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Whether you are faced with performing quantitative or qualitative research managing and analyzing data is always going to be a major part of the work. Discover a wide variety of statistical software programs that you can use and learn the advantages and disadvantages of each depending on the type of data you will be using. This is a presentation developed through the Graduate Resource Center at the University of New Mexico.
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Data AnalysisRWJF || GRC
Available Software
Quantitative
R
SPSS
STATA
Qualitative
NVivo
Atlas.ti
The Big Problem
How do you ask a question that a computer can answer?
Asking the right question
Are you looking for descriptive statistics?
Are you looking for confirmation/refutation of a hypothesis?
Asking the right question
Descriptive statistics are perhaps the easiest to structure.
Quantitative: Central tendency, quartiles, data range
Qualitative: Frequent words, reoccurring themes
Hypothesis testing requires additional steps
Formulate hypothesis prior to test, have a clear null and alternative established
Asking the right question
H0: There is no difference/relationship
Ha: There is a difference/relationship
Asking the right question
Quantitative
Regression
Is there a relationship between variable X and Y?
Asking the right question
Quantitative
Difference
Is there a difference between variable X and Y?
Asking the right question
Many problems with any kind of data analysis software stem from impossible to answer questions.
Asking the right question
Simplify Questions
Break your question down to individual steps, as small as you can go.
Simplify Questions
“I need to test the GPA of students who scored below a 26 on the ACT vs. those who scored above.”
Simplify Questions
To answer this question, you need a software function that can order the data, split it, and test the variables you need.
It can be hard to find one program that does all that - but it can be easier if you break the problem up into its components.
Simplify Questions
“I need to test the GPA of students who scored below a 26 on the ACT vs. those who scored above.”• Break the question down into individual
steps:
1. Sort the data by lowest to highest ACT
2. Divide into ACT scores below 26 and scores above
3. Run a two-sample T-test on the GPA’s from each group.
Simplify Questions
Data analysis is a lot easier when each step is made smaller.
Choosing your Software
Quantitative
R
Pros: Most flexibility, free, customized software
Cons: Very difficult to learn
Choosing your Software
Quantitative
SPSS
Pros: User friendly, frequently used.
Cons: Expensive, can be difficult to interpret results.
Choosing your Software
Quantitative
STATA
Pros: Can handle large data sets
Cons: Expensive, can be difficult use
Choosing your Software
Quantitative
Excel
Pros: Ubiquitous, somewhat smaller learning curve
Cons: Fundamental limitations in formulas
Choosing your Software
Qualitative
NVivo
Pros: Can structure qualitative data
Cons: Expensive, can be difficult use
Choosing your Software
Qualitative
ATLAS.ti
Pros: Can structure qualitative data
Cons: Expensive, can be difficult use
Where does software fit in?
Quantitative
Hypothesis
Test (Software)
Conclusion
Where does software fit in?
Qualitative
Hypothesis
Test (Software)
Conclusion
Theory
Qualitative Data Analysis
Two upcoming workshops:
NVivo: Thursday, December 1st, 2011, 11.00am, RWJF Conference Room
ATLAS.ti: Thursday, December 8th, 2011, 11.00am, RWJF conference Room
