Semester 2: Lecture 2 Quantitative Data Analysis Prepared by: Dr. Lloyd Waller ©

As Political Science Researchers, we are interested in: – the number (of people/ things) in particular categories –The shape of distribution –Variation – how much variety is there with regard to a variable –Comparing the characteristics of a sample regarding specific patterns within a variable –Checking for extreme values One test which could be done is UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS

A form of descriptive statistics Looks at individual variables – describe the characteristics of the variable exploring each variable in a data set, separately. –Frequency Distributions - the range of values –Measures of Central Tendency –Measures of Variation This provides the research with the knowledge to describe the pattern of response to the variable. UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS

Asking How Many. Averages and distributions –Averages and distributions help us to make sense of data when we are studying - This is done with - Frequency Distributions (Range of Values) Graphs (Range of Values) Central Tendency –Mean –Median –Mode Dispersion –Range –Standard Deviation Skewness Kurtosis UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS

Frequency Distributions (Range of Values) Graphs (Range of Values) –The effective communication and interpretation of research data depends on the quality of tabular and graphic presentation on tables,, charts and diagrams that one chooses and on the appropriateness and clarity of their construction. –Visual presentations - Tables charts and graphs UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS

Frequency Distributions UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS

There is a strong positive relationship between social class and the belief that incivility is a garrison phenomenon. Middle and upper class people believe that incivility is a garrison phenomenon more so than working class people UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS Description: From the data analyzed, it was found that of the number of persons interviewed (n=216), 50 respondents (23%) strongly agreed that incivility is a garrison phenomenon and 74 respondents (34%) also agreed to this argument. There were a few persons who did not support this argument - (90 respondents [41%] disagreeing and 2 respondents [1%] strongly disagreeing). This is illustrated in Table X

Data Analysis – Interpretation (I) and Explanation (E): What exactly does this mean? I: More persons supported the argument that incivility is a garrison phenomenon. E: Why do you think that this is so? What does the Literature (theory, concept, context, and or history) say? I: However the difference was not that significant - 57% supported the’ argument and 43% did not support it. E: Why do you think that this is so? What does the Literature (theory, concept, context, and or history) say? UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS

Description: From the data analyzed, it was found that of the number of persons interviewed (n=216), 63 respondents (29%) had knowledge of the EVBIS while 153 respondents (71%) had no knowledge of the EVBIS. There is no relationship between knowledge of the EVBIS and faculty Students from the Faculty of Social Sciences have the same amount of knowledge about the EVBIS as those in Law, Medicine, Pure and Applied Sciences and the Humanities

Data Analysis – Interpretation (I) and Explanation (E): What exactly does this mean? I: Less persons had knowledge about the EVBIS. E: Why do you think that this is so? What does the Literature (theory, concept, context, and or history) say? E: What are the characteristics of who knew and who did not know? I: The difference was very significant - 19% had knowledge while 71% had no knowledge. Can the characteristics explain the difference? E: Why do you think that this is so? What does the Literature (theory, concept, context, and or history) say? UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS

Pictorial and graphical representations of Frequency Counts and Distributions Categorical VariablesMetric Variables Bar Charts Pie Charts Histogram Line Graph

UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS Categorical Variables Bar Charts Pie Charts

UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS Metric Variables Histogram Line Graph

These four ways of representing frequency distributions pictorially provide a range of possibilities. However care must be taken to: –Use one that is appropriate to the level of measurement –Faithfully represent the data and not to produce distorted impression; and –Interpret the data correctly. UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS

Description: From the data analyzed, it was found that of the number of persons interviewed (n=216) 23% * 50 respondents) strongly agreed that incivility is a garrison phenomenon and 34% (74 respondents ) also agreed to this argument. There were a few persons who did not support this argument - 41% (90 respondents) disagreeing and 1% (2 respondents) strongly disagreeing). This is illustrated in Chart X UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS