Nellie Deutsch will be discussing Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis for Action Research in today's webinar July 30, 2015 at 12 PM EST on WizIQ: http://www.wiziq.com/online-class/2866384-ar-qualitative-and-quantitative-data-analysis Recordings will be available to those who join the class.

1. 1
Action Research Project
Qualitative and Quantitative
Analysis
Dr. Nellie Deutsch
2015

2. 2
Problem Statement
What is your problem statement?

3. 3
Purpose
• Determine the causes
• Build a workable curriculum program
• Provide students with test taking techniques
• Improve student scores

4. 4
Background Description
• Population
• Work Setting
• Writer’s Role

5. Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Qualitative data are analyzed inductively
•Specific observations  look for patterns  develop
hypotheses  develop general conclusions
–Potentially overwhelming task
–Goal is to reduce volume of information collected
–Risk minimizing, simplifying, distorting data
•Must rely on a coding scheme—system for grouping data
into categories of similar information
–Highly individualized type of system
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

6. Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Often necessitates reading, rereading, rereading again
your data
•Must get to “know” your qualitative data very well
•Steps in the process:
–Reduce amount of narrative data through use of coding
scheme
–Describe main characteristics of categories (connect data to
research questions(
–Interpret what has been simplified and organized
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

7. Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Also, engage in introspection
–Reflective practice that helps to ensure that you
remain objective and “emotionally unattached” to data
•Assistance with analysis through software
–Analysis of qualitative data cannot be “done” on the
computer (due to inductive nature(
–Software can help store and organize data
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

8. Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Quantitative data are analyzed deductively
•Identify topic  focus with research questions or
hypotheses  collect and analyze data  develop
conclusions
•Can use either descriptive or inferential statistics
–Descriptive statistics—procedures that simplify, summarize,
and organize numerical data
–Inferential statistics—procedures used to determine how likely
given statistical results are for an entire population based on a
sample
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

9. Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Descriptive statistics
–Measures of central tendency—single value to
indicate what is typical or standard about a group of
individuals
•Mean
•Median
•Mode
–Measure of dispersion—single value to indicate how
scores are different, or what is atypical
•Range
•Standard deviation
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

10. Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Descriptive statistics (cont’d.(
–Measures of relationship—statistical measure of strength
of association between variables
•Correlation coefficients
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

11. Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Descriptive statistics (cont’d.(
–Visual displays of data—not really a statistical
procedure; simply ways to “show” data
•Frequency distribution table
•Histograms
•Bar charts
•Pie charts
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

12. Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Statistical software
–Numerous software packages exist; some are very
costly
–Very effective, Web-based alternative: StatCrunch
(www.statcrunch.com(
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

13. Action research checklist
Analyzing Data in Action Research
☐Revisit your research question(s) and your previous decisions about the use of qualitative,
quantitative, or mixed-methods data for your action research.
☐Develop a plan for analyzing your data (see below(.
☐If you have collected qualitative data, decide how you plan to analyze your data:
☐Will you code, organize, and analyze your data by hand?
☐How will you actually do this (notecards, sticky notes, etc.(?
☐Will you use some sort of software (see the “Related Websites” section of this chapter) to code,
organize, and analyze your data?
☐If you have collected quantitative data, decide how you plan to analyze your data:
☐Be sure to specify the type of analysis—descriptive (e.g., frequencies, mean, median, graphs, etc.)
or inferential statistics (e.g., t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test, etc.)—you plan to use.
☐Will you analyze your data by hand, perhaps using only a calculator?
☐Will you use some sort of software (e.g., StatCrunch, or others in the “Related Websites” section
of this chapter) to analyze your data?
☐Anticipate how you will present the results of your data analysis:
☐Will you present all of your results in narrative form?
☐Will you utilize any tables, graphs, etc.?
☐Develop a timeline for your data analyses.
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

14. Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Qualitative data are analyzed inductively
•Specific observations  look for patterns  develop
hypotheses  develop general conclusions
–Potentially overwhelming task
–Goal is to reduce volume of information collected
–Risk minimizing, simplifying, distorting data
•Must rely on a coding scheme—system for grouping
data into categories of similar information
–Highly individualized type of system
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

15. Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Often necessitates reading, rereading, rereading again
your data
•Must get to “know” your qualitative data very well
•Steps in the process:
–Reduce amount of narrative data through use of coding scheme
–Describe main characteristics of categories (connect data to
research questions(
–Interpret what has been simplified and organized
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

16. Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Also, engage in introspection
–Reflective practice that helps to ensure that you remain
objective and “emotionally unattached” to data
•Assistance with analysis through software
–Analysis of qualitative data cannot be “done” on the
computer (due to inductive nature(
–Software can help store and organize data
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

17. Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Quantitative data are analyzed deductively
•Identify topic  focus with research questions or
hypotheses  collect and analyze data  develop
conclusions
•Can use either descriptive or inferential statistics
–Descriptive statistics—procedures that simplify, summarize, and
organize numerical data
–Inferential statistics—procedures used to determine how likely
given statistical results are for an entire population based on a
sample
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

18. Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Descriptive statistics
–Measures of central tendency—single value to
indicate what is typical or standard about a group of
individuals
•Mean
•Median
•Mode
–Measure of dispersion—single value to indicate
how scores are different, or what is atypical
•Range
•Standard deviation
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

19. Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques
•Descriptive statistics (cont’d.(
–Measures of relationship—statistical measure of
strength of association between variables
•Correlation coefficients
http://studysites.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/chapter.htm

20. 20
Problem Documentation
– Two Surveys
• Online Questionnaires
• Students
• Parents
• Teachers
• Offline Questionnaires
• Students

21. 21
Action Research Project Proposal
Survey Results
(Before Intervention)
QuestionPro Online Survey Program
http://www.questionpro.com/akira/ShowResults?id=161974

22. 22
Students: What thoughts do you have during the test?
I wish I had prepared myself better. 25.71%
I won't have enough time. 39.05%
I am doing great. 20.95%
I wish I could be somewhere else 14.29%

23. 23
Teachers: ESL/EFL students are anxious during reading
comprehension tests in English.
Strongly Agree 34.15%
Agree 45.85%
Undecided 8.29%
Disagree 8.78%
Strongly Disagree 2.93%

24. 24
Teachers: ____ of my ESL/EFL students
are/were anxious during reading comprehension
tests.
Most 31.03%
Some 36.55%
Many 25.52%
None 2.07%
A few 4.83%

25. 25
Parents: My daughter/son gets anxious when there is
reading comprehension test in school.
Strongly Agree 41.03%
Agree 17.95%
Neutral 23.08%
Disagree 18.38%
Strongly Disagree 2.56%

26. 26
Parents: Reading strategies would improve reading
comprehension in English.
Strongly Agree 70.27%
Agree 21.62%
Neutral 8.11%
Disagree 0.00%
Strongly Disagree 0.00%

27. 27
Teachers: ESL/EFL students would benefit from
relaxation exercises before reading comprehension
tests.
Strongly Agree 28.29%
Agree 37.07%
Undecided 27.80%
Disagree 3.90%
Strongly Disagree 2.93%

28. 28
Literature Review
Brief summary
• Problem
• Solution

29. 29
Solution Strategy
Reading Comprehension Test Taking Skills
12 Week Curriculum Program:
• Reading Strategies
• Test Taking and Relaxation Techniques

30. 30
Reading Strategies
• General Layout
• Paragraph: Introduction, body and conclusion
• Type of writing: letter, report, description, persuasion…
• Skimming and scanning: Numbers, capital letters

31. 31
Test Taking Techniques
• Relaxation Exercises
• Mindfulness: Present
• Breathing: Counting to 10
• Color Visualization and Chakras
• Self-talk: Positive affirmations
• Time
• Organization

32. 32
Results
Student scores before and after the 12-week implementation
57.3
80.15
Students
Scores

33. 33
Audience Feedback
• Questions
• Comments

34. 34
Recommendations
• Needs Assessment Survey
• Questionnaire on test taking anxiety
• Questionnaire on reading strategies
• Action research project
• Comparison of grades before and after test taking
and reading strategies curriculum program

35. 35
Reflecting
Dr. Nellie Deutsch
2015