STAGE 9

Data analysis

STAGE NINE deals with the analysis of the data that you have collected during your dissertation. You may have arrived at this stage after reading STAGE EIGHT: Data collection, but also other stages, even as early as STAGE ONE: Getting to the main article. The purpose of this stage is: (a) to introduce you to the data analysis process, especially the need to select the correct statistical tests to run on your data, prepare and analyse the data you have collected using a relevant statistics package, and interpret the findings properly so that you can write up your results (i.e., usually in Chapter Four: Results); (b) to explain some of the broader considerations that you need to take into account during the data analysis process, including where to focus your analysis, how the main journal article can help, how far to take your analysis, potential problems and solutions, amongst other considerations; and (c) point you to where you can start your data analysis.