GUIDELINES: ANALYSIS OF DATA (10 marks)

ESSAY FORMAT (WITH INDENTED PARAGRAPHS)

An explanation of what results were obtained, why they were yielded (provided by you) and
identification of trends, patterns, and anomalies.
-Data analysis is how researchers go from a mass of data to meaningful insights.
- Identify the mode (most popular response) for each question (graph/chart shown)
1. Be clear
2. Be accurate
3. Your analysis should be very relevant to the issues studied.

This is where you explain your findings.

1. Describe the trends and patterns, averages, ranges. State what the data you collected means
and implies.

2. Look for connections between questions.

3. Explain the results, include contradictions.

4. Give a summary of your interpretations in the last paragraph.

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TECHNIQUES FOR ANALYSING DATA

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There are some important questions that you should focus on when preparing

to analyse your data and identify the relationships among data.

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TRENDS/ PATTERNS/ RELATIONSHIPS
Trends: the general direction in which something is changing/ general tendency of a series of
data points to move in a certain direction
Patterns: a repeated occurrence or sequence/ a series of data that repeats in a recognisable way
Relationships: connections or associations between concepts or ideas/ any relationship between
two or more variables showing that when one variable changes so does the other.

After data have been organised into tables, charts, graphs and text, the researcher’s next step is to
analyse the data. Data analysis refers to the examination of data to unearth key findings, such as
relationships, trends, patterns, and anomalies. These findings apply meaning to the statistics
revealed in the research process. Data analysis involves:
➢ collecting useful and useable information
➢ description and summary of data
➢ the identification of relationships between variables
➢ the identification of differences between variables
➢ the revelation of any significant change in the dependent variable or variables
➢ making comparisons between variables
➢ uncovering external factors that may have affected the dependent variable or variables
➢ identifying potential reasons for findings
➢ laying the groundwork for possible solutions

IDENTIFYING TRENDS
Identifying a trend involves asking the questions:
➢ “Has there been a change in the data?”
➢ “Is the change a normal change or a variation?”

The process of identifying trends involves:

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 ➢ comparing the before and after of a period
➢ investigating the reason behind the change
➢ making predictions based on the results

FINDING PATTERNS
Patterns are yielded when:
➢ there is a link between variables or results.
➢ the variables reveal a sequence such as when one variable influences another.

EXAMPLE:
Research was conducted on the relationship between students’ performances in mock exams and
the amount of time they spend studying. The pattern that was revealed was that the more hours
students spent daily studying, the greater their chances of performing well on their mock exams,
and ultimately their final exams. In essence, the pattern shows that a change in one variable
causes a change in the other variable, and in this case, there is a positive correlation between
students’ study time and performance in exams.

ANOMALIES
Anomalies mean that some data are unlike any of the other data. Anomalies are readily identified
because they stand out from the other values when presented.

EXAMPLE:
A student conducted research on how effective security systems are to deter burglars in an
upscale community. The results showed a general decline in break-ins as more homeowners
installed surveillance security systems. One home, however, had an increase in the number of
break-ins within a six-month period. This anomaly raised the question as to why thieves were
still targeting this home.

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THE CATEGORIZATION AND COMPARISON OF DATA
The categorization and comparison of data are important because they allow the researcher to
organize and reduce that data while keeping the meaning of the results. The ways to do so
involve:
➢ organising themes and patterns into logical categories
➢ assigning labels to the data
➢ depicting the major ideas
➢ identifying relationships
➢ identifying themes and patterns

Categorization is the process of dismantling the data into groups or categories before compiling
them to find the answer to the research questions. Categorisation aids in identifying the patterns
and themes in the data:
➢ identifying the modal score
➢ showing relationships among categories of data

Comparison- when comparing data, to derive the average and the range, we use measures of
central tendency:
➢ the mean: the mathematical average of a set of numbers. This is arrived at by adding the
value of all the numbers and then dividing the result by the total number of scores.
➢ the mode: this is the most frequently occurring value. To find the mode you simply select
the value that occurs most often.
➢ the median: the middle score of the range of numbers. To find the median, arrange the
numbers from lowest to highest and choose the number that falls in the middle. If two
numbers are in the middle, ad them and divide by 2 to arrive at the median.

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DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
IN the presentation of data, some results yielded can be statistically important or are not
significant at all. In the analysis of data, it is key to look for:
➢ obvious findings- those findings that are immediately noticeable
➢ differences- marked increases or decreases in the frequency of events
➢ changes- significant changes in the dependent variables
➢ patterns- results that are consistent
➢ correlations- establishing if there is a connection between variables and the causes of the
connections

The means by which you present your data will determine how you will analyse your results.
This simply means that you should be able to identify trends in the data and provide reasons for
them if your research was focused on changes over time.
Data Presentation Data Analysis Techniques
Bar Graphs Identify patterns, relationships, and comparisons.

Histograms Identify patterns, relationships, and comparisons.

Line Graphs Identify trends over time.

Stem and Leaf Plot Identify distribution patterns, anomalies, comparisons. Find
median and mode.
Pie Chart Identify patterns and percentages. make comparisons.
Pictograph Identify multiple sets of data for comparison.

Recommended word limit: 400 words.

DUE DATE: WEDNESDAY 23RD APRIL 2025