Analysis

Having joined in the Skype session regarding analysis on the 12th March and the campus day on the 20th I now feel that I can comment more effectively on analysis and what it is.

Initially I was under the impression that the analysis was mathematical and was preparing to organise my analysis through a series of charts and graphs.  Adesola explained during the Skype session that this was not the case.  Yes they can be included but it is not the central focus.  I think it is easy to forget as you get swept away with your inquiry and research that you are the central focus.  Ultimately the analysis should be creating meaning around what you have been doing and finding meaning in it.  Think about the things that have surprised you and what we have thought about it.

Analysis is effectively playing around with ideas and looking at what keeps coming up and what further could you explore?  Adesola told us to think of it as chasing down a path and seeing what happens.  Analysing your data is a messy period of your inquiry and you should be following different ideas and playing with them.

Summarising the Skype, analysis was defined in the following points:

1. Don't answer your own question, deepen your understanding of that topic area.
2. Questions lead to more questions, relate it back to what is the point of what you are doing?
3. Find links and connections.

I found this Skype session really useful in setting out what the analysis was for and how to complete it.  This however, was expanded on at the university day on the 20th March.

The following points were discussed:

1.  In what people have said are they providing you with any assistance in improving.  keep referring back to the literature.  Explain the framework that you are interested in and why you picked it.  You must ensure that you centralise it around you.  The analysis ultimately is you, it's not just about the research results (questionnaires etc).
2. You need to help someone to understand what your question is.

I found it interesting to think about unpicking your story.  Rather than solely focusing on others, are their opinions changing yours?  You need to keep coming back to the questions and linking them to the points of analysis whilst linking to your ethical considerations.

I have found all these points an interesting but effective way of looking at data analysis.  I hope that this makes it clearer for anyone that is struggling.

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