11.6 Choosing the Right Type of Data

Selecting the appropriate data type depends on:

1. Research Questions: Do you need to understand changes over time at the individual level (panel) or just a snapshot comparison at one point (cross-sectional)?

2. Resources: Longitudinal or panel studies can be resource-intensive.

3. Time Constraints: If you need fast results, cross-sectional or repeated cross-sectional might be more practical.

4. Analytical Goals: Time-series forecasting, causal inference, or descriptive comparison each has different data requirements.

5. Availability: Sometimes only secondary or repeated cross-sectional data is available, which constrains the design.