Week 6 Discussion: Data Analysis and Results
Data are mere facts and figures. Without data analysis, no meaningful information can
be obtained from research. Data analysis enables researchers to make informed decisions
...
Week 6 Discussion: Data Analysis and Results
Data are mere facts and figures. Without data analysis, no meaningful information can
be obtained from research. Data analysis enables researchers to make informed decisions
quickly, backing them up with facts provided by the data. Also, data analysis allows the uses
of a research study to deeply understand the problem and potential solutions hence building
better businesses and relationships between the business and the customers.
I learned a lot about descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and qualitative analysis
of data. Descriptive statistics is the description or summarizing of data in a meaningful way
to establish relationships and patterns from the data (Byrne, 2007). However, a researcher
cannot make conclusions from descriptive statistics beyond the data analysed. Also, a
researcher cannot reach a conclusion concerning any hypothesis developed. In other words,
descriptive statistics simply provide a way to describe the data collected. What I learned from
descriptive statistics is that it is important in research as it helps in visualizing what the data
shows. Without it, it could have been very hard to visualize and establish patterns on data
collected. Also, I learnt that with descriptive statistics we can present the collected data more
meaningfully hence allowing a simpler way of interpreting it.
Inferential statistics allows a researcher to make inferences (predictions) from the
collected data. Inferential statistics involves taking samples from a populations and making
generalizations concerning the population (Byrne, 2007). There are two things that I learnt
about inferential statistics – estimating the parameters and testing the hypothesis. Estimation
of parameters refer to taking a statistic from the sample data and using this statistic to infer
something about the entire population. An example of sample data is the sample mean and an
example of a population parameter is the population mean. Testing the hypothesis involves
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the use of the sample data to answer the research questions such as determining whether a
new cancer drug is effective.
Qualitative analysis uses subjective judgement, which is based on non-quantifiable
information such as strength of research and development, industry cycles, labour relations,
and management expertise (Sutton and Austin, 2015). I learnt that qualitative analysis deals
with intangible and inexact concerns in the social and experiential realm as opposed to
belonging to the mathematical realms. Qualitative approach relies on the intelligence of the
machines since it is impossible to capture things like customer satisfaction, brand
management trustworthiness, cultural shifts, and competitive advantage.
Data analysis is necessary for discovering credible findings for nursing because it
enables nursing researchers to make well-informed decisions from the data collected. It
makes it possible for nursing researchers to make efficient decisions on the effects of a drug,
causes of a condition, etc.
Statistically significant study results in clinical research are interpreted as being
clinically important. Statistical significance, on the other hand, indicates the level of
reliability of study results. Therefore, clinical significance describes its impacts on clinical
practice. Clinical significance is about the real life importance of research findings (ArmijoOlivo, 2018). When considering application of findings to nursing practice, clinical
significance is more meaningful because it facilitates the clinicians’ understanding and
interpretation of research results, and hence it is important in the transfer of knowledge
obtained from research into clinical practice. Clinical relevance facilitates the understanding
and interpretation of results for clinicians. In physical therapy, the assessment of this
approach has become a popular method to assist the transfer of knowledge into clinical
practice (Armijo-Olivo, 2018)
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