Data Analysis & Interpretation Project Guidance
The data analysis and interpretation project for the Culminating Experience is designed to provide the student with the opportunity to analyze existing (secondary) data surrounding a particular topic. This project requires that the student have clearly defined research questions and have conducted a thorough literature review, which aids in supporting the research questions and thus the entire project. In addition, students will need to interpret the results of the analysis and draw appropriate conclusions based upon the original data course, type of analysis, etc.
Required Elements
The data analysis and interpretation project requires the following elements:
- Literature review/Introduction/Background section (Chapter 1)
- Introduction
- Critically review the existing literature and identify gaps (What is known about the variables under study?)
- Statement of the problem to be explored and rationale (What are you studying? Why is it important? What gaps in the literature will the project address?)
- Purpose of the research (What you are trying to accomplish through the research? What are the specific aims of the research? The specific aims are also known as the research questions (two or three distinct questions that will be answered by the planned analyses)
- Methods (Chapter 2)
- Data source (description of the data source – where the data comes from, how it was collected, what the variables are that you will be using, etc.)
- Statistical analyses to be done for each research question (specific analyses to be conducted)
- IRB approval
- Results (Chapter 3)
- Reporting of findings (must include at least two tables or figures, which include a demographic Table 1 and a results Table 2 or Figure 1)
- Discussion and conclusions (Chapter 4)
- Summary of major/important results
- Conclusions (i.e. interpretation of results and “answers” to research questions; discussion of strengths and weaknesses, and public health significance)
- Proposal to address additional competencies (Chapter 5)
- Recommendations based upon results of study, recommendation(s) must address competencies that student has chosen
