Cross-Sectional Study and Longitudinal Study

Research Study Method

            Research is contemplation of study conducted to analyse a particular concern or problems with the help of scientific methods. Two types of research methods are used – Inductive research method and Deductive Research Method. To examine an observed event, inductive research method is used. To verify the observed event, Deductive Method of research is conducted. To select the right type of research, it is very important to identify some objectives. It is important to understand the wants and preferences of the clients. Cross sectional Study and Longitudinal study are two important example of research methods.

Differences between Cross sectional and Longitudinal Studies

A particular design of study is determined by the characteristics of the research questions. To determine the process of the study, it is very important to know the kind of information that is needed. There are two types of research designs. The two types are Longitudinal Studies and Cross Sectional Studies. The cross sectional study lets us collect data from a population at a particular point of time. Data is collected repeatedly from sample over a long period of time.  Cross sectional studies and Longitudinal Studies both are observational studies.  Cross sectional  studies has a benefit of allowing  us to   contrast various  variables at a given point of time. 

It us a human nature to change over time. When same group of people are tested over a long period of time, longitudinal study is used. For example, a group of individuals can be tested about their eating habits at age 20. The same group of individuals can be examined again at the age of 30.

            Unlike longitudinal studies, cross sectional study can be conducted for multiple sections of the population at a given time. For the above example of eating habits, a researcher can conduct the research for different groups of people. When different groups of people are surveyed, it falls under the category of cross sectional data.

When to use a cross sectional design?

            Cross sectional data can be used when we have to make conclusions about the relationships that are possible or to gather the primary data to support additional research and   analysis.  These studies are conducted for the surveys which are dependent on the population and to analyse the generality of disease clinical surveys. The data needed for these write my assignment studies to be conducted can be collected faster than the longitudinal or other study methods. Cross-sectional studies are conducted either before planning a study or a standard cohort study. Cross sectional design is mainly used in fields of education, psychology, social science and others.

Why do a cross sectional study?

            Cross sectional study is used because it is an efficient method to examine  all the data at a given time period. In economics, to see the dynamics of the casual effects of one independent variable over a dependent variables, cross sectional study is used mainly to check the cross sectional regression. Cross sectional data can be used  to describe some features of a given population.  Cross sectional studies involves data that is collected at a given time. In healthcare, cross sectional studies are used to examine the occurrence of an acute illness without answering the reasons behind the occurrence of the disease. Cross sectional studies are preferred mainly because they are less expensive to conduct. However, cross sectional studies may involve exceptional data that includes questions about the past.

How to perform cross sectional studies?

            Cross sectional studies are performed by examining data from a point of time. Participants of this study are selected on the ground of interest.  The participants of the study are selected based on incorporation and elimination.  After the participants are selected, exposure and results are analysed.

Advantages and disadvantages of cross sectional studies

Cross-sectional studies have numerous advantages and limitations.

Routinely collected data allows the cross sectional studies to be conducted at less cost. This is a major advantage  which most of the epidemiological studies lacks.  Cross sectional studies are the best method to prove or to disprove assumptions. These studies do not require much time and effort.  This study is beneficial because the data is captured in a given point of time. At the time of snapshot of data, multiple variables are considered. Cross sectional studies can be conducted for different types of research. Cross sectional studies have advantage of analysis many findings to create new theories or research. A major advantage of cross sectional study is that the data required for this study is collected all together, hence the participants would not leave until the data is collected completely.

            However, cross sectional studies have some disadvantages too. These data cannot be used for a long period of time. Cross sectional data cannot determine cause and effect of any incident on which research is conducted. The timing of the collection of data cannot be guaranteed to be symbolic in nature.  If there is a conflict of interest with the source of funding,   findings can be defective or biased.  There may be some challenges in putting the sampling pool together on the population variables that is studied.

Conclusion

            Cross sectional studies and longitudinal studies are important in their own areas. The study method that will be used mainly depends upon the needs of the topic or the do my homework clients.  For any fields or clients who need data of long span, longitudinal  studies can be conducted.  For a topic that need data at a particular point of time, cross sectional design is used. 

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