Data Analysis & Report Writing

OUTLINE

• Data Analysis: Coding, editing, and tabulation of data. Application of various types of Graphs and charts.

• Introduction to simple Descriptive analysis, and statistical analysis.

• Types of reports, Importance of the Report and Presentation, Report format. Precautions in preparing reports.

• Conclusions, Interpretations, and Recommendations. • Bibliography, Annexure, reference and Indexing.• Mini research Project.

Descriptive Analysis

• The transformation of raw data into a form that will make them easy to understand and interpret; rearranging, ordering, and manipulating data to generate descriptive information

• Univariate• Bivariate• Multivariate

Type ofMeasurement

Nominal

Twocategories

More thantwo categories

Frequency tableProportion (percentage)

Frequency tableCategory proportions

(percentages)Mode

Type of descriptive analysis

Type ofMeasurement

Type of descriptive analysis

Ordinal Rank orderMedian

Tabulation

• Tabulation - Orderly arrangement of data in a table or other summary format

• Frequency table• Percentages

Frequency Table

• The arrangement of statistical data in a row-and-column format that exhibits the count of responses or observations for each category assigned to a variable

Measure ofCentral Measure of

Type of Scale Tendency Dispersion

Nominal Mode NoneOrdinal Median PercentileInterval or ratio Mean Standard deviation

Central Tendency

Cross-Tabulation

• A technique for organizing data by groups, categories, or classes, thus facilitating comparisons; a joint frequency distribution of observations on two or more sets of variables

• Contingency table- The results of a cross-tabulation of two variables, such as survey questions

Cross-Tabulation

• Analyze data by groups or categories• Compare differences• Contingency table• Percentage cross-tabulations

Base

• The number of respondents or observations (in a row or column) used as a basis for computing percentages

Data Transformation

• Data conversion• Changing the original form of the data to a

new format• More appropriate data analysis• New variables

Data Transformation

Summative Score = VAR1 + VAR2 + VAR 3

Satisfaction = 0.5 VAR1 + 0.3VAR2 + 0.2VAR 3

Calculating Rank Order

• Ordinal data• Brand preferences

Charts and Graphs

• Pie charts• Line graphs• Bar charts

– Vertical– Horizontal

Computer Programs• SPSS• SAS• SYSTAT• Microsoft Excel

REPORT WRITING

Report parts

Prefatory parts Main body of the report Appended parts

Prefatory parts

Title page

Letter oftransmittal

Letter ofauthorization

Table of contents

Prefatory parts

Title Page: It includes the title of the report, names of the persons for whom the report was prepared, names of the persons who prepared it. Sometimes it also contains the purpose for which it is prepared.

Prefatory parts

• Letter of Transmittal: Its purpose is to release or deliver the report to the recipient. It is basically a covering letter accompanying the report.

Prefatory parts

Letter of Authorization: This is the letter to the researcher approving the project, detailing who has the responsibility for the project and indicating what resources are available to support it.

Prefatory parts

Table of Contents: It should list the divisions and subdivisions of the report with page reference. The table of contents is based on the final outline of the subdivisions.

Main body of the report

Introduction

Methodology

Area 1

Area 2

Final area

ResultsLimitations

Conclusions and recommendations

Main body of the report

Introduction: It sets out the background factors that makes the project necessary. It gives the rationale to the study. It also talks about how this project is fulfilling the gap.

Main body of the report

Research Methodology: This part is all about the methodology used in the project with a proper reasoning. Its main subparts are, Research Design, Sampling Design, Fieldwork, and Analysis done.

Analysis section is a detailed description of statistical methods used in the report.

Main body of the report

Results: This section presents the findings in a logical order to achieve the objectives. The results should be well organized and continuous narrative designed. Summary tables and charts should be used where ever required.

Limitations: Its aim is to provide a realistic basis for accessing the results. It reflects the premises in which research is carried out. Generally resources like, Money, Time, Sampling Procedures, data availability, Non response etc. limits the research.

Main body of the report

Interpretation: It is the process of making pertinent inferences and drawing conclusions

concerning the meaning and implications of a research investigation.

Main body of the report

Conclusions and Recommendations: They constitute the last part of the main body of research report.

Conclusions are opinion based on the results.

Recommendations are suggestions for action to be taken.

Appended parts

Data collectionforms

Detailedcalculations

General tables

Bibliography

Appended parts

• Appendix: It presents the material which is too technical, or may be the material of interest to few readers only. Sometimes it contains subsidiary materials not directly related to study.

• It may be, Questionnaire, Statistical Tables, Detailed Calculations, Maps, Previous authorizations, approval letters etc.

Appended parts

• Bibliography: It contains the sources from where references were taken in the report, or were consulted to give the report a final shape. It may contain books, journals, Newspaper, websites, Government or private reports etc.