Use Of Computer And Data..

USE OF COMPURTER IN DATA ANALYSIS

1. Introduction • One has to use the computers to minimise time and to the avoid the difficulty in the Analysis while dealing with the voluminous data. • A range of statistical softwares, such as SPSS, SAS etc. available to the researchers. They can perform the operations in a matter of seconds or minutes that would take hours/ days to do manually or with calculators.

• It is a single-minded concrete thinker that work

methodologically, step by step and

does it very fast. • The statistical work on the computer has two aspects:  Data Entry  Data Analysis.

2. Data Entry •The first step will be to enter the data and checking it for accuracy. In this the numerical information must be correctly entered and properly saved for subsequent use. •The second step is to do the specific analysis – statistical calculations such as summary measures and tests of significance. These may

include

statistics.

Descriptive

and

inferential

Data Entry (contd…) • The program will have an editor which is numbered spreadsheet, the grid on which you enter your data. • Generally you will enter the variable name at the top of a cloumn (which is know as Labeling) and then list the obtained values below. • But Labeling procedure varies from software to software.

3. Missing Data • The next task is to learn how missing data are handled. • The software package will tell you what to use for missing information. • Usually the space is left blank or a point (.) is inserted. • But do not use zero. The computer will simply read “0” as the value for the variable and include it in all calculations.

4. Data List • After the raw data have been entered, it is called a “Data List”. • It is best to make sure that all your entries are made and correct. • If changes are introduced, be sure to save the corrected file onto your backup files.

5. Data Analysis • Once your Data Entries are checked and are corrected, now it is ready for the analysis. • Following the instructions of your particular software packages you simply request the statistics

you

want

and

answer

the

computer’s queries about which variables you wish to use.

Data Analysis (contd…) •For example, you will need to specify which variable

represents

the

outcome

or

dependent and which variable or variables comprise

the

independent or predictive

ones. Be sure

to

request the

desired

statistical measures or tests that has to be worked out.

Data Analysis (contd…) • In some statistical softwares there will be programming for the specified tasks to be performed, and need to be specific in the operations in the programme itself. • Using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences), or any other packages the following operations can be made very easily and quickly.

Data Analysis (contd…) 1. Measures of Average required 2. Measures of dispersion in support of averages. 3. Test of Single Mean 4. Test of Two sample means 5. ANOVA or Test of more than two sample means or groups.

Data Analysis (contd…) 6. Categorical Data Analysis (Non-Measurable Characteristics) 7. Making Scatterplot and compute “r” if necessary 8.Regression Analysis in case of Variables (Ratio/ Interval level of measurements) 9. Partial and Multiple correlation, Factor analysis, Discriminate Function analysis. etc.

Conclusion • After executing the programme or the selected operations, look at the results and see if they make sense. • There should be no big surprises in the results of the Data Analysis • As a general rule, a researcher should not travel to far beyond the bounds of personnel understanding in doing a Statistical Analysis.

Conclusion (contd…) •Today, a computer does everything so quickly

that

there

is

little

time

for

understanding the development of statistical modeling. So one should understand about statistical

methods

computer

to

before

perform

it,

asking for

the better

understanding the results and for its proper interpretations.