If I wanted to run a study tracking individuals during the time from pre-puberty to 18 years old, but I did not have 10-11 years
to track the same group, what study design would be faster but still show individual differences? sequential longitudinal cross-sectional you are out of luck
A cross-sectional study can be explained as a type of observational research that analyzes data of variables collected at one given point in time across a sample population or a pre-defined subset.
It involves the use of different groups of people who differ in the variable of interest but share other characteristics, such as socioeconomic status and educational background.
In conclusion, it should be understood that, Cross-sectional studies are usually relatively inexpensive and allow researchers to collect a great deal of information quite quickly, but still show individual character.