A Training Course for the Analysis and Reporting of Data from Education Management Information Systems (EMIS)

Overview Summarizing Data: Lists and Tables Descriptive statistics Types of presentation Summary Lists Summary Tables Components of a table

Summarizing Data: Lists and Tables Use of education data for policy making and planning requires the transformation of data into statistics. Statistical tables and summary lists make it easy to understand, interpret, and analyse trends and patterns We use descriptive statistics to summarize and describe the data by: sorting and re-grouping data transforming data into indicators presenting the data and indicators in tables and lists

Descriptive statistics Descriptive statistics are summary statistics that help us to understand the distribution of values in a data set Important for analysing and interpreting data to understand the shape and size of the data.

Table or list – data or statistics The type of table or list of data and statistics depends on the main objective of the presentation and the target audience Consider how best to present the data and indicators: What am I trying to communicate? Who are my audience? What kind of presentation will be most effective? What will help my audience to better understand the data?

Forms of presentation Communicate to your audience the meaning of the data using the summary statistics in an informative and interesting manner that is easy to understand: Tables and lists are useful for presenting data and statistics in numeric form Charts and graphs may be used to highlight key patterns and trends in a graphical form Descriptive text can describe and summarize findings in verbal form

Summary List Summary lists of schools, teachers and students are used by management of education at different levels For example: schools use lists of students to record daily attendance regional offices use lists of teachers to record leave or other absences central education office use lists of schools to record total student enrolments and teacher placements

Sorting and Ranking We can sort or rank items in a summary list using sort criteria Sort order can range from high to low (descending order) or from low to high (ascending order) Easy to identify values at the two extremes of a sorted list Values at the two extremes will also give us the maximum range of difference between them Sorting and ranking can assist us to analyse and interpret data in summary lists

Indicator Lists Lists of schools with educational indicators provides useful management information for regional and central education offices. Indicators can be used to sort and rank schools to identify those which perform well and others which under-perform A list of schools by region showing different indicators provides useful information for comparing the performance of schools within and between regions

Example: Indicator List

Summary Tables Tables are used to summarize data, statistics and indicators Presenting data in tables helps to analyse patterns and differences to better understand and interpret data. Summary tables can present: counted numbers N totals and sub-totals percentages % ratios and rates averages and variance rate of change r

Dimensions of a summary table Summary tables are used to present counts of students, teachers and schools by a categorical variable e.g. number of teachers by qualification number of students by grade. Summary tables can be: simple one-dimensional table with one categorical variable multi-dimensional table with two or more categorical variables.

One-dimensional Summary Table The table shows the number and percentage of student enrollments by grade in high school.

Multi-dimensional Summary Table

Multi-dimensional tables Multi-dimensional tables: can show detailed data patterns and complex relationships can become very complicated if too many data values are presented need to consider the ability of the reader to understand and interpret multi-dimensional tables enable in-depth analysis of the patterns of school participation by presenting data about the distribution of students by grade, age and gender

Multi-dimensional Summary Table

Summary Templates Standard templates for summary lists and tables can be designed so that frequently used data and statistics can be easily produced for management reporting Hint: Design summary lists and tables to correspond to the tables and lists in the annual school census questionnaire or education statistics report

Components of a table A properly presented table should include: Title Headings Rows and columns of data Units of measurement Degree of accuracy Footnotes Source of data

Title The title of a table is the main description of the table and should: be concise, informative and meaningful include a date or year of reference refer to the place of reference such as a country, region, province, district, village or school include any other attribute that is common to all the data in the table

Headings A table needs a heading that describes the data in that row or column Use labels such as ’Number of female students’ or ‘% of female students’. Headings: vary from row to row and from column to column so as to distinguish between them may be re-grouped under a major common heading

Unit of measurement A unit of measurement should be specified for every entry in the table. The unit of measurement is given in the title, or in the column or row heading. Precise use of measurement units is essential for the correct interpretation of data. Different units of measurement can have different interpretations.

Degree of accuracy Numbers may be rounded to a nearby value using a degree of accuracy that is appropriate Unnecessary trailing zeros should be removed and the units of measure altered accordingly Rounding can be done either to whole numbers, decimal places or for large numbers (e.g. thousands or millions)

Footnote Footnotes provide important information that helps us understand the data in the table. Footnotes may include: source of the data conventions used explanations of terms complete notation of headings differences in status of data data limitations any other unusual feature in the table.

Layout A clear, well-structured layout makes it easier for the reader to interpret and understand the information in the table: Font style Ordering of rows and columns Numbers Consistent appearance Number the table Unnecessary distraction Note: Complex tables that should logically appear together should be placed in the appendices.

Exercise Discuss: Why are descriptive statistics used to present data? What are the three main types of presentation? What are summary lists used for? What is a multi-dimensional table? What are the basic components of a table?