VitalSource Bookshelf to access the book
username: ********************
Password: Money1234!
Qualitative Data Analysis: Step-by-Step Guide (Manual vs. Automatic) | Thematic (getthematic.com)
Evaluation Briefs No 19 (cdc.gov)
Qualitative Data Analysis: Step-by-Step Guide (Manual vs. Automatic) | Thematic (getthematic.com)
After reading the articles assigned for module 11, post a discussion thread that incorporates your response to the following:
Provide a summary of this weeks readings associated with data analysis.
What stood out most for you regarding methods of analysis?
In what ways will the obtained knowledge inform your future practice as an MSW?
After posting your response, be sure to follow the expectations for discussion boards and respond to your peers, while managing your post.
For the summary post:
Create a new thread titled [Your Names] Summary Post. Summary post should address:
Summarize the main take-aways from this weeks discussion in 3-5 sentences.
What themes did you notice in terms of what stood out to students regarding methods of analysis? What surprised you about these themes?
What points from the content this week are still unclear to the class?
Students should spend approximately 2 hours on this assignment.
Student post :
The topic of this week was data analysis in the context of gathering quantitative and qualitative data which is something I have some familiarity. The two articles I read were germane to how social science researchers gather and categorize the data they collect for the purpose of not only finding meaning between what they find and the nature of what they are studying but to determining the relationship. I remember during the first semester of my senior year in college, I had a course called Applied Statistics and thus I was familiar with the terms null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis, both of which were two things that stood out to me. Additionally, the concept of central tendencies in terms of the median, the mode, and the range was familiar to me as I obviously learned about them from my days in elementary school, and I learned more about their uses in Applied Statistics. The knowledge I just obtained shall further inform my future practice as a social worker by keeping me more organized. Additionally, as I continue to learn more about data analysis in conjunction with terms and symbols and their respective uses, I will have more comprehension with which I would judiciously use to help others including people in my field of work.
Student post:
Data analysis can be very time-consuming if not done properly. We must ask the correct questions from the beginning to gather the data we are looking to get. The four major steps of analyzing qualitative data from the CDC gave me a better understanding of how to analyzing research data. The first two steps after gathering are reviewing and organizing, which I am capable of handling. The next two steps coding and interpreting, I think will only be understood with experience doing it with some guidance. When getting to the point of graphing data, I admit quantitative analysis with statistics in general is not one of my strengths. From this weeks readings, if all the information is gathered properly it wont be as difficult as it seems. These graphics will then assist with demonstrating to our audience how we can improve and fill in any gaps. All this knowledge will help in my future endeavors on a micro, mezzo, or macro level by enabling me to collect peoples thoughts on issues that might need improvement. The qualitative and quantitative data analysis from the research of others would help me identify patterns or similar factors from other cases to understand the causes of various social problems my clients are having. The data could help me create more timely and effective interventions. It would also give insight into the costs and success rates of the various interventions used.
Student post:
This weeks reading talks about analyzing data (raw information) and turning it into something useful. One needs to examine the data closely to be able to uncover patterns, relationships, and trends. We first need to:
a. Inspect/clean- sift through the data, check for errors, inconsistencies and missing bits and pieces.Clean up ,before one can start investigating.
b.Transform: some of the data collected to conduct an analysis, may need to be reorganize or combine with different pieces,
c. Model: this is where you take a deeper look to see if the data you have clean and transform, can tell a story. Using statistical methods or creating a modelto identify patterns and relationships is like putting together the pieces of a puzzle to form a clear picture. One might use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods analysis along with ethical considerations as an integral part of data analysis in social work.
Ethical consideration stood out more to me, because we as future social workers must be reminded to adhere to ethical principles such as confidentiality, informed consent and protection of participants rights when collecting, intrepreting and analyzing data. In our future practice as MSW, data analysis is a crucial skill for understanding and addressing social issues effectively.
Student post:
1. Provide a summary of this weeks readings associated with data analysis.
Both articles highlight the importance of data analysis in program assessment and research. The CDC article focuses on the significance of data analysis in guiding program decisions, whereas the Thematic piece gives a detailed reference to qualitative data analysis methodologies and tactics. These materials highlight the importance of rigorous data analysis approaches in producing relevant insights and promoting evidence-based practice in public health and social science research.
2. What stood out most for you regarding methods of analysis?
What stood out to me the most about methods of analysis was the focus on the importance of combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The CDC article primarily emphasized the need of quantitative data analysis in determining program efficacy, while the Thematic piece gave a complete reference to qualitative data analysis approaches.
3. In what ways will the obtained knowledge inform your future practice as an MSW?
I feel as though the information I received while studying data analysis methodologies will help me as an MSW because it can help me engage in evidence-based practice, while enhancing the outcome of my research.
Student post:
Provide a summary of this weeks readings associated with data analysis.
Analysis is not as difficult as it seems to be. The hardest parts are defining the research problem, developing, and implementing a plan, operationalizing, conceptualizing, and testing the measures along with designing the structure. The better you do those things the easier your analysis is going to be. Three steps need to be accomplished to execute a successful analysis. They are data preparation, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics. Each step needs to be done thoroughly and successfully. If one of the steps is not done well then it can hurt the other parts and ultimately hurt the study.
What stood out most for you regarding methods of analysis?
I think the overall concept stood out to me. I always dread completing the data analysis but now that it has been broken down for me into three smaller steps it makes it seem a lot less daunting of a task. I think it was also important to recognize each step is equally as important as the next and that they all combine to make a successful data analysis no matter the actual result.
In what ways will the obtained knowledge inform your future practice as an MSW?
This will be beneficial for any research that I conduct as a social worker whether it is before I graduate with my masters or down the road even farther in the future. Ultimately it is a great concept to understand and learn about when it comes to research and not just for conducting research but also reading research to learn no information because a key aspect of work as a social worker is the continuous education.odule
