a name. Phone number, student number, credit card number, or cases where we assign numbers to things just to group them
Ordinal Numbers are assigned to things but, in addition to a name, the numbers provide a meaningful order. Opinion questionnaires, rankings
  Interval Numbers are assigned by a reliable, verifiable/valid measurement, one with consistent steps but without a true 0. Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit or degrees Celsius
Ratio Numbers are assigned by a reliable, verifiable/valid measurement, one with consistent steps and a true 0.                                                                  


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Reliable: repeated measures give almost identical results

Verifiable/Valid: other ways to determine the value yield similar results

©Roger M. Palay
Saline, MI 48176
September, 2020