Week 13 - Interpreting Findings Analyzing and Understanding Data for Program Evaluation

INTERPRETING FINDINGS ANALYZING AND UNDERSTANDING DATA FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION Jacob Campbell, Ph.D LICSW Heritage University Spring 2024 SOWK 460

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT BY JOHN G. SAXE (READ BY TOM O’BEDLAM) HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/BJVBQEFNXIW

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT A PARABLE AND CONNECTION WITH DATA ANALYSIS They all all touched di erent parts of the elephant and believed that they were ff SPRING 2024 SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE

AGENDA PLAN FOR CLASS TIME What is the purpose of data analysis Scales of measurement Types of calculation Practical application of interpreting indings How we implement it for program evaluation SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE UNIVERSITY f SPRING 2024

PURPOSE OF DATA ANALYSIS WHY DO WE DO THIS? DESCRIBE AND SUMMARIZE THE DATA IDENTIFY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VARIABLES COMPARE VARIABLES IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VARIABLES FORECAST OUTCOMES SPRING 2024 SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE UNIVERSITY

T D ata can be classi ied into a nonnumerical or named categories, and the order in which these categories can be written or asked is arbitrary. he data can be classi ied into nonnumerical or named categories an inherent order exists among the response categories. Ordinal scales are seen in questions that call for ratings of quality (for example, very good, good, fair, poor, very poor) and agreement (for example, strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree). here numbers represent the possible response categories there is a natural ranking of the categories zero on the scale has meaning there is a quanti iable difference within categories and between consecutive categories. W SCALES OF MEASUREMENT NOMINAL SCALE f f f SPRING 2024 ORDINAL SCALE SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS NUMERICAL SCALE JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE UNIVERSITY

TYPES OF CALCULATION METHODS USED TO CALCULATE DATA • Count (frequencies) • Percentage • Mean (average) • Mode (number of times) • Median (middle number) • Range • Standard deviation (amount of change) • Cross tabulation (comparative) • Change score (pretest / post test) • Quantitative analysis (SPSS) SPRING 2024 SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE

(Thurmond, 2001) TYPES OF TRIANGULATION INCREASING CONFIDENCE IN RESEARCH DATA, CREATING INNOVATIVE WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING A PHENOMENON, REVEALING UNIQUE FINDINGS, CHALLENGING OR INTEGRATING THEORIES, AND PROVIDING A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM. (P 254) Data Data Source Time, space, and person Investigator Multiple researchers Data Finding Methodological Using multi-methods in investigation Theoretical Using multiple theories or hypotheses Data Data-Analysis Two or more methods of analyzing data SPRING 2024 SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE UNIVERSITY

Consider an infographic PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE DATA VISUALIZATION Midway, S. R. (2020). Principles of e ective data visualization. Patterns, 1(9), 100141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patter.2020.100141 Distinguish models from data Include a detailed, standalone caption Include any relevant metric of uncertainty Use small multiples (if appropriate) Use the correct geometry; consider showing the data Use an effective color scheme Adopt the best software for your needs Diagram irst, focus on message Figure design SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS ff SPRING 2024 f f Get an independent igure review Figure making Figure review JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE UNIVERSITY

SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY MAKING INTERPRETING FINDINGS PRACTICAL DEVELOPING A SURVEY FOR BASW SENIORS Develop some questions you might want to learn about your peers. Consider questions that collect di erent types of data. ff SPRING 2024 SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE UNIVERSITY

CLASS ACTIVITY MAKING INTERPRETING FINDINGS PRACTICAL DEVELOPING A SURVEY FOR BASW SENIORS Build a single questionnaire as a class. Have each individual take the survey. SPRING 2024 SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE UNIVERSITY

SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY As small groups, come up with how you would want to present some of the data collected to your peers. What are some of the insights you found? SPRING 2024 SOWK 460 - INTERPRETING FINDINGS MAKING INTERPRETING FINDINGS PRACTICAL DEVELOPING A SURVEY FOR BASW SENIORS JACOB CAMPBELL, PH.D. LICSW AT HERITAGE UNIVERSITY

SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? What kind of data have you collected How are you analyzing it Technical support Time to work in your groups