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Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

 

Interpreting Statistical Output for Data Analysis PowerPoint Presentation

Purpose:

The purpose of this Assignment is to enable you to present the information that you gather from a systematic review on your PICOT topic. This activity will give you the experience to present what your research findings to others.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

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Directions:

Define the clinical key questions based on PICOT.
Briefly review the database selected for key clinical questions.
Identify the studies of the database search that are a Level I or II evidence.
Interpret the statistical results of the studies identified in Step 3.
Design a presentation.
Place results /overview of research in PowerPoint.
Length of the presentation should be 12–15 slides.
Follow APA format.

To view the Grading Rubric for this Assignment, please visit the Grading Rubrics section of the Course Resources.

Assignment Requirements:

Before finalizing your work, you should:

be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above);
consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included everything necessary; and
utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.

Your writing Assignment should:

follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
use APA 6th Edition format.
Please see the Writing Center located in the Academic Success Center in the student portal for assistance with writing, APA, and online communication.

How to Submit:

Submit your Assignment to the unit Dropbox before midnight on the last day of the unit.

When you are ready to submit your Assignment, select the unit Dropbox then attach your file. Make sure to save a copy of the Assignment you submit.

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Interpreting Statistical Output for Data Analysis PowerPoint Presentation

Purpose:

The purpose of this Assignment is to enable you to present the information that you gather from a systematic review on your PICOT topic. This activity will give you the experience to present what your research findings to others.

Directions:

Define the clinical key questions based on PICOT.
Briefly review the database selected for key clinical questions.
Identify the studies of the database search that are a Level I or II evidence.
Interpret the statistical results of the studies identified in Step 3.
Design a presentation.
Place results /overview of research in PowerPoint.
Length of the presentation should be 12-15 slides.
Follow APA format.
To view the Grading Rubric for this Assignment, please visit the Grading Rubrics section of the Course Resources.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

Assignment Requirements:

Before finalizing your work, you should:

be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above)
consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included everything necessary;
utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors; and
Your writing Assignment should:

follow the conventions of Standard American English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and;
use APA 6th edition format
How to Submit:

Submit your Assignment to the unit Dropbox before midnight on the last day of the unit.

When you are ready to submit your Assignment, submit to the unit Dropbox. Make sure to save a copy of your work and be sure to confirm that your file uploaded correctly.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

MY QUESTION IS THAT I HAVE A BUNCH OF INFORMATION BUT I DONT HAVE AN IDEA ON HOW TO SET IT UP TO MAKE SENSE.

PICOT QUESTION THAT I WILL BE USING AND SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS LEAD TO THIS ASSIGNMENT:

In children with acute otitis media (P), is the use of no medication (I) more effective in reducing the duration of symptoms (O) as compared to a primary line therapy (C) within the first month of diagnosis (T)?

Should Antibiotics Be Used to Treat Acute Otitis Media Versus No Antibiotics

Jesus G Rebolledo

Kaplan University

MN 504-03: Scientific and Analytic Approaches to Advanced EBP

Dr. Colleen Harris

January 9, 2018

Should Antibiotics Be use to Treat Acute Otitits Media Versus No Antibiotics

Patients who suffer from acute otitis media (AOM) have a rapid onset of symptoms, and signs and symptoms of middle ear inflammation. Nonspecific symptoms that are common in infants and young children are “rhinitis, irritability, headache, fever, anorexia, diarrhea, pulling at the ears, and vomiting” (Sparks, Berryhill, & Ramakrishnan, 2007, p. 1652). It is essential to be able to distinguish between AOM which benefits from antibiotics verses otitis media with effusion which does not. The current research found is more focused on the latest development in understanding AOM and proper management, but the treatment goal in AOM does not change which includes symptoms resolution and reduction of recurrence.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

Improper treatment of AOM can lead to severe complications especially for patients under two years of age. It has been a long-standing debate on whether antibiotics should be used to treat uncomplicated AOM. Multiple studies performed regarding the outcomes of giving versus not giving an antibiotic in AOM and have resulted in mixed reviews. Researchers have tried narrow the research, and in the attempt to categorize results using various materials and methods. “Characteristics that were considered as cofounders were gender, season of birth, parental education level, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, number of older siblings, household smoking, daycare attendance, age of first AOM episode and number of oral antibiotics prior to the first AOM episode”(Molder, Uiterwaal, Schilder, Damoiseaux, & Venekamp, 2016, p. 3). All of these factors play a big part in how many times the child is exposed to other germs and how often do they come in contact with certain bacterias and the cleanliness of the environments. No to mention how well the parents understand the instructions or discharge instructions as to how they will follow the medication regiment. Some parents are very poor historians and don’t fully understand the diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, physicians always start with the first line therapy even though it will not help them Haggard (2011).

Amoxicillin is a medication that considered a mainstay of treatment for all ear infections by the American Academy of Pediatrics Treatment Guidelines as first-line therapy, and they recommend “80 to 90 mg per kg per day, given orally in two divided doses” (Ghosh & Chatterjee, 2017, p. 2). Some of the reasons why it is widely used amongst all physicians are due to it being safely tolerated well with no drug or food interactions, effective against all bacterial pathogens that cause acute otitis media. Also proven to be effective even in those populations with certain high resistant bacteria. Considered inexpensive at a reasonable cost along with a pleasant taste since we are dealing with children Leach and Morris (2006).

Some studies suggest that “antibiotic treatment of AOM is linked to increases in future risks of AOM episodes by causing unfavorable shifts in microbial flora” (Song et al., 2016, p. 447). A majority of children who have been diagnosed with the bacteria Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenza, and Moraxella catarrhalis have spontaneous resolution within seven to 14 days. Kalyahakrishanan also agrees that “80 % of children with ear infections get better without antibiotics” (Sparks et al., 2007, p. 1653). Due to the spontaneous resolution and agreeance of multiple physicians, this is a reason why antibiotics are not prescribed routinely for initial treatment in all children. In some part of the United States, it does not matter if it is their initial AOM it is common practice to prescribe antibiotics Gamboa, Park, and Wanserski (2009). A majority of doctors usually like to wait 48 to 72 hours just to see if the ear infection will clear on its own and if not they require a follow-up. I have wondered why at times sometimes patients would get antibiotics and others wouldn’t, or why one patient got one type and another a different type. Signs, symptoms, age, weight, and frequency play a vital role in deciding which direction the physician will take. If the child is afebrile and with minimal signs, the physician or nurse practitioner does not prescribe antibiotics.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

For all patients who are younger than six months, it is always recommended to treat with antibiotics, those who are between six months to two years only when the diagnosis is precise. Passed the age of two years amoxicillin is recommended just for those who have a severe infection with otalgia and an elevated temperature greater than 102.2 F. Antibiotics are not given to healthy children between the ages of six months to two years who have been diagnosed with mild otitis in whom the diagnosis is uncertain.”A Cochrane review of 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs)-6 double-blinded, 2287 children total- compared antibiotics with placebo for uncomplicated AOM in otherwise healthy children. The report showed that children treated with antibiotics were no less likely to have pain at 24 hours after starting therapy than untreated children. However, 7% fewer children who received antibiotics had pain at 2 to 7 days than unmedicated children” (Gamboa et al., 2009, p. 603).Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

Research-based nursing is essential due to it being able to save time and money while improving patient outcomes by lowering costs, through standardizing and streamlining care. I believe with the formation of my question using Population Intervention Comparison Outcome Time (PICOT) I was able to identify the clinical issue systematically. In children with acute otitis media (P), ho is the use of no medication (I) more effective in reducing the duration of symptoms (O) as compared to a primary line therapy (C) within the first month of diagnosis (T)? With the use of electronic literature surveys on databases provided through the university online and internet searches, I was able to obtain information needed to answer my PICOT question. To narrow and make my research more relevant articles and information was used from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews along with other library resources. Keywords and phrases such as acute otitis media, antibiotic use to treat AOM, comparison of efficacy and safety, adherence and guidelines, first episode of acute otitis media, and antibiotic resistance were used to help filter my searches. Additional filters used were ears nose and throat (ENT) and otitis to help narrow results. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and university library databases resulted in multiple articles and used in this paper.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

References

Gamboa, S., Park, M. K., & Wanserski, G. (2009). Q / should you use antibiotics to treat acute otitis media in children? The Journal of Family Practice, 58(11), 602-604. Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.lib.kaplan.edu

Ghosh, A., & Chatterjee, S. (2017). Comparison of efficacy and safety of cefpodoxime and amoxicillin- clavulanate potassium in paediatric acute otitis media in children below two years: A prospective longitudinal study. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 11(6), 1-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2017/25252.9955

Haggard, M. (2011). Poor adherence to antibiotic prescribing guidelines in acute otitis media—Obstacles, implications, and possible solutions. European Journal of Pediatrics, 170(3), 323-332. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00431-010-1286-4

Leach, A. J., & Morris, P. S. (2006). Antibiotics for the prevention of acute and chronic suppurative otitis media in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1(4), 1-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004401.pub2.

Molder, M., Uiterwaal, C., Schilder, A., Damoiseaux, R., & Venekamp, R. (2016). Antibiotic treatment for first episode of acute otitis media is not associated with future recurrences. PLOS ONE, 11(9), 1-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0160560

Song, J., Lee, B., Park, Y., Lee, K., Lee, J., & Park, M. (2016). Changes in antibiotic resistance in recurrent pseudomonas aeruginosa infections of chronic suppurative otitis media. ENT-Ear, Nose & Throat Journal, 95(10), 446-451. Retrieved from https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.lib.kaplan.edu

Sparks, R., Berryhill, W., & Ramakrishnan, K. (2007). Diagnosis and treatment of otitis media. American Family Physician, 76(11), 1650-1658. Retrieved from https://www.aafp.org/afp/2007/1201/p1650.html

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Foreground and Background Information

Jesus Rebolledo posted Jan 12, 2018 12:01 PM

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In Unit 1 you identified a PICOT question.

1. Using the same question, rewrite the question for your peers.

2. Define the difference between foreground and background information as it relates to your PICOT question.

3. Also, provide a general overview on what evidence is available.

Research-based nursing is essential due to it being able to save time and money while improving patient outcomes by lowering costs, through standardizing and streamlining care. With the formation of my question using Population Intervention Comparison Outcome Time (PICOT), I was able to identify the clinical issue systematically. One of the most debated questions in otitis media research is what factors affect the duration of symptoms in acute otitis media (AOM). According to Horsley etc. 2010 “formulating questions is fundamental to the daily of healthcare worker and is a defining characteristic of professional competence and meaningful learning” (pg. 1702).

In children with acute otitis media (P), is the use of no medication (I) more effective in reducing the duration of symptoms (O) as compared to a primary line therapy (C) within the first month of diagnosis (T)?

As healthcare workers, there is a high expectation for us to be able to remain up to date with current evidence. For this reason, it is essential for us to practice and to improve our skills to continue developing well-constructed questions based on the best evidence. Clinical topics may be categorized as either background or foreground. For me, the main problem is coming up with a good question to help me select the best resources to consult my answer. Background questions are going to ask for general knowledge about the condition, disease, illness, and process. Typically these types of questions ask what, where, who, when, and how about the disorder, treatment, and test Horsley et al. (2010).

Examples:

1. How many ear infection symptoms are necessary for to be considered acute otitis media?

2. What is the clinical manifestation of acute otitis media?

3. What causes acute otitis media?

Foreground questions are more specific in the knowledge to appraise clinical decisions. These issues are usually more well-defined and complex concerning a distinct patient or distinct population when opposed to background questions. Quite often, these types of questions examine such as two treatments, two drugs, two disorder, two tests. They are additionally classified into diagnosis, prognosis, treatment/therapy, or etiology/harm (Mazza, Turatto, & Umiltà, 2005).

Examples:

1. Is Amoxicillin effective when compared with placebo in reducing the duration of symptoms in pediatric patients with acute otitis media?

2. In pediatric patients with acute otitis media, are steroids more effective than antihistamines in the management of otitis media symptoms?

With the use of electronic literature surveys on databases provided through the university online and internet searches, I was able to get the information that I needed to answer my PICOT question. In the effort to find an answer to my question I came across “published and unpublished randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs), interrupted time-series (ITS), and controlled before-after (CBA) studies” (Horsley et al., 2010, p. 1702). By looking at the examining interventions, I was able to increase the quality and frequency of my questions. These trials allowed me to narrow my topics and make my research more relevant to the articles and information. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews along with other library resources were vital to research. Keywords and phrases such as acute otitis media, antibiotic use to treat AOM, comparison of efficacy and safety, adherence and guidelines, first episode of acute otitis media, and antibiotic resistance were used to help filter my searches. Additional filters used were ears nose and throat (ENT) and otitis to help narrow results. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and university library databases resulted in multiple articles and used in my paper.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

References

Horsley, T., O’neill, J., McGowan, J., Perrier, L., Kane, G., & Campbell, G. (2010). Interventions to improve question formulation in professional practice and self-directed learning.Cochrane Database Systematic Review, 12(5), 1702-1717. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007335.pub2.

Mazza, V., Turatto, M., & Umiltà, C. (2005). Foreground-background segmentation and attention: A change blindness study. Psychological Research, 69, 201-210. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00426-004-0174-9

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My nursing career has been very fulfilling, and I have had my fair share of challenges that I have had to deal with on a day to day basis. As nurses, we face an abundance of ethical dilemmas every day or should I say every shift, but I don’t think there is a clear-cut right or wrong answer that I can give to treatment versus no treatment. It is our responsibility as nurses to be able to promote health, prevent illness, and ease suffering while respecting human rights as well as cultural rights. As nurses, I consider us as highly trained/educated and consequently knowledgeable of the best clinical course of action needed for our patients. What can we do when a patient’s parents refuse medical advice and make a decision that results in a less optimal outcome? Nurses in the field walk a fine line every day as we are committed to care and standards of the profession. “Care that fosters parental confidence and addresses their concerns about the child’s development may improve treatment outcomes for children with otitis media” (Chando et al., 2016, p. 1230). A problem with working with children is that their voice can be heard but is muffled by parents who ultimately make the final decision. “Not only must nurses consider the best interests of the patient, but they must balance this against wishes, beliefs, and values of a family” (Chando et al., 2016, p. 1296). In an ideal world, this would be easy to take care of, but ethical issues do arise, and it is the nurse’s ultimate responsibility to care for the patient.

References

Chando, S., Young, C., Craig, J., Gunasekera, H., Tong, A., & Craig, J. C. (2016). Parental views on otitis media: Systematic review of qualitative studies. European Journal of Pediatrics, 175(10), 1295-1305. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00431-016-2779-6

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Topic 1: Defining Internal and External Evidence

1. Discuss the difference between external and internal evidence as it relates to your PICOT search strategy.

2. Address the strengths and weaknesses of searching in a databank versus a web-based search engine. You must use two databanks mentioned in the text.

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) encourages the utilization of both internal and external evidence. EBP aims at the unification of clinical expertise, external scientific evidence, and client/patient/caregiver perspectives Jones et al. (2016). Melnyk and Over (2015) agree that “EBP is key to delivering the highest quality of healthcare and ensuring the best patient outcomes at the lowest costs” (p.3). For us, as nurses, we need to implement this in our daily practice to deliver high-quality care that exhibits the interests, needs, values, and choices of the individuals we serve. To be able to provide a service like this we need to collect and combine data from a mixture of references systematically. Melnyk et al. (2015) indicated that “a systematic search for as well as critical appraisal and synthesis of the most relevant and best research (i.e., external evidence) to answer a burning clinical question” (p. 3). The purpose of using EBP is to possess the much-needed tools to be able to execute evidence-based decisions.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

External evidence is created from rigorous research to help you answer your population intervention comparison outocome time (PICOT) question. This information can be found in randomized control trials (RCTs) and scientific research. In comparison, internal evidence identifies, assesses, evaluates and prioritizes data about the client in relation to the evidence. Internal evidence is the data that is implemented in diagnostic reasoning such as practice data encountered in healthcare documents. The collection of this information requires examining members of society regarding the incident of a given health condition. PICOT ultimately utilized terms of questioning the population, composing an intervention, analyzing the data, and interpreting the results within a specific period Jones et al. (2016).

When starting an investigation in a web-based search engine, it is much easier just to open a google page and type in your question. The only drawback of the evidence collected is that it is not gathered from the right source. Melnyk et al. (2015) found that “if clinicians are searching for RCTs to answer a clinical question and only search a web-based search engine (e.g., Yahoo! or Google), they may not find any recent trials” (p. 40). Sadly there is an enormous amount of knowledge on the internet that can deviate us in the opposite direction. These types of searches sometimes send you looking in places like google internet search engine, finding biased articles, outdated materials, and subjective perspectives which can be detrimental to your PICOT question. The reason for this is that they will stray you away from the facts and make your research end up with the wrong conclusion.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

Melnyk et al. (2015) found in studies examining “finding the right information to answer a given question often requires using more than one resource” (p. 40). If we only search in one place, then we are limited to the amount of information we can obtain. A right place to start finding external evidence would be university library resources, American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) journals, systematic review sites such as Cochrane collaboration, national guideline clearinghouse, Campbell collaboration, what works clearinghouse, library search engines (EBSCOhost), google scholar, and current magazines/textbooks. Information gathered from these sources will yield references that are reliable, valid, and with use of standard protocols for conducting and scoring experiments. “Searching for evidence that has already been appraised for the quality of the study methodology and the reliability of its findings is desirable” (Melnyk & Over, 2015, p. 40). Standardization is paramount so that the person holding the test does not end up with bias results, and other external factors do not affect the outcome. Sullivan, Weatherspoon, & Tennison (2017) concur with these researchers’ findings, indicating that “a comprehensive literature review can help determine how to contribute to ex- isting evidence, identify gaps in the current body of research, or facilitate interpretations of research findings after data analysis ” (p. 28).

The key to answering clinical questions can be found in multiple resources, varying from data found in healthcare records (internal) to articles in journals (external). Melnyk et al. (2015) identified that “in order to ensure that reliable evidence is found, clinicians must move beyond beginning search techniques (e.g., using only one resource instead of multiple resources) toward using available tools (resources and techniques) that help them find the needle in the haystack, the most essential evidence to answer their clinical question” (p. 43).Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

References

Jones, H. E., Welton, N. J., Ades, A. E., Pierce, M., Davies, W., Coleman, B., … Hickman, M.(2016). Problem drug use prevalence estimation revisited: heterogeneity in capture-recapture and the role of external evidence. Addiction, 111(3), 438-447. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/add.13222

Melnyk, B. M., & Over, E. F. (2015). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

Sullivan, D. H., Weatherspoon, D., & Tennison, A. L. (2017). Baby steps to evidence based practice. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 32(2), 26-30. Retrieved from https://web-b-ebscohost-com.lib.kaplan.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=5e302500-0be7-437d-9026-645de148e68e%40sessionmgr101

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PubMed has got to be one of my favorite database that I always tend to fall back on in most of my research from different schools. First and foremost this is not like those other databases that only give you the abstract and when you click on the journal you have to pay for the information and this database is completely free. Once inside this database, you also automatically have access to other databases. I don’t know what other databases do that or would even offer free information with a click of a button. Secondly, this database has been around for a while and has been indexing evidence since 1879 and committed to providing access to all data Lokker, Haynes, Wilczynski, McKibbon, and Walter (2011). Another thing that I like about this database is when using term mapping the first citation is the one that was most recently added to the database. I know that we have all been in situations where we feel that we are looking for that needle in the haystack and PubMed helps with this. They have what is called PubMed Special Queries for people like us who are in a hurry helping us find a quick way to limit results to a specific study category. Melnyk & Overholt (2015) found out that the use of “Ovid Clinical Queries (OCQ) limits retrieval to best evidence and what Ovid refers to as clinically sound studies” (p.65). The purpose of this option is beneficial when trying to target a specific area in your PICOT question (e.g., therapy, diagnosis, prognosis, reviews, clinical prediction guides, qualitative studies, etiology, costs economics) Melnyk and Overholt (2015).Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

For my research opened two databases and placed them on different screens to see what type of information I would get when typing in the same keywords. One being the Cochrane Library database and the other the US National Library of Medicine selecting PubMed as a database, I used the keywords delayed antibiotics for otitis media, interventions to improve otitis media, otitis media complications in children. Both Cochrane and PubMed gave me the same article at first which did not have anything to do with my research, and from there they each went in their separate direction. I like the set up of Cochrane since it told you “there are five results from 10079 records for your search on ‘delayed antibiotics otitis media in Title, Abstract, Keywords in Cochrane Reviews” and the set up didn’t look as crowded as PubMed. It additionally had other tabs in which I was able to type in the same keywords and found other journals to add to my research. The Medical Terms (MeSH) section was a hit on narrowing down even further my information and allowing me to see it in groups. On the other hand, PubMed didn’t have this feature, but they did have an area named “Best matches for delayed antibiotic otitis media,” and this area gave me the best out of the research and all of them published between (2013-2015). PubMed also had a nice “Results by year” graph chart in the upper right-hand corner that let you see the number of data published per year.

If I had to start researching a PICOT question, I would first go into Cochrane Library since it contains a few thousand citations and is limited to a single publication type systematic reviews including meta-analysis. Melnych & Overholt (2015) agree that “Cochrane library full-text systematic reviews should be searched first to answer intervention questions” (p.58). With PubMed, the database is more extensive, and my search would not be as natural as with Cochrane library. Another thing that I like about Cochrane is that it helps with saving time because you do not need to conduct the critical appraisal and synthesis of primary studies, as that has already been done. In the end, all databases are helpful, and in one way or another, it all depends on the type of research you are doing and how much information you are willing to look through. In my research for otitis media, I will be using multiple databases since I have found that they all have useful information and offer my analysis much more relevant and up to date evidence-based material Michael and McDiarmid (2016).Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

Scope and purpose

Data analysis is the process of developing answers to questions through the examination and interpretation of data.  The basic steps in the analytic process consist of identifying issues, determining the availability of suitable data, deciding on which methods are appropriate for answering the questions of interest, applying the methods and evaluating, summarizing and communicating the results. 

Analytical results underscore the usefulness of data sources by shedding light on relevant issues. Some Statistics Canada programs depend on analytical output as a major data product because, for confidentiality reasons, it is not possible to release the microdata to the public. Data analysis also plays a key role in data quality assessment by pointing to data quality problems in a given survey. Analysis can thus influence future improvements to the survey process.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

Data analysis is essential for understanding results from surveys, administrative sources and pilot studies; for providing information on data gaps; for designing and redesigning surveys; for planning new statistical activities; and for formulating quality objectives.

Results of data analysis are often published or summarized in official Statistics Canada releases.

Principles

A statistical agency is concerned with the relevance and usefulness to users of the information contained in its data. Analysis is the principal tool for obtaining information from the data.

Data from a survey can be used for descriptive or analytic studies. Descriptive studies are directed at the estimation of summary measures of a target population, for example, the average profits of owner-operated businesses in 2005 or the proportion of 2007 high school graduates who went on to higher education in the next twelve months.  Analytical studies may be used to explain the behaviour of and relationships among characteristics; for example, a study of risk factors for obesity in children would be analytic. Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

To be effective, the analyst needs to understand the relevant issues both current and those likely to emerge in the future and how to present the results to the audience. The study of background information allows the analyst to choose suitable data sources and appropriate statistical methods. Any conclusions presented in an analysis, including those that can impact public policy, must be supported by the data being analyzed.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

Guidelines
Initial preparation
Prior to conducting an analytical study the following questions should be addressed:
Objectives. What are the objectives of this analysis? What issue am I addressing? What question(s) will I answer?
Justification. Why is this issue interesting?  How will these answers contribute to existing knowledge? How is this study relevant?
Data. What data am I using? Why it is the best source for this analysis? Are there any limitations?
Analytical methods. What statistical techniques are appropriate? Will they satisfy the objectives?
Audience. Who is interested in this issue and why?
 Suitable data
Ensure that the data are appropriate for the analysis to be carried out.  This requires investigation of a wide range of details such as whether the target population of the data source is sufficiently related to the target population of the analysis, whether the source variables and their concepts and definitions are relevant to the study, whether the longitudinal or cross-sectional nature of the data source is appropriate for the analysis, whether the sample size in the study domain is sufficient to obtain meaningful results and whether the quality of the data, as outlined in the survey documentation or assessed through analysis is sufficient.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.
 If more than one data source is being used for the analysis, investigate whether the sources are consistent and how they may be appropriately integrated into the analysis.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.
Appropriate methods and tools
Choose an analytical approach that is appropriate for the question being investigated and the data to be analyzed.
When analyzing data from a probability sample, analytical methods that ignore the survey design can be appropriate, provided that sufficient model conditions for analysis are met. (See Binder and Roberts, 2003.) However, methods that incorporate the sample design information will generally be effective even when some aspects of the model are incorrectly specified.
Assess whether the survey design information can be incorporated into the analysis and if so how this should be done such as using design-based methods.  See Binder and Roberts (2009) and Thompson (1997) for discussion of approaches to inferences on data from a probability sample.
See Chambers and Skinner (2003), Korn and Graubard (1999), Lehtonen and Pahkinen (1995), Lohr (1999), and Skinner, Holt and Smith (1989) for a number of examples illustrating design-based analytical methods.
For a design-based analysis consult the survey documentation about the recommended approach for variance estimation for the survey. If the data from more than one survey are included in the same analysis, determine whether or not the different samples were independently selected and how this would impact the appropriate approach to variance estimation.
The data files for probability surveys frequently contain more than one weight variable, particularly if the survey is longitudinal or if it has both cross-sectional and longitudinal purposes. Consult the survey documentation and survey experts if it is not obvious as to which might be the best weight to be used in any particular design-based analysis.
When analyzing data from a probability survey, there may be insufficient design information available to carry out analyses using a full design-based approach.  Assess the alternatives.
Consult with experts on the subject matter, on the data source and on the statistical methods if any of these is unfamiliar to you.
Having determined the appropriate analytical method for the data, investigate the software choices that are available to apply the method. If analyzing data from a probability sample by design-based methods, use software specifically for survey data since standard analytical software packages that can produce weighted point estimates do not correctly calculate variances for survey-weighted estimates.
It is advisable to use commercial software, if suitable, for implementing the chosen analyses, since these software packages have usually undergone more testing than non-commercial software.
Determine whether it is necessary to reformat your data in order to use the selected software.
Include a variety of diagnostics among your analytical methods if you are fitting any models to your data.
Data sources vary widely with respect to missing data.  At one extreme, there are data sources which seem complete – where any missing units have been accounted for through a weight variable with a nonresponse component and all missing items on responding units have been filled in by imputed values.  At the other extreme, there are data sources where no processing has been done with respect to missing data.  The work required by the analyst to handle missing data can thus vary widely. It should be noted that the handling of missing data in analysis is an ongoing topic of research.
Refer to the documentation about the data source to determine the degree and types of missing data and the processing of missing data that has been performed.  This information will be a starting point for what further work may be required.
Consider how unit and/or item nonresponse could be handled in the analysis, taking into consideration the degree and types of missing data in the data sources being used.
Consider whether imputed values should be included in the analysis and if so, how they should be handled.  If imputed values are not used, consideration must be given to what other methods may be used to properly account for the effect of nonresponse in the analysis.
If the analysis includes modelling, it could be appropriate to include some aspects of nonresponse in the analytical model.
Report any caveats about how the approaches used to handle missing data could have impact on results
Interpretation of results
Since most analyses are based on observational studies rather than on the results of a controlled experiment, avoid drawing conclusions concerning causality.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.
When studying changes over time, beware of focusing on short-term trends without inspecting them in light of medium-and long-term trends. Frequently, short-term trends are merely minor fluctuations around a more important medium- and/or long-term trend.
Where possible, avoid arbitrary time reference points. Instead, use meaningful points of reference, such as the last major turning point for economic data, generation-to-generation differences for demographic statistics, and legislative changes for social statistics.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.
Presentation of results
Focus the article on the important variables and topics. Trying to be too comprehensive will often interfere with a strong story line.
Arrange ideas in a logical order and in order of relevance or importance. Use headings, subheadings and sidebars to strengthen the organization of the article.
Keep the language as simple as the subject permits. Depending on the targeted audience for the article, some loss of precision may sometimes be an acceptable trade-off for more readable text.
Use graphs in addition to text and tables to communicate the message. Use headings that capture the meaning (e.g. “Women’s earnings still trail men’s”) in preference to traditional chart titles (e.g.”Income by age and sex”). Always help readers understand the information in the tables and charts by discussing it in the text.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.
When tables are used, take care that the overall format contributes to the clarity of the data in the tables and prevents misinterpretation.  This includes spacing; the wording, placement and appearance of titles; row and column headings and other labeling.
Explain rounding practices or procedures. In the presentation of rounded data, do not use more significant digits than are consistent with the accuracy of the data.
Satisfy any confidentiality requirements (e.g. minimum cell sizes) imposed by the surveys or administrative sources whose data are being analysed.
Include information about the data sources used and any shortcomings in the data that may have affected the analysis.  Either have a section in the paper about the data or a reference to where the reader can get the details.
Include information about the analytical methods and tools used.  Either have a section on methods or a reference to where the reader can get the details.
Include information regarding the quality of the results. Standard errors, confidence intervals and/or coefficients of variation provide the reader important information about data quality. The choice of indicator may vary depending on where the article is published.
Ensure that all references are accurate, consistent and are referenced in the text.
Check for errors in the article. Check details such as the consistency of figures used in the text, tables and charts, the accuracy of external data, and simple arithmetic.
Ensure that the intentions stated in the introduction are fulfilled by the rest of the article. Make sure that the conclusions are consistent with the evidence.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.
Have the article reviewed by others for relevance, accuracy and comprehensibility, regardless of where it is to be disseminated.  As a good practice, ask someone from the data providing division to review how the data were used.  If the article is to be disseminated outside of Statistics Canada, it must undergo institutional and peer review as specified in the Policy on the Review of Information Products (Statistics Canada, 2003).
If the article is to be disseminated in a Statistics Canada publication make sure that it complies with the current Statistics Canada Publishing Standards. These standards affect graphs, tables and style, among other things.
As a good practice, consider presenting the results to peers prior to finalizing the text. This is another kind of peer review that can help improve the article. Always do a dry run of presentations involving external audiences.Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.
Refer to available documents that could provide further guidance for improvement of your article, such as Guidelines on Writing Analytical Articles (Statistics Canada 2008 ) and the Style Guide (Statistics Canada 2004)
Quality indicators

Main quality elements:  relevance, interpretability, accuracy, accessibility

An analytical product is relevant if there is an audience who is (or will be) interested in the results of the study.

For the interpretability of an analytical article to be high, the style of writing must suit the intended audience. As well, sufficient details must be provided that another person, if allowed access to the data, could replicate the results.

For an analytical product to be accurate, appropriate methods and tools need to be used to produce the results.

For an analytical product to be accessible, it must be available to people for whom the research results would be useful.

Data Analysis and Presentation Essay.

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