Stella Matutina Academy of Bukidnon, Inc.
West Kibawe, Kibawe Bukidnon
S.Y 2024-2025
Practical Research 2
November 11-15, 2024
Second Semester
Activity Number: 2.5
I- Lesson Title: QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS
A. CONCEPT NOTES
QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS
Basic Concept
At this time, you already know that data means facts or information about people, places, things,
events, and so on, and when these data appear not in words, images or pictures, but in numerical
forms such fractions, numbers, and percentages, they become quantitative data. To understand the
numbers standing for the information, you need to analyze them; that is, you have to examine or
study them, not by taking the data as a whole, but by separating it into its components. Then,
examine each part or element to see the relationships between or among the parts, to discover the
orderly or sequential existence of these parts, to search for meaningful patterns of the components,
and to know the reasons behind the formation of such variable patterns. Quantitative data analysis is
time consuming because it involves a series of examinations, classifications, mathematical
calculations, and graphical recording, among others.
Steps in Quantitative Data Analysis
Having identified the measurement scale or level of your data means you are now ready to analyze
the data in this manner (Badke 2012; Letherby 2013; Mc Bride 2013):
Step 1: Preparing the Data
Keep in mind that no data organization means no sound data analysis. Hence, prepare the data for
analysis by first doing these two preparatory sub steps:
1. Coding System
To analyze data means to quantify or change the verbally expressed data into numerical information.
Converting the words, images, or pictures into numbers, they become fit for any analytical
procedures requiring knowledge of arithmetic and mathematical computations. But it is not possible
for you to do the mathematical operations of division, multiplication, or subtraction in the word level,
unless you code the verbal responses and observation categories. For instance, as regards gender
variable, give number 1 as
the code or value for Male and number 2 for Female. As to educational attainment as another
variable, give the value of 2 for elementary; 4 for high school, 6 for college, 9 for MA, and 12 for PhD
level. By coding each item with a certain number in a data set, you are able to add the points or
values of the respondents’ answers to a particular interview question or questionnaire item.
2. Data Tabulation
For easy classification and distribution of numbers
based on a certain criterion, you have to collate them
with the help of a graph called Table. Used for
frequency and percentage distribution, this kind of
graph is an excellent data organizer that researchers
find indispensable. Here’s an example of tabulated
data:
Step 2: Analyzing the Data
Data coding and tabulation are the two important things you must do in preparing the data for
analysis. Before immersing yourself into studying every component of the data, decide on the kind
of quantitative analysis you must use, whether to use simple descriptive statistical techniques or
advanced analytical methods. The first one that college students often use tells some aspects of
categories of data such as: frequency of distribution, measure of central tendency (mean, median,
and mode), and standard deviation. However, this does not give information about population from
where the sample came. The second one, on the other hand, fits graduate-level research studies
because this involves complex statistical analysis requiring a good foundation and thorough
knowledge about statistics. The following paragraphs give further explanations about the two
quantitative data-analysis techniques. (De Mey 2013; Lichtman 2013; Picardie 2014)
1. Descriptive Statistical Technique
This quantitative data-analysis technique provides a summary of the orderly or sequential data
obtained from the sample through the data-gathering instrument used. The results of the analysis
reveal the following aspects of an item in a set of data (Morgan 2014; Punch 2014; Walsh 2010):
Frequency Distribution – gives you the frequency of distribution and percentage of the
occurrence of an item in asset of data. In other words, it gives you the number of responses
given repeatedly for one question.
Measure of Central Tendency – indicates the different positions or values of the items,
such that in a in a category of data, you find an item or items serving as the:
Mean – average of all the items or scores
Example: 3 + 8 + 9 + 2 +3 + 10 + 3 = 38
38 ÷ 7 = 5.43 (Mean)
Median – the score in the middle of the set of items that cuts or divides the set into two
groups
Example: The numbers in the example for the Mean has 2 as the Median.
Mode – refers to the item or score in the data set that has the most repeated appearance in
the
set.
Example: Again, in the given example above for the Mean, 3 is the Mode.
Standard Deviation – shows the extent of the difference of the data from the mean. An
examination of this gap between the mean and the data gives you an idea about the extent
of the similarities and differences between the respondents. There are mathematical
operations that you have to do to determine the standard deviation. Here they are:
Step 1. Compute the Mean.
Step 2. Compute the deviation (difference) between each respondent’s answer (data item)
and the mean. The plus sign (+) appears before the number if the difference is higher;
negative sign (−), if the difference is lower.
Step 3. Compute the square of each deviation.
Step 4. Compute the sum of squares by adding the squared figures.
Step 5. Divide the sum of squares by the number of data items to get the variance.
Step 6. Compute the square root of variance figure to get standard deviation.
2. Advanced Quantitative Analytical Methods
An analysis of quantitative data that involves the use of more complex statistical methods needing
computer software like the SPSS, STATA, or MINITAB, among others, occurs among graduate-level
students taking their MA or PhD degrees. Some of the advanced methods of quantitative data
analysis are the following (Argyrous 2011; Levin & Fox 2014; Godwin 2014):
a. Correlation – uses statistical analysis to yield results that describe the relationship of two
variables. The results, however, are incapable of establishing causal relationships.
b. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) – the results of this statistical analysis are sued to determine if
the difference in the means or averages of two categories of data are statistically significant.
Example: If the mean of the grades of a student attending tutorial lessons is significantly different
from the mean of the grades of a student not attending tutorial lessons
c. Regression – has some similarities with correlation, in that, it also shows the nature of
relationship of variables but gives more extensive result than that of correlation. Aside from
indicating the presence of relationship between two variables, it determines whether a variable can
predict the strength of the relation between the treatment (independent variable) and the Outcome
(dependent variable). Just like correlation, regression is incapable of establishing cause-effect
relationships.
Example: If reviewing with music (treatment variable) is a statistically significant predictor of the
extent of the concept learning (outcome variable) of a person.
