Selecting the Right Analyses for Your Data

Book excerpt: "What are the most effective methods to code and analyze data for a particular study? This thoughtful and engaging book reviews the selection criteria for coding and analyzing any set of data--whether qualitative, quantitative, mixed, or visual. The authors systematically explain when to use verbal, numerical, graphic, or combined codes, and when to use qualitative, quantitative, graphic, or mixed-methods modes of analysis. Chapters on each topic are organized so that researchers can read them sequentially or can easily "flip and find" answers to specific questions. Nontechnical discussions of cutting-edge approaches--illustrated with real-world examples--emphasize how to choose (rather than how to implement) the various analyses. The book shows how using the right analysis methods leads to more justifiable conclusions and more persuasive presentations of research results. Useful features for teaching or self-study: *Chapter-opening preview boxes that highlight useful topics addressed. *End-of-chapter summary tables recapping the 'dos and don'ts' and advantages and disadvantages of each analytic technique. *Annotated suggestions for further reading and technical resources on each topic. Subject Areas/Keywords: analyses, coding, combined methods, data analysis, data collection, dissertation, graphical, interpretation, mixed methods, qualitative, quantitative, research analysis, research designs, research methods, social sciences, thesis, visual Audience: Researchers, instructors, and graduate students in a range of disciplines, including psychology, education, social work, sociology, health, and management; administrators and managers who need to make data-driven decisions"--