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So You’re Doing Some Statistics: Tips for Researchers

Useful tips for researchers in statistics, covering literature search, analysis planning, data collection, pilot studies, archiving, analysis, and reporting results effectively. Advice on avoiding common pitfalls and getting the right help when needed.

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So You’re Doing Some Statistics: Tips for Researchers

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  1. So You’re Doing Some Statistics: Tips for Researchers Dr Nandini Kannan Department of Management Science and Statistics Michael Anderson UTSA Statistical Consulting Center

  2. You’re beginning an adventure… • Adventure is just bad planning. --Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) • When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers. --Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

  3. So Prepare! • It’s easy to get in tough spot—too tough to recover • You can avoid that by planning ahead

  4. How to Prepare • Literature search • Statistical analysis plan • Data collection • Pilot study • Archive your materials • Data analysis • Report your results

  5. Literature Search • Models appropriate to your research • Measurement scales • Measurement instruments • Validity checks • Standard analysis techniques • Experimental protocols or sampling plans • Standards of evidence

  6. Statistical Analysis Plan • Research hypothesis: testable? • Measurements and validity checks • Experiment or sampling design • Sample size calculation • Data collection procedures • Statistical procedures: use the stats you need, not just the ones you know (there’s more to life than just the t-test)

  7. Data Collection • Set measurement protocol • Estimate level of effort to collect data • Checksheets or questionnaires • Procedures for data collectors • Make data recording robust (avoid errors)

  8. Pilot Study • “Test drive” your • Experiments or sampling plan • Measurements • Sample size calculations • Data collection • Data archiving • Data analysis • Revise plan or procedures as necessary

  9. Archiving: don’t bet your dissertation on a single flash drive • Make copies of source documents (checksheets, surveys) • Make archival copies of computer datasets – multiple copies of each time-stamped version • Keep a BOUND notebook recording every step of your project • Save copies of all analysis steps (SAS code, SPSS scripts, etc.) • Exercise your stored analyses • Store copies in safe, physically separate locations

  10. Analyze your data • Follow the statistical analysis plan! • If things start going wrong, get help* • Missing data, minor variation can be fixed • Bad design can’t

  11. Report Your Results • Summarize your analysis plan • Use tabular displays of statistics • Illustrate key findings with statistical graphs • Report effect sizes along with p-values • Avoid techno-jargon

  12. *If things start going wrong, get help • Your dissertation advisor • UTSA Statistical Consulting Center • website http://business.utsa.edu/scc • email SCC@utsa.edu

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