Display of Statistical Data for Social Research
Social research has several methods of presentation, all of which have their own strengths and weaknesses when providing accurate data. The information that are presented to the readers have to be clearly defined, explicitly holding the many methods that can be used in order to ensure the accuracy of the findings. At the same time, researchers have to consider that social analysis can rarely be contained with various factors only and will always be similar with other situations; culture and dynamism of the people has always proven that there will be slight changes that people will have to consider.
Because of these, the methods of determining the information have been one of the primary concern of the social analysts and researchers. There are several methods of information-gathering in a society, one of which is through the descriptive research that mostly involves ethnographic analysis. Another method is the inclusion of the statistical data that can be obtained through various means, such as interviews and questionnaires. Each of these methods also has its own weaknesses which can only be regarded on the researcher’s discretion. Demographics can provide solid evidence in a research, especially in providing the truthfulness of the outcome. Such attempt will thus be helpful in the reproduction by other researches, while also attempting towards proving that these are more or less similar or provided for.
There are several statistical presentation of the data that can be done, starting with the method in which the data is obtained. First off, there is the need to decide the number of people who will represent the entire whole or if there is also the need to speak to all; this will determine the percentage error in which the study will be determined. At the same time, it may also be more appropriate to gather a sample of the whole in order to gather the information due to the impossibility in which these data can be gathered within a restrictive timeframe.
There are also several sampling methods that can be used, depending on the nature of the research. Mostly, it can be determined based on the availability of the sources as well as the method in which the information can be gathered from their sources. Moreover, there is also the need to be sensitive about the questions that are to be asked, especially if these are discreet questions that people may not be comfortable and discussing and therefore rendering the research useless as the sources may thus not answer accordingly or based on their delegated truths. The sampling method determines the way in which the respondents can be divided and chosen in order to ensure the lack of bias in the study and also to ensure that the respondents will be chosen randomly. There are several sampling methods that a researcher can choose from, and mostly pertains on the nature and circumstances that surround the study itself, as well as the nature of the sources.
There are also some widely used sampling methods that are popular with the researchers and the nature of their study. There are several random sampling methods that allows for lesser chances of bias due to the equivalence of the population number. Another is the snowball sampling in which the researcher focuses on getting sources based on the knowledge system. Here, the researcher will get other sources through asking people whom the first source also knew about. This method may be easier in obtaining resources, however its primary weakness lies in the high chances that the information may become biased. Another sampling method is the judgment sampling in which there are established characteristics on the possible respondents that can be chosen, yet also runs the high risk of being biased in the favor of the respondent. Other sampling methods are stratified sampling, which includes the list of some required characteristics that allows for better chances on choosing. This is helpful when ensuring that, despite the factor that gives the resources a commonality, there are still some separations regarding their characteristics.
In many research papers, there may be the need to present the raw data, all of which have not yet been analyzed and assessed for the study. These are ensured because of the different ideas that can be given as well as gives the readers the chance to practice their ability of assessing the information in a fresher perspective that may be different from the writer. At the same time, for convenience’s sake, it may also be helpful for the readers to continue with their presentation of their information based on the displays that they can give. Again, such presentation can be based on the various methods in which the researchers believe their information can be given and will also be based on the data that were gathered. Moreover, the presentation of the data also highly depends on the comparative merits in which the presentation gives, wherein there is more advantage when such information will be managed accordingly. Presentation based on their comparisons gives both the readers and the writers the chance to easily visualize the information that are being provided and also see how they can be different.
Some methods of displaying the information can be through the usual tables wherein the raw data and the percentages are submitted side-by-side, which is easier due to the lack of presentation problems and also gives the readers the raw data, thus giving them the chance to produce their own analyses. Other methods with the tables include the pie chart and the tables using the columns or the bars. Lines will also be helpful when it comes to fluctuations and indicating the rise and fall of possible factors, especially with the Y axis. However, these may only be helpful with two or three different comparisons, and therefore may be different when it comes to incorporating several statistical data that may also need another factor or more. As such, many information that need to be included may thus be included through the analyses and will also be provided through the thorough inclusion of the data that were gathered.
In providing a comprehensive report, at the same time, some pointers should be remembered especially when applying on the labels of the information and also with regards to the displays. It is important that the readers will not be confused with the information and that they will easily gather the data and understand what the writer is trying to tell them in order to ensure that they will be able to provide their own analysis and also give either their approval or their disapproval regarding the methods used in the gathering of the data as well as their presentation.
Finally, it may be helpful to ensure that necessary descriptions and explanations will be included in the study, especially as they will be helpful in the provision on added information. Moreover, it gives the readers the chance to understand how the writer chose to gather and provide the information, especially when it comes to the source that they can get. It should be remembered, however, that despite the statistics and demographics that are included in the study and no matter if the study utilized the best methods of analyzing the data if the sources themselves are not updated. The researcher must be aware of the possible changes that can always occur within a community and society, and thus be able to determine how their study will reflect their findings.
It is also highly important to ensure that information is accurate before they are presented and published. It is very possible that accuracy will not be up to 100%, especially in the presence of percentage errors that will always bring some differences to the findings, and there is always the possibility that human ideas and beliefs may not be reflected in the research as 100% as well because of the dynamism of humans’ decisions and the tendency of culture and society, therefore values and economies, to change, yet through careful analyses, there will be greater chances in which the findings will be closer to the outcome, making the study easier to understand and the information they bring more reflective of the social occurrences.
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