Data Collection and Presentation

Interview

A one-on-one conversation with a parent of an at-risk youth to help understand an issue.

Questionnaires and Surveys

Responses can be analyzed by assigning numerical values to Likert-type scales.

Questionnaires and Surveys

Results are generally easier to analyze than qualitative techniques. Also, Pretest/Posttest results can be compared and analyzed.

Observations

allow for the study of the dynamics of a situation, frequency counts of target behaviors, or other behaviors as indicated by evaluation needs. They are a good source for providing additional information about a particular group and can use video for documentation.

Observations

can produce qualitative data (e.g., narrative data) and quantitative data (e.g., frequency counts, mean length of interactions).

Ethnographies, Oral History, and Case Studies

These methods involve studying a single phenomenon and examining people in their natural settings

Ethnographies, Oral History, and Case Studies

A combination of techniques such as observation, interviews, and surveys.

ethnography

The researcher can become a confounding variable.

Documents and Records

Examining existing data in the form of databases, meeting minutes, reports, attendance logs, financial records, newsletters, etc..

Documents and Records

It can be an inexpensive way to gather information, but it may be an incomplete data source.

Primary Data

is data that researchers retrieve first-hand. It includes information collected and processed directly by the researcher. This data is not pre-existing and is collected by the evaluator using methods like observations, surveys, or interviews.

Primary Data

is useful if existing data on your topic/project is not current or directly applicable to your evaluation questions. It can be more expensive and time-consuming, but it enables you to collect data specific to your evaluation's purpose.

Secondary Data

is data that is retrieved from pre-existing sources. It includes information that has already been collected, processed, and reported out by another researcher/entity.

Secondary Data

Research articles, Internet or library searches, and existing records within a program such as publications, training materials, financial records, student/client data, and staff performance reviews.

Social Networking Sites

can be used to engage participants in a virtual focus group or conduct observations of interactions on that site.

Accuracy and Precision

It refers to the exactness of the data. Data cannot have erroneous elements, must convey the correct message without being misleading, and relates to its intended use.

Reliability and Consistency

They refer to the presence of a stable and steady mechanism that collects and stores the data without contradiction or unwarranted variance.

Timeliness and Relevance

There must be a valid reason to collect the data to justify the effort, and it must be collected at the right moment in time. Data collected too soon or too late could misrepresent a situation and drive inaccurate decisions.

Availability and Accessibility

This presumes that the data exists and is available for access to be granted.

Textual Method

It is a paragraph form of presentation. It can be very wordy and cumbersome.

Tabular Method

The purpose for which it is designed and the complexity of the material.

Graphical presentation of data

are easier to read than tables and can present large, complex masses of data in a simpler language, highlighting trends or patterns.

Graphs

should be self-explanatory with a clear & concise title

Scales

must be properly labeled, identifying units of measurement on the x and y axes, and should have good proportions

Bar Graph/Chart/Diagram

For qualitative or discrete quantitative variables to compare absolute or relative counts, rates, etc., between categories.

Pie Chart

For qualitative variables to show the breakdown of a group or total where the number of categories is not too many.

Histogram

For continuous quantitative variables; it is a graphic representation of the frequency distribution of a continuous variable or measurement, including age groups.

Frequency Polygon

For quantitative variables; it has the same function as a histogram.

Line Diagram

For time series data; it shows trend data or changes with time with respect to some other variable.

Venn Diagram

Also known as a set diagram or logic diagram, it represents mathematical or logical sets pictorially as circles or closed curves within an enclosing rectangle, with common elements represented by the areas of overlap among the circles.

Epidemic Curve

represents in a graphic form the onset of cases of a disease, either as a histogram, a bar graph, or a frequency polygon

Epidemic

is local

Pandemic

is international

Scatterpoint, Scatterplot, Dot Diagram, or Scattergraph

For quantitative variables, they show the correlation between two quantitative variables.

seld-explanatory

In graphical presentation of data it should be __________ clear & concise title indicating what is being represented, time element involved, place where data relates to

properly labeled scales

In graphical presentation of data it should should identify units of measurements in the x and y axis; scales should have good proportions.

clear

In tabular methos the title should be _________, concise, and direct to the point and should indicate what is being tabulated

independent variable

In tabular method Left column is for _________

right

In tabular method the derived or calculated column (often average) is on the far ___

footnote

In tabular method Codes, abbreviations, and symbols should be explained in a

footnote

In tabular method If the data are not original, their source should be given in a

x

In graphical presentation of data Basis of classification is generally placed along the _ axis (sometimes the independent variable)

y

In graphical presentation of data frequencies or percentages are placed along the _ axis (sometimes the dependent variable).

zero

In graphical presentation of data Vertical scale should always start with__— showing a break only when the range of the observations is too far from the origin.