What is a datum in the context of research?

In the context of research, a datum refers to a single measurement or observation. It is the most basic unit of data that researchers collect during a study. When conducting research, data is gathered to analyze trends, patterns, and relationships, and a datum serves as the foundational building block of this data.

For example, if you were measuring the height of students in a class, each individual student's height represents a datum. Collectively, all the heights of the students would be considered data, but each individual entry—the height of one student—is classified as a datum.

In contrast, a group of measurements might refer to a collection of data points (which would not qualify as a single datum), a summary statistic consolidates data into a single figure (like mean or median), and a variable that remains constant does not fit the definition of a datum as it does not represent an individual observation. Understanding this distinction is crucial in research methodology and data analysis.