Question

What are the steps necessary to analyze information? Explain and give examples.

Answer 1

step 1 :

Review the questions

The questions generated before the information was gathered should be reviewed.Why was this particular information necessary?what questions was it to answer? what kinds of decisions are to be made based on this information?

step 2:

organize the information

1. gather together all relevant information that has been collected
2. if necessary sort information into parts which belong together
3. some may have already been analyzed.some may be partly analyzed and some may need analysis

step 3:

Decide how to analyze information

1. analysis of parts may be simply adding up numbers and averaging them and comparing information to examine the relationship of one thing to another
2. analysis also takes note of similarities

step 4:

Analyze quantitative information

It is likely that quantitative information will be computer by hand,or with use of adding machines.Two straightforward ways to analyze information are Tally sheets and summary sheets.

Tally sheets:

Tally sheets are useful for summarizing information such as production figures,survival figures and nursery sales.

Summary sheets:

To show information individually in order to see clearly the differences between each piece of information, a summary sheet can be used

step 5:

Analyze qualitative information

Analysis of qualitative information is a creative and critical process.The way of the information has been gathered will probably determine how it can best be analyzed.

EXAMPLE:

if drawings of a community have been done at the beginning,the middle and end of the project,can be analyzed by presenting a series of drawings to a number of individuals and asking them to:

• validate the drawings
• rate the difference

step 6:

Integrate the information

putting the analyzed parts together in a way that tells the completes story can be done by the team that has been assigned to gather and analyze information.Partial analysis can be presented to the larger community group for completion.