I have all of this data—So now what?

Joyce GarczynskiCommunications and Development LibrarianTowson Universityjgarczynski@towson.edu

Session Preview

Learning the lingo of data analysis Preparing data for analysis Using PASW (SPSS) for analysis Thinking beyond the data Testing the analysis waters for

yourself

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Learning the Lingo

Sample Cases Variable

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Code Hypothesis

Research Dictionary:

http://bitbucket.icaap.org/

Getting to Know Your Data

Data Representation Uniformly coded? Coded to maximize analysis?

Getting to Know Your Data Level of Measurement

Nominal

Ordinal

Scale

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http://www.fistockphot.com

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Importing Data into PASW (SPSS) Importance of using stats program

Import a .csv file or copy and paste

Fill out Variable View

Running Frequencies

Provides values for each variable

For scale variables, can get average, median, etc.

Check to see if import went correctly

Running Frequencies

Running Statistical Tests

Dig deeper into what is happening within your results Formulate hypothesis

Pick the right statistical test Level of Measurement What you are trying to learn▪ Relationship between two variables?▪ Change over time ?

Statistic and significance

Chi-Square

Tests for relationship between two variables

Can be used with nominal, ordinal or scale variables

Sensitive to sample sizes

Chi-Square

Chi-Square

Thinking Beyond the Data

Other explanations for results? Sample Question wording Other variable▪ Correlation ≠ Causation

Decide what action to be taken

Reviewing other librarians’ research Scavenger hunts

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Practice Data Analysis

Review

Learning the lingo of data analysis Preparing data for analysis Using PASW (SPSS) for analysis Thinking beyond the data Testing the analysis waters for

yourself

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnowitts/2429136239/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmarty/163916810/

Questions?