CROSS-SECTIONAL RESEARCH: CHARACTERISTICS AND METHODOLOGY - SCIENCE - 2025

The i transverse esearch is a non - experimental method to collect and analyze data at a given time. It is widely used in social sciences, having as its subject a specific human community. Compared to other types of research, such as longitudinal ones, the transversal one limits the collection of information to one period.

Studies with this type of design offer more descriptive than experimental results. There are several types of cross-sectional research, each with different objectives and methods. Given their characteristics, they are very useful to describe how a variable has affected a population at a certain time.

Cross-sectional research example

It is closely related to demographics and statistics, since the tools are similar, as is the way of presenting the results. Among its characteristics is the promptness with which the variables studied are evaluated, almost automatically.

On the other hand, it is essential that the sample of the population chosen is sufficiently representative. Failure to do so runs the risk that the conclusions may not be adapted to reality.

characteristics

The main characteristic of this type of research is the way the data is collected. In this way, it is used to measure the prevalence of the phenomenon measured, as well as how it affects the population at a time.

Cross-sectional research does not fall within the experimental calls, but is based on the observation of the subjects in their real environment. Once the objective of the study has been chosen, certain characteristics or situations are compared at the same time. This is why it is also called field immersion.

Most of the time, the samples that have been chosen as the population representation are studied qualitatively. This allows the variables to be defined by analyzing their incidence in the community in question.

When presenting the conclusions, the tools used are very similar to those of statistics. The use of absolute frequencies, means, modes or maximum values ​​is common. Similarly, graphs, diagrams and other elements that allow a better presentation of the results are frequent.

Cross-sectional studies are divided into three different types, depending on their objectives and methods:

Exploratory design

It is the initial exploration to begin to know a variable or a set of these. It is usually applied to a new problem and constitutes a kind of introduction to other studies on the same topic. They are the most used in field immersion within the qualitative approach.

Descriptive design

Through this type of design, the values ​​and incidence that appear in one or more variables are studied. The result will be to offer an objective view of a situation at a given moment.

In a type of research with fully descriptive results, as will the hypotheses that can be developed from the data.

A clear example can be a medical study on a specific disease. Once the data is obtained, the doctor will determine which sector of the population is most affected by the condition.

Certainly, it is not going to help you to know the causes, but it is a good basis for further investigations that deepen the subject.

Causal correlational design

In this case, the researchers are going to look for the relationships between two different variables. The objective may be to find if there is any causality between them. On other occasions this aspect goes to the background, finding relationships in other areas.

Methodology

In this type of research, the choice of the subject does not require a prior study beyond looking for the variables to be investigated within its scope; it can be a locality, a neighborhood, a class or any other human group.

It is very common for this method to be used for investigations of the prevalence of any disease; in that case you must select the place of interest. For example, check whether more related diseases have developed in a city near a toxic spill.

Yes, it is essential that the sample chosen is representative of the population to which we are going to extrapolate the results.

Data collection

There are standardized methods for obtaining the data you need. The usual thing is to do it directly, through personal interviews, surveys or questionnaires.

For his work to be effective, the researcher has to define very clearly the events and phenomena to be measured.

Hypothesis

Once all the necessary data is available, the research team must analyze it and develop the appropriate hypotheses.

Depending on the case, the purpose is to establish the prevalence of a certain phenomenon, presenting it graphically; at other times the only attempt is to describe the situation.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantage

These studies have some very advantageous characteristics when investigating certain subjects. Since they require little prior preparation and specialized equipment, they are fairly inexpensive and quick to do.

In addition, they give the opportunity to measure various factors with your study alone. You only need to broaden the range of questions to be able to cover several objectives. Similarly, if the sample is large enough, it is easy to predict the prevalence of results.

Finally, there are usually no ethical limitations when carrying out them. The researcher is only interested in the situation at one point in time, so there are no problems typical of long-term studies.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantages of cross-sectional research come from the characteristics of the groups it studies.

The lack of control of the variables has the result that a cause-effect relationship cannot be established. This is because, since the data is only collected once, the researcher cannot be sure that the results will not be different at another time.

The fact that the groups analyzed are not chosen randomly causes certain subgroups to be overrepresented or, on the contrary, not to appear.

Finally, this type of research is not indicated to establish the long-term effects of any phenomenon. Another study would have to be done to make sure of the results.

References

1. Seehorn, Ashley. Cross-sectional research methods. Obtained from geniolandia.com
2. Shuttleworth, Martyn. Transversal study. Retrieved from explorable.com
3. Jaen University. Cross-Sectional or Court Studies. Obtained from ujaen.es
4. Cherry, Kendra. Cross-Sectional Research Method: How Does It Work ?. Retrieved from verywellmind.com
5. Institute for Work & Health. Cross-sectional vs. longitudinal studies. Retrieved from iwh.on.ca
6. Singh Setia, Maninder. Methodology Series Module 3: Cross-sectional Studies. Recovered from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
7. Martin, Jeff. Cross-Sectional Study. Retrieved from ctspedia.org