Using Publicly Available Data to Engage IV-E Students in Research and Statistics: Instructional Modules MODULE 4 SLIDE DECK: PRESENTING DATA GRAPHICALLY AND WRITING AN EMPIRICAL REPORT
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Using Publicly Available Data to Engage IV-E Students in Research and Statistics: Instructional Modules
MODULE 4 SLIDE DECK: PRESENTING DATA GRAPHICALLY AND WRITING AN EMPIRICAL REPORT
2
Instructor Notes for Module 4
This module transitions students from an initial exposure to California’s child welfare data (Modules 1 & 2), a consideration of answerable research questions relevant to county child welfare agencies, and the drafting of a structured abstract (Module 3), to experience with actual data analyses and research reporting. Its purpose is to: Promote student understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of
different methods for visualizing and presenting data
Provide students with an opportunity to download and manipulate child welfare data
Help students to think very concretely about the product of their research analysis by drafting a structured research report in the context of child welfare social work practice/policy.
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
Presenting and Visualizing Data
Module 4, Section 1
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
4
Charting Basics
Keep it simple “minimize the ink to data ratio”
Use consistent/clean color themes when possible no need to distract reader
Tables and charts should be self-explanatory what is the story you wish to tell?
Time should always be shown chronologically (i.e., left to right)
Charts should summarize relationships not easily shown in tables
Sort data by a meaningful relationship rare that alphabetizing is useful
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
5
Starting with bad…the worst pie chart ever
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
6
Bad Chart #2
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
*time is displayed backwards on the X-axis *3D makes this difficult to view – does the scale match the front of the back of the bars *scaling: the high values on the community college scale minimize important variation in the other two series
7
Improvement…
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
8
Bad Chart #3
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
*data sorted alphabetically which serves to hide significant facts about the data *Unnecessary 3-D effect. *Unnecessary shading of plot area. *The white borders on the undergraduate bars make those bars appear shorter; the white borders do not show up on the legend.
9
Improvement…
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
10
Bad Slide #4
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Notice also that the X-axis contains decennial data for the first four bars, then skips to 1993 and 1997 before going to annual data.
11
Improvement…
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
12
Bad Chart #5
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
"No scale: A chart is about trends and patterns, but you must give the reader at least some quantitative reference; Unnecessary multiple colors: If you are displaying a single series, it doesn’t make sense to vary colors by point; No sort: sorting the data establishes a pattern and helps the reader to immediately see the relative importance of each item; Unmanageable legend: since there are more data points than you can store in your working memory, the chart forces a pendular movement from the legend to the chart and back;"
13
“Chart Junk” (1)
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
14
“Chart Junk” (2)
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
15
Avoid comparisons across pie charts…
Racial Composition of Child Population in
California
Racial Composition of Children with Allegations
of Maltreatment
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
16
Stacked bar – can be useful for showing changes in proportions
17
Avoid comparisons across pie charts (part 2)…
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
18
Simple stacked bar is often better…
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
NotEmployed
PartTime
Full TimeMinimum Wage
Full Time aboveMinimum
2007 2008
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
19
Sort by a meaningful variable
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
ICJIA, “Trends in Illinois crime: 1995-1999” http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/tiupdate/crime99.pdf
20
Keep it simple
Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
21
Make it self-explanatory
22
Difficulties in scaling…be wary of second y-axis
23
3 dimensional charts?
24 Slide Source: Klass, G.M. (2011). Just Plain Data Analysis: Second Edition Charts. Illinois State University.
Strengths? Weaknesses?
25
SF county slide: how might it be improved?
Historical and Projected Investigation Assignments2005-2011
292May
286
July
183133
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Jan-05 Jan-06 Jan-07 Jan-08 Jan-09 Jan-10 Jan-11
Source: CWS/CMS
FORECAST
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
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http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/62f250455c/demetri-martin-stand-up-presentation-from-demetri-martin
Online…one comedian’s take on charts!
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
Writing an Analytic/Data Report
Module 4, Section 2
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
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Report Outline/Development
BASICS: FOLLOW INSTRUCTOR DESIGNATED FORMAT Number and Title all Tables & Charts Include Sub-sections (numbered and titled) Cite all sources in correctly formatted References
USE COMMON SENSE Present Data in a Logical Order Address Research Questions to reach study objectives Be CLEAR, CONCISE, and OBJECTIVE
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
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Report Components
Title Page Structured Abstract (completed in Module 3!) Background / Problem Statement / Introduction
Use the language you prefer Agency Description
If appropriate Background / Review of Literature
Use the language you prefer Methodology Results / Findings
Use the language you prefer Discussion References
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
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Background/Problem Statement/Introduction
Include “Study Objective” or Study Purpose Describe the Child Welfare agency or
broader system goal of your research Include Research Questions that will help
reach the objectives of your study
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
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Background or Review of Literature
Explain WHY are you pursuing your research project? WHY are you using specific variables, outcomes, etc.? WHAT literature base supports your decisions?
Use Recent Research & Literature Use Headers to organize
helpful to writer and reader
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
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Methodology
o DESCRIBE Data Source (s) Population or Sample
Specify years, grades, sample size, restrictions, etc.
Independent & Dependent Variables Define these precisely
Study Design Analysis
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
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Results or Findings
Provide FACTS (and just the facts!) Present Data Findings
Descriptive Statistics Embed data tables and charts in report
Inferential Statistics Use detailed headings to order your findings
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
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Discussion
Discuss your Findings Do your findings align with existing research?
What was learned about a population or sample?
Any unexpected trends/absence of trends? possible explanations?
Discuss Limitations How are findings limited?
data shortcomings? variable limitations? design problems?
Discuss Implications for Practice/Policy Conclude your Discussion
Summarize your research
Possible directions for future/associated research?
Module 4: Presenting Data Graphically and Writing an Empirical Report
Using Publicly Available Data to Engage IV-E Students in Research and Statistics: Instructional Modules
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