How Do You Perform Statistical Data Analysis?
A popular maxim is that the data speak for themselves. Statisticians, however, know that the data rarely speak for themselves; you have to ask them the right questions. That’s what statistical data analysis is about: asking a question, performing the appropriate analysis and examining the results. The first step of data analysis consists of tasks that need to be accomplished before the data are even analyzed. As complex as some statistical techniques are, the tasks you must accomplish before analysis are even more difficult. You must start by defining your research problem. What are you trying to find out? Then you must develop a research plan that includes drawing a sample and developing appropriate measures. Having defined your research problem and collected data, you must ensure that those data are in analysis-ready condition. They must be entered into a data analysis or spreadsheet program. Then you should check the data for accuracy and do any transformations necessary to ensure t
