The data analysis chapter is the most important chapter in a master’s dissertation. It consists of the data collected during research, its analysis, and representation of the analysis using some presentational devices. These three things are also the key to a good analysis section. However, there are many students who face problems in structuring analysis section of their masters dissertations. Either they do not know what to include in this section, or they are unaware of its crucial elements and discussions. So, what actually is the structure of a masters dissertation?
Do not worry; today’s article is all about answering this question. There will be a mention of the top 10 things to do in the analysis section of your dissertation that makes its structure better. So, let’s get to the main discussion right away and discuss those things.
10 necessary things to do when structuring analysis section
An analysis section is a section where you perform the analysis of the collected data using a statistical or mathematical model. Along with the analysis of the data, you also describe and present the results obtained as a result of that analysis. So, in order to structure this section right, you need to follow some things. A brief description of all those things necessary when structuring analysis section is as follows:
1. Overview of the section
First, to start off the chapter, you should write an overview of the section. This overview should include the purpose of the research study, how the research was conducted, and the types of data that you have to analyse. Further, a brief description of the data collection instruments should also be part of this overview. Hence, including all the things, write an overview of the section. It is an important first task to do.
2. Reiterate the research problem and research questions
The second structural element that should be part of the analysis section of your masters dissertation is the reiteration of the research problem and research questions. The reason is that after reading so much and coming this far, the reader must have forgotten them. So, it is better that you remind him of the research problem so that he can know why he is reading this section. If your research study is hypothesis based, try to introduce that.
3. List down actual data
Now that you have done the two things mentioned above, it is time to move to the next one, which is listing down the actual data. Listing the actual data means presenting the data into tables and showing the reader what you are going to analyse. Also, listing the data in one place allows the reader to have a full grasp of the data and an understanding of the trends. Along with the data, also discuss various statistical methods that you are going to perform for the analysis of the listed data.
4. Only use the relevant data
Do not blindly follow the data you have collected after research. There are many datasets that need to be cleaned or that cannot be used in the analysis section due to their irrelevance. So, you must only use the relevant data that can answer the research questions. Considering the aims and objectives while selecting data is a good practice.
5. Use the appropriate analysis method
It is important that you use analysis methods that are relevant and appropriate to the research study. To select the analysis method for your collected data, take the research aims and objectives and the type of data you have in mind. The reason is that you cannot exercise the methods of qualitative data on quantitative data and vice versa. Therefore, keep the data type and then use the appropriate method for structuring analysis section right.
6. The analysis should be thorough
Research data never speaks for itself. If you believe that it does, then you are mistaken. It happens mostly in qualitative studies that by giving some quotes and subjective interpretations of the data, students think that the analysis is complete. In fact, it is not an analysis of the data. Instead of giving some quotes and highlighting the main trends, as a researcher, you should conduct a thorough analysis of the data. It is important that you give the limitations of the analysis to make it thorough.
7. Use presentational devices
It is almost very difficult to present large volumes of data in a subjective manner. As a writer, it is hard for you as well as for the reader. The use of presentational devices can help you a lot in this scenario. Presentational devices are charts, graphs, and tables that make understanding the analysis section easy. So, when structuring analysis section, ensure that you use presentational devices. If you do not know how to use a presentational device, you can always go for a masters dissertation help.
8. Use appendix if necessary
The appendix is not necessary for the structure of an analysis section. However, sometimes you may need to use it for things that are not relevant to the research study but have some relation. As you cannot describe them in the actual section, you should make an appendix and put that information into that section.
9. Discussion on the analysis
The next thing which is crucial for structuring analysis section right is the discussion on the analysis. In the discussion, you talk about the possible trends that you can see in the data after running the analysis. Here, you do not go deeper into the data because this is not the section to do this. More description of the trends and patterns comes in the results section.
10. A brief summary of the section
The last important thing to do in an analysis section is to give a summary of the section. It includes information about what you have done in the research study and how you have done the analysis. The summary only discusses the main points of your analysis, and it should be about 5 to 7 sentences long.
Conclusion
The dissertation analysis chapter is the foundation based on which the researcher draws the conclusion, identifies patterns, and gives recommendations. So, structuring analysis section right is the most important task. To make this structure flawless, make sure that you follow all the necessary things to do mentioned above.