How to Collect and Analyze Data for Your Dissertation?

Education

Data collection is a method of systematically collecting observations or measurements. Data collecting allows you to get first-hand expertise and unique insights into your study challenge, whether you’re researching the industry, government, or academia (Pritha Bhandari, 2021).

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Whereas the methods and objectives for each field may differ, the general data gathering procedure remains basically the same. Before you begin collecting data, you should consider the following:

The purpose of your research.
The type of information you will gather
The techniques and methods you will employ to acquire, store, and process data.

Now further in this blog, we will discuss the data collection and analysis process:

To Collect The Data-

Define your research’s goal

Before you begin the data collection process, you must first identify precisely what you want to accomplish. Begin by formulating a statement of the problem: what’s the practical or systematic issue you want to address, and why is it important?

Then, come up with one or perhaps more research questions that clearly state what you want to learn. You may have to gather quantitative or qualitative data, depending on your study questions:

Numbers and graphs are used to depict quantitative data, and statistical processes are employed to analyze it.
Words are used to express qualitative data, which is then examined using interpretations and categorizations.

Select a data-gathering method

Decide which strategy is ideal for your research based on the information you wish to collect.

Experimentation is essentially a quantitative approach to study.
Qualitative approaches include interviews, focus groups, and ethnography.
Quantitative and qualitative methods include surveys, observations, archival research, and secondary data collection.

Consider which approach you will employ to collect data from the picture below that will directly address your research questions.

Note: this table is taken from an online source*

After Data Collection, To Analyze Data-

Because they have a tale to tell or challenges to solve, researchers rely significantly on data. It all begins with a question, and data is simply the answer to that inquiry. But what if you don’t have a question to ask? Well! Even without a problem, it is feasible to investigate data – this is known as ‘Data Mining,’ and it frequently reveals some fascinating patterns in the data that seem to be worth investigating. (QuestionPro)

Regardless of the sort of data, researchers use their exploration, objective, and audience vision to uncover the patterns that will help them construct the story they want to tell. Staying open and unbiased to surprising patterns, expressions, and results is one of the most important things researchers are supposed to do when studying data. Remember that data analysis can sometimes reveal the most unexpected yet intriguing stories which were not anticipated at the time of data collection. Follow the points mentioned below that will help with dissertation data analysis process.

Check Data Relevancy:

Triple check the research before making any analysis on the data and therefore do not analyze an actual file. It may result in any difficulty, such as data loss, data conversion to another number, or data loss. Look for the following in the data:

Is it consistent with the hypothesis?

If your data contradicts your theory, you have made a research error. Figure out what went wrong.

Is the data making sense?

You’ve gathered information. Great, but does the data make any sense? If it’s for both genders, have you contacted an equal amount of people, or is your data more male-dominated, causing an imbalance?

Is the data concluding?

I realize you haven’t done any analysis, but based on the responses of your target audience, you can predict whether it’s heading in the correct path or not.

Is there any data that has a negative impact?

By quickly reviewing the data you’ve collected, you can see if it’s heading in the correct direction or not.

Organize the Data:

Arrange the data in a way that makes it easier for you to comprehend and use it, such as:

Is the data organized in chronological order?
Have I included all of the necessary details?
Is my genuine information saved on a different sheet?
Do I have a data backup plan in case I lose data?

These are the most important aspects of data organization.

Select Appropriate Tools For Data Analysis:

Various types of tools interpret different types of data, such as SPSS software, which is more beneficial in dealing with quantitative data and evaluating surveys and numeric responses. There is a variety of software that can assist you with data analysis.

In any case, choosing the right data analysis tool will assist you in properly evaluating the data. However, before you can use the program, you must first organize the data.

Find out your data’s real flaws:

Congratulations! You have done your data analysis and found nothing wrong or irrelevant, but now the fun begins if you discover anything that completely changes your results. So check for the flaws even before you run any kind of test you can detect them by running a pilot test on a small amount of data. pilot data testing will tell whether you are going in the right direction or not. If not you may have to collect new data and change your question technique or otherwise, you will have no choice but to manipulate your data at the end, and you would not want that at all.

It is Time To Analyze The Information:

To skip this part students buy a Ph.D. dissertation from an online dissertation writing service so they would not have to take all the stress because this is where the majority of the dissertation writing takes place. When you start interpreting the data, the real fun begins as you figure out whether or not your dissertation went according to plan. If it supports the hypothesis, it’s OK; otherwise, you’ll need to hire someone to help you with your UK dissertation. This is the most important factor in determining whether or not the literature reviews and your study should be combined.

Finally, Enjoy The Outcomes:

When you get the exact conclusion according to your dissertation, all of your hard work pays off. It’s pure luck to acquire good grades right away and complete your dissertation promptly.

References:

Pritha Bandhari, (2021). Data Collection | A Step-by-Step Guide with Methods and Examples. Scribber. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-collection/

QuestionPro. Data analysis in research: Why data, types of data, data analysis in qualitative and quantitative research. https://www.questionpro.com/blog/data-analysis-in-research/