How to Use Cross Sectional Data
- 1). Consider what you want to assess. If you wish to show the differences in a population at a single point, you will want to use cross sectional data. If you want to look at changes over time, you would want to use longitudinal data.
- 2). Consider surveys or content analysis as a way to gather data. Surveys allow you to have institutions or persons report current data. They can tell you information specific to their organizations. Content analysis allow you to answer questions, such as how many African-Americans were depicted in the New York Times on June 4, 2008. You would look through that day's New York Times and count the number of articles depicting African-Americans.
- 3). Depending on what you want to collect, you can also call public records offices for a copy of the data. When calling, indicate the period of time and exact type of information you want. Use the Freedom of Information Act, which will give you an idea of your rights when asking for data from organizations.
- 4). Present your findings using bar graphs. Bar graphs are great to present and compare different items at a single point in time.
- 5). Present differences across categories, such as college attendance rates among high school graduates at different high schools for a year. The cross-section of data would allow you to compare the high schools and find which ones have a greater college attendance rate.
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