Difference Between Grouped Data and Ungrouped Data

The word data refers to information that is collected and recorded. It can be in form of numbers, words, measurements and much more.

There are two types of data and these are qualitative data and quantitative data. The difference between the two types of data is that quantitative data is used to describe numerical information. For instance, the measurement of temperature would fall under this kind of data.

On the other hand, qualitative data is used to describe information in words. After collecting data, it needs to be organized hence the need to separate grouped data from ungrouped data. Both are useful forms of data but the difference between them is that ungrouped data is raw data. This means that it has just been collected but not sorted into any group or classes. On the other hand, grouped data is data that has been organized into groups from the raw data.

What is Grouped Data?

As mentioned above, grouped data is the type of data which is classified into groups after collection. The raw data is categorized into various groups and a table is created. The primary purpose of the table is to show the data points occurring in each group. For instance, when a test is done, the results are the data in this scenario and there are many ways to group this data. For example, the number of students that scored above each 20 mark can be recorded.

Alternatively, the grades can be used. For example, a 90-100 all the way to F 0-59 with each category showing how many students are in each category. Histograms and frequency table are best used to show and interpret grouped data. Here is an example

Grouping of data has the following advantages:

• Helps in improving the efficiency of estimations.
• Allows for greater balancing of statistical power of tests of the differences between strata by analyzing equal number from strata.
• Irrelevant subpopulations are ignored while the significant ones are focused on.

What is Ungrouped Data?

Ungrouped data which is also known as raw data is data that has not been placed in any group or category after collection. Data is categorized in numbers or characteristics therefore, the data which has not been put in any of the categories is ungrouped. For example, when conducting census and you want to analyze how many women above the age of 45 are in a particular area, you first need to know how many people reside in that area.

The number of individuals residing in that area is ungrouped data or raw information because nothing has been categorized. We can therefore conclude that ungrouped data is data used to show information on an individual member of a sample or population.

Some of the advantages of ungrouped data are as follows;

• Most people can easily interpret it.
• When the sample size is small, it is easy to calculate the mean, mode and median.
• It does not require technical expertise to analyze it.

Differences between Grouped Data and Ungrouped Data

• Classification of Grouped Data vs. Ungrouped Data

Grouped data is data that has been organized in classes after its analysis. Examples include how many bags of maize collected during the rainy season were bad. On the other hand, ungrouped data is data which does not fall in any group. It is still raw data.

• Preference of Grouped Data vs. Ungrouped Data

When collecting data, ungrouped data is preferred because the information is still in its original form. It has not been tampered with by classification or subdivision. However, when analyzing it and drawing graphs, grouped data is preferred because it is simple to interpret.

• Accuracy of Grouped Data vs. Ungrouped Data

When calculating the means of grouped and ungrouped data, there will be a variation. The mean of grouped data is preferred because it is more accurate as compared to the mean of ungrouped data. The mean of ungrouped data may lead to wrong manipulation of the median therefore it is considered inefficient in most cases.

• Representation of Grouped Data vs. Ungrouped Data

Frequency tables are used to show the information of grouped data whereas in the case of ungrouped data, the information appears like a big list of of numbers. This is due to the fact that the information is still raw.

• Summary

Grouped data is data that has been organized into a frequency distribution whereas ungrouped data has not been summarized in any way.

Grouped Data Vs Ungrouped Data

Summary of Grouped Data verses Ungrouped Data

• In statistics, the term data is used to refer to information that has been collected and recorded for the purpose of specific projects and it could be either qualitative or quantitative.
• Both grouped and ungrouped data are types of data however, grouped data has been classified into categories based on similar characteristics whereas ungrouped data is raw data.
• Both types of data can be represented by frequency tables. However, for grouped data, there are no class limits thus the use of tally marks. Grouped data in a frequency table has limits and that is the upper class limit and lower class limit.
• Both types of data can be used to calculate the mean, mode and median of samples of population therefore they are useful.

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