10. Analysing the data

10.1 What's involved
10.2 For advice and information

10.1 What’s involved

Analysis generally involves:

• checking over, or verifying that the collected data is complete and/or accurate and related to the question. Does an item need revisiting with a participant? Is it necessary to eliminate any data?
• preparing the data for preliminary analysis — e.g. coding of responses, transcriptions, preparation of interview/log summaries
• comparing the data to the agreed evaluation criteria and
• interpreting the findings.

How you actually analyse particular data is very much a function of the data collection tool used. For quantitative data, statistical description and analysis is possible — percentages, means, distributions etc. Similarly, statistical analysis is possible for more qualitative data collected (such as responses to Likert scale type questions).

For statistical analysis you will need:

• access to appropriate statistical software — depending on need, it may be as simple as Microsoft Excel, or more sophisticated (e.g. SPSS), and
• a modicum of stats 'where-with-all' to interpret the statistical data

You may find it necessary to call in outside help in processing and analysing the data. For example, the Social Sciences research Laboratory can assist with analysis of printed survey forms.

For qualitative analysis you will need:

• some understanding of the different strategies possible (e.g. content analysis)
• time to go through the data obtained.

10.2 For advice and information

See the LTDI Evaluation Cookbook for suggestions on how to analyse the data collected using the various collection tools: http://www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/ltdi/cookbook

For analysing qualitative data

McGee-Brown, M. (1993). 'Qualitative and Ethnographic Evaluation' in Payne, D. A. (1994). Designing Educational Project and Program Evaluations: A Practical Overview Based on Research and Experience. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Boston.

Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. (2nd edn.) Newbury Park, CA: Sage.