qualitative and quantitative analysis

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Action Research Project

Qualitative and QuantitativeAnalysis

Dr. Nellie Deutsch

2015

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Problem Statement

What is your problem statement?

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Purpose

• Determine the causes• Build a workable curriculum program• Provide students with test taking techniques• Improve student scores

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Background Description

• Population

• Work Setting

• Writer’s Role

Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques

•Qualitative data are analyzed inductively

•Specific observations look for patterns develop

hypotheses develop general conclusions

–Potentially overwhelming task

–Goal is to reduce volume of information collected

–Risk minimizing, simplifying, distorting data

•Must rely on a coding scheme—system for grouping data

into categories of similar information

–Highly individualized type of system

http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm



•Often necessitates reading, rereading, rereading again

your data

•Must get to “know” your qualitative data very well

•Steps in the process:–Reduce amount of narrative data through use of coding

scheme

–Describe main characteristics of categories (connect data to

research questions)

–Interpret what has been simplified and organized




•Also, engage in introspection

–Reflective practice that helps to ensure that you

remain objective and “emotionally unattached” to data

•Assistance with analysis through software

–Analysis of qualitative data cannot be “done” on the

computer (due to inductive nature)

–Software can help store and organize data



Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques

•Quantitative data are analyzed deductively

•Identify topic focus with research questions or

hypotheses collect and analyze data develop

conclusions

•Can use either descriptive or inferential statistics

–Descriptive statistics—procedures that simplify, summarize,

and organize numerical data

–Inferential statistics—procedures used to determine how likely

given statistical results are for an entire population based on a

sample




•Descriptive statistics–Measures of central tendency—single value to

indicate what is typical or standard about a group of

individuals

•Mean

•Median

•Mode

–Measure of dispersion—single value to indicate how

scores are different, or what is atypical

•Range

•Standard deviation




•Descriptive statistics (cont’d.)

–Measures of relationship—statistical measure of strength

of association between variables

•Correlation coefficients





–Visual displays of data—not really a statistical

procedure; simply ways to “show” data

•Frequency distribution table

•Histograms

•Bar charts

•Pie charts




•Statistical software

–Numerous software packages exist; some are very

costly

–Very effective, Web-based alternative: StatCrunch

(www.statcrunch.com)



Action research checklistAnalyzing Data in Action Research

☐Revisit your research question(s) and your previous decisions about the use of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods data for your action research.

☐Develop a plan for analyzing your data (see below).☐If you have collected qualitative data, decide how you plan to analyze your data:

☐Will you code, organize, and analyze your data by hand?☐How will you actually do this (notecards, sticky notes, etc.)?

☐Will you use some sort of software (see the “Related Websites” section of this chapter) to code, organize, and analyze your data?

☐If you have collected quantitative data, decide how you plan to analyze your data:☐Be sure to specify the type of analysis—descriptive (e.g., frequencies, mean, median, graphs,

etc.) or inferential statistics (e.g., t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test, etc.)—you plan to use.☐Will you analyze your data by hand, perhaps using only a calculator?

☐Will you use some sort of software (e.g., StatCrunch, or others in the “Related Websites” section of this chapter) to analyze your data?

☐Anticipate how you will present the results of your data analysis:☐Will you present all of your results in narrative form?

☐Will you utilize any tables, graphs, etc?.☐Develop a timeline for your data analyses.




•Qualitative data are analyzed inductively

•Specific observations look for patterns develop hypotheses develop general conclusions

–Potentially overwhelming task

–Goal is to reduce volume of information collected

–Risk minimizing, simplifying, distorting data

•Must rely on a coding scheme—system for grouping data into categories of similar information

–Highly individualized type of system



•Often necessitates reading, rereading, rereading again

your data

•Must get to “know” your qualitative data very well

•Steps in the process:–Reduce amount of narrative data through use of coding scheme

–Describe main characteristics of categories (connect data to

research questions)

–Interpret what has been simplified and organized



•Also, engage in introspection

–Reflective practice that helps to ensure that you remain

objective and “emotionally unattached” to data

•Assistance with analysis through software

–Analysis of qualitative data cannot be “done” on the

computer (due to inductive nature)

–Software can help store and organize data



•Quantitative data are analyzed deductively

•Identify topic focus with research questions or hypotheses collect and analyze data develop conclusions

•Can use either descriptive or inferential statistics–Descriptive statistics—procedures that simplify, summarize, and

organize numerical data

–Inferential statistics—procedures used to determine how likely given statistical results are for an entire population based on a sample



•Descriptive statistics–Measures of central tendency—single value to

indicate what is typical or standard about a group of

individuals

•Mean

•Median

•Mode

–Measure of dispersion—single value to indicate

how scores are different, or what is atypical

•Range

•Standard deviation




–Measures of relationship—statistical measure of

strength of association between variables

•Correlation coefficients


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Problem Documentation– Two Surveys

• Online Questionnaires• Students• Parents• Teachers

• Offline Questionnaires• Students

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Action Research Project Proposal

Survey Results (Before Intervention)

QuestionPro Online Survey Program

http://www.questionpro.com/akira/ShowResults?id=161974

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Students: What thoughts do you have during the test?

I wish I had prepared myself better . 25.71%

I won't have enough time. 39.05%

I am doing great. 20.95%

I wish I could be somewhere else 14.29%

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Teachers: ESL/EFL students are anxious during reading

comprehension tests in English.

Strongly Agree 34.15%

Agree 45.85%

Undecided 8.29%

Disagree 8.78%

Strongly Disagree 2.93%

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Teachers: ____ of my ESL/EFL students are/were anxious during reading comprehension tests.

Most 31.03%

Some 36.55%

Many 25.52%

None 2.07%

A few 4.83%

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Parents: My daughter/son gets anxious when there is

reading comprehension test in school.


Agree 17.95%

Neutral 23.08%

Disagree 18.38%


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Parents: Reading strategies would improve reading

comprehension in English.


Agree 21.62%

Neutral 8.11%

Disagree 0.00%


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Teachers: ESL/EFL students would benefit from relaxation exercises before reading comprehension tests.


Agree 37.07%

Undecided 27.80%

Disagree 3.90%


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Literature Review

Brief summary

• Problem • Solution

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Solution Strategy

Reading Comprehension Test Taking Skills

12 Week Curriculum Program:

• Reading Strategies• Test Taking and Relaxation Techniques

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Reading Strategies

• General Layout

• Paragraph: Introduction, body and conclusion• Type of writing: letter, report, description, persuasion…• Skimming and scanning: Numbers, capital letters

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Test Taking Techniques

• Relaxation Exercises

• Mindfulness: Present• Breathing: Counting to 10• Color Visualization and Chakras• Self-talk: Positive affirmations

• Time• Organization

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Results Student scores before and after the 12-week implementation

57.3

80.15

Students

Sco

res

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Audience Feedback

• Questions • Comments

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Recommendations

• Needs Assessment Survey• Questionnaire on test taking anxiety• Questionnaire on reading strategies

• Action research project

• Comparison of grades before and after test taking and reading strategies curriculum program

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Reflecting

Dr. Nellie Deutsch

2015

qualitative and quantitative analysis

Education

data http

data assistance

narrative data

distorting data

quantitative analysis

sample http

organized http

research questions