Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Cross-sectional studies are observational research methods that analyze data from a population, or a representative subset, at one specific point in time.
Related terms
Prevalence Study: This is similar to cross-sectional studies but specifically measures the total number of cases (prevalence) of a disease or condition in a population at a specific point in time.
A type of non-experimental research method which involves observing two variables to determine if there is any relationship between them. It can be part of cross-sectional studies when looking for correlations among variables at one point in time.
Population Sample: The group selected for participation in an experiment or study. It should ideally represent the larger population from which it was drawn.