Difference between cross sectional and longitudinal studies.
Answers
Longitudinal studies differ from one-off, or cross-sectional, studies. The main difference is that cross-sectional studies interview a fresh sample of people each time they are carried out, whereas longitudinal studies follow the same sample of people over time.
Longitudinal Study: A longitudinal study is a research study in which the research continues for a longer period of time and uses the same sample at each phase.
Cross-Sectional Study: A cross-sectional study is a research where the researcher analyses a particular context, group of people, or else a social phenomenon through a sample.
Characteristics of Longitudinal Study and Cross-Sectional Study:Time duration:
Longitudinal Study: A longitudinal study goes on for a longer period of time.
Cross-Sectional Study: A cross-sectional study is completed only once.
Nature of Study:
Longitudinal Study: A longitudinal study presents an idea of the evolution of the research topic.
Cross-Sectional Study: These studies present a cross-sectional analysis.
Sampling:
Longitudinal Study: The sample chosen for the research is studied in a number of occasions to comprehend a difference or change.
Cross-Sectional Study: The sample is studied only once