Cross sectional and longitudinal study designs, like many other designs, trade-off biases and handle measurement error quite differently (“cross-sectional vs. longitudinal studies | Institute for Work & Health,” n.d.). Cross-sectional designs that use the method of collecting and comparing data from multiple cohorts of different ages at the same point of time. An example would be including 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 year olds to measure the effect of age on smoking. They were all recruited at the same point in time but have different levels of age variable (years of life). This design is much less expensive in resources and time than would be a longitudinal design, but confounds cohort and time and relies upon other documentation for the number
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CLSA researchers gather information on biological, medical, psychological, social, lifestyle and economic factors. The purpose is to gain knowledge about the effect of those factors, both separately and in combination, on the development of disease and disability as people age. In general Longitudinal studies are cumbersome, costly, and, by definition, time consuming, as researchers we need to establish whether the effort and cost involved in conducting a longitudinal study is justified. Dabholkar, P. A., Shepherd, C. D., & Thorpe, D. I. (2000)
(“Dabholkar, P. A., Shepherd, C. D., & Thorpe, D. I. (2000). A Comprehensive Framework for Service Quality: An Investigation of Critical Conceptual and Measurement Issues through a Longitudinal Study. Journal of Retailing, 76, 139-173,” n.d.).
Fro the light of the above examples it is abundantly clear that the idea behind both longitudinal and cross-sectional studies is to create the best process in order to collect the most useful and actionable data. One is certainly not better than the other. They both serve a very important purpose, in different ways.
The deciding factor on which you use may be the number of variables you’re trying to study, the amount of time you have before published results are expected, your budget, or, perhaps most importantly, the nature of the research problem you’re studying and
CLSA researchers gather information on biological, medical, psychological, social, lifestyle and economic factors. The purpose is to gain knowledge about the effect of those factors, both separately and in combination, on the development of disease and disability as people age. In general Longitudinal studies are cumbersome, costly, and, by definition, time consuming, as researchers we need to establish whether the effort and cost involved in conducting a longitudinal study is justified. Dabholkar, P. A., Shepherd, C. D., & Thorpe, D. I. (2000)
(“Dabholkar, P. A., Shepherd, C. D., & Thorpe, D. I. (2000). A Comprehensive Framework for Service Quality: An Investigation of Critical Conceptual and Measurement Issues through a Longitudinal Study. Journal of Retailing, 76, 139-173,” n.d.).
Fro the light of the above examples it is abundantly clear that the idea behind both longitudinal and cross-sectional studies is to create the best process in order to collect the most useful and actionable data. One is certainly not better than the other. They both serve a very important purpose, in different ways.
The deciding factor on which you use may be the number of variables you’re trying to study, the amount of time you have before published results are expected, your budget, or, perhaps most importantly, the nature of the research problem you’re studying and