Results – Analysis of Data

LOG: In the comments section describe the measures of central tendency and variability used in evaluation data analysis. Describe the specific data analysis methods you will be using in your evaluation.

Summarizing the data(http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/g3658-6.pdf)

Descriptive Statistics (Describe raw data thru measure of) Central Tendency – used to characterize what is typical for the group

which allow us to visualize or I.D. the central characteristic or the representative unit.-mean ex: the avg. scale range from ‘not important, slightly…, fairly…, very…, c/b assigned 1, 2, 3, and 4’. -median ex: the *midpoint, ‘4 – *5 – 9’. -mode ex: the typical. ‘when a large number of values are used’.

Variability (used to compare to the mean) – Can mask or be skewed by extreme values at either ends. ex: are some very high or very low?-standard deviation – ex: high standard = responses vary greatly from the mean; low standard = responses are similar to the mean; and identical answers mean the standard deviation = zero.-range – ex: ‘soil testing for phosphorus saved producers and average $15/acre from a range of $12 - $20/acre’.-variance – (used instead of the standard deviation) – if goal is for

everyone to have independent thinking & to build their decision-making w/h + o/c. if goal is for everyone to achieve a level of knowledge, skill, or production w/h <+ o/c.

Percentages ex: 32% of the participants were over 55 y.o. Numerical counts ex: 32 of the participants was over 55 y.o.; 27 of the

30 participants rated the content of the Throughput PPT as very useful in helping to understand the ‘Push’ method.

Graphs Continuous data

-polygon-histogram

Discrete data-Bar chart-Pie chart

Evaluating Discussion Section

A tight summary of purpose and results should be included.

Methodological limitations should be clarified.

Results should be cast in light of literature cited in the intro/review of literature

New literature should not be brought into the discussion.

Implications and/or recommended action in light of findings should be drawn out in this section.

Next steps likely to extend or clarify research presented should be suggested.

Any speculations must be clearly identified as such. There should be no doubt as to whether the discussion of results is data based or conjecture (http://www.bshifflett.com/kin250/notes1.htm#qd).

AnalysisI analyzed the data using Microsoft Office Excel 2010.