define data analysis in research pdf

An Introduction to Data Analysis

• First Online: 02 September 2023

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• Fabio Nelli 2  

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In this chapter, you take the first steps in the world of data analysis, learning in detail about all the concepts and processes that make up this discipline. The concepts discussed in this chapter are helpful background for the following chapters, where these concepts and procedures are applied in the form of Python code, through the use of several libraries that are discussed in later chapters.

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Fabio Nelli

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Nelli, F. (2023). An Introduction to Data Analysis. In: Python Data Analytics. Apress, Berkeley, CA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-9532-8_1

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Published : 02 September 2023

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Data analysis and findings

Data analysis is the most crucial part of any research. Data analysis summarizes collected data. It involves the interpretation of data gathered through the use of analytical and logical reasoning to determine patterns, relationships or trends. 

Data Analysis Checklist

Cleaning  data

* Did you capture and code your data in the right manner?

*Do you have all data or missing data?

* Do you have enough observations?

* Do you have any outliers? If yes, what is the remedy for outlier?

* Does your data have the potential to answer your questions?

Analyzing data

* Visualize your data, e.g. charts, tables, and graphs, to mention a few.

*  Identify patterns, correlations, and trends

* Test your hypotheses

* Let your data tell a story

Reports the results

* Communicate and interpret the results

* Conclude and recommend

* Your targeted audience must understand your results

* Use more datasets and samples

* Use accessible and understandable data analytical tool

* Do not delegate your data analysis

* Clean data to confirm that they are complete and free from errors

* Analyze cleaned data

* Understand your results

* Keep in mind who will be reading your results and present it in a way that they will understand it

* Share the results with the supervisor oftentimes

Past presentations

• PhD Writing Retreat - Analysing_Fieldwork_Data by Cori Wielenga A clear and concise presentation on the ‘now what’ and ‘so what’ of data collection and analysis - compiled and originally presented by Cori Wielenga.

Online Resources

• Qualitative analysis of interview data: A step-by-step guide
• Qualitative Data Analysis - Coding & Developing Themes

Beginner's Guide to SPSS

• SPSS Guideline for Beginners Presented by Hennie Gerber

Recommended Quantitative Data Analysis books

Recommended Qualitative Data Analysis books

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An Overview of Data Analysis and Interpretations in Research

Research is a scientific field which helps to generate new knowledge and solve the existing problem. So, data analysis is the crucial part of research which makes the result of the study more effective. It is a process of collecting, transforming, cleaning, and modeling data with the goal of discovering the required information. In a research it supports the researcher to reach to a conclusion. Therefore, simply stating that data analysis is important for a research will be an understatement rather no research can survive without data analysis. It can be applied in two ways which is qualitatively and quantitative. Both are beneficial because it helps in structuring the findings from different sources of data collection like survey research, again very helpful in breaking a macro problem into micro parts, and acts like a filter when it comes to acquiring meaningful insights out of huge data-set. Furthermore, every researcher has sort out huge pile of data that he/she has collected, before reaching to a conclusion of the research question. Mere data collection is of no use to the researcher. Data analysis proves to be crucial in this process, provides a meaningful base to critical decisions, and helps to create a complete dissertation proposal. So, after analyzing the data the result will provide by qualitative and quantitative method of data results. Quantitative data analysis is mainly use numbers, graphs, charts, equations, statistics (inferential and descriptive). Data that is represented either in a verbal or narrative format is qualitative data which is collected through focus groups, interviews, opened ended questionnaire items, and other less structured situations.

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The data available is growing at an exponential rate. The increase in data in itself is a minor problem, but the percentage of unstructured data in the overall data volume is what is concerning all. so it becomes a basic necessity to discover ways to process and transform complex, unstructured, or large amounts of data-into meaningful insights, This brief outline of data analysis will help us understand what is data analysis, the value it holds in many industries worldwide and how majority of the organizations in various sectors bank on data analysis to survive the ongoing market race. This paper maintains its focus on explaining the basic procedures followed in obtaining something immensely useful from the available disorganized facts and figures by analyzing them. Also discussed briefly are its applications in areas such as management, retail, healthcare, education and so on. This paper highlights important concepts of data analysis.

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