Evaluation Briefs

Analyzing Quantitative Data for No. 20 | updated August 2018

Evaluation
This brief focuses on analyzing quantitative data that your program has collected. It includes an overview of quantitative
data; planning quantitative data analysis; conducting quantitative data analysis; and advantages and disadvantages of using
quantitative data.

Overview Planning quantitative data analysis

Quantitative data are information in numeric form. They Quantitative data collection can be difficult and time-
can either be counted (such as the number of people who consuming. It is important to plan your analysis before
attend a training) or compared on a numerical scale (such you collect your data to ensure that your data will be
as the number of training participants who said that a meaningful and useful.
training was “very helpful” or “somewhat helpful”).
Determine your focus. Consider the purpose of your
Indicators for School Health Programs results are an evaluation. Each piece of information you collect should be
example of quantitative data that your program collects useful in understanding and improving your program. Your
annually. data analysis will provide the information that you need to
do so. Decide how you will use your data to improve your
There are two main types of quantitative data:
program before you collect them.
• Categorical data have a limited number of possible Decide who will analyze the data. Your data analyst
values. For some categorical data, numbers assigned
should have training and experience in the analysis
to categories have no inherent meaning and the order
of the categories is arbitrary. For example, when asking procedures and software used. When more than one
about marital status, there are a limited set of possible person analyzes your data, everyone must use the same
responses and categories can be ordered in numerous systematic approach.
ways. For other kinds of categorical data, numbers
Develop a data management system. If it is not already
assigned to categories have inherent meaning and the
order of the categories follows a logical progression in in place, you will need to develop a data management
the values assigned to responses. A question where system to store and organize your data, such as
the responses range from 1 = “strongly agree” to 5 spreadsheets or databases. This system will help to
= “strongly disagree” is an example of this type of improve the quality of data entry and management. Often,
categorical data. There is no set interval between each you can export data directly from your data management
response for categorical data. system into quantitative data analysis software.
• Continuous data, in contrast, have many possible
values. There is a logical progression in the numerical Clean your data. It is likely that there are occasional
values assigned to responses and the interval between errors in your data. For example, some fields may have
values is meaningful. Continuous data can have almost been unintentionally left blank. Once your data have been
any numeric value along a continuum and can be entered into your data management system, review them
broken down into smaller parts and still have meaning. for errors and make adjustments as needed. More than
Age, weight, height, and income are all examples of one person should clean the data to ensure they are error-
continuous data. free.
Quantitative data analysis is the process of using statistical
methods to describe, summarize, and compare data. Your Obtain data analysis software. There are many popular
analysis will vary based on the type of data you collect (see computer programs that can be used to analyze your
below). Analyzing quantitative data allows your evaluation quantitative data. For the basic statistical methods
findings to be more understandable so you can use them described in this brief, you can use spreadsheets or
to strengthen your program. database programs. For more advanced statistics, you
can use a statistical software package. Your data analyst
should be familiar with the software package you choose.

C296013-P November 19, 2018

Conducting quantitative data analysis Communicate your findings. When your analysis is
complete, share your data with stakeholders. There are
There are three major steps to this process:
several ways to disseminate your findings, including print
Conduct statistical tests. You will likely use basic formats, oral presentations, and web-based distribution
descriptive statistics to explore the main characteristics of (see Evaluation Brief 9: Disseminating Programs
your data. Commonly used statistics include the following: Achievements and Evaluation Findings to Garner Support).

• Frequencies, or counts, describe how many times

something has occurred within a given interval, such Advantages of using quantitative data
as a particular category or period of time. For example,
• Common types of analysis are relatively quick and easy.
the number of training participants who are classroom
teachers is a frequency. Frequencies can be used for • Answers the “what” and “how many” questions of
categorical or continuous data. evaluation activities.
• A percentage is the given number of units divided • Findings are concrete with minimal possibility for
by the total number of units and multiplied by 100. reviewer bias.
Percentages are a good way to compare two different
groups or time periods. For example, if 50 of 100 training Disadvantages of using quantitative data
participants are classroom teachers, 50% of training
participants are classroom teachers. Percentages can • Data collection can be time-consuming.
be used for categorical or continuous data. • May not answer the “why” of evaluation activities.
• A ratio shows the numerical relationship between two • For more advanced data analysis, software and training
groups. For example, the ratio of the number of students needed for analysis can be costly.
in a particular school (300) to the number of teachers in
that same school (25) would be 300/25, or 12:1. Ratios
can only be used for continuous data.
Resources
Clayton, R.R. & Crosby, R.A. (2006). Measurement in health
• Mean, median, and mode are three measures of promotion. In: R.A. Crosby & R.J. DiClemente. Research
the most typical values in your dataset (also called Methods in Health Promotion (229-259). California: Jossey
measures of central tendency). A mean, or average, is Bass.
determined by summing all the values and dividing by
Evaluation Brief 9: Disseminating Program Achievements and
the total number of units in the sample. A median is
Evaluation Findings to Garner Support.
the 50th percentile point, with half of the values above
the median and half of the values below the median. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/evaluation/pdf/
A mode is the category or value that occurs most brief9.pdf
frequently within a dataset. Evaluation Brief 12: Using Graphs and Charts to Illustrate
Quantitative Data.
Review and interpret your data. Following data analysis, Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/evaluation/pdf/
review your findings to identify patterns in your data. brief12.pdf
Consider similarities and differences between responses Evaluation Brief 20. Analyzing Quantitative Data for Evaluation
from participants with different characteristics. Determine
Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/evaluation/
whether there are any extreme data that fall significantly pdf/brief20.pdf
above or below the mean, median, or mode. Those
Taylor-Powell, E. Program Development and Evaluation:
extreme data points may alter some statistics, such as the
Analyzing Quantitative Data. University of Wisconsin-
mean. Extension; 1996.
Summarize your data. Develop tables, graphs and charts Available at https://learningstore.uwex.edu/Assets/pdfs/
to summarize your data findings (see Evaluation Brief 12: G3658-06.pdf
Using Graphs and Charts to Illustrate Quantitative Data).
One common way to summarize data findings is a cross-
tabulation table. These tables consist of rows displaying
values for one variable of interest and columns displaying
values for another variable of interest. Cross- tabulation
tables can compare several groups or time periods at
once. You can use these tables to illustrate any of the
statistical methods discussed above.
For further information or assistance, contact the
Evaluation Research Team at [email protected]. You can
also contact us via our website: http://www.cdc.gov/
healthyyouth/evaluation/index.htm.