Analysing Existing Datasets: Some Considerations Arising from Practical Experience

Autor/in	Yorke, Mantz
Titel	Analysing Existing Datasets: Some Considerations Arising from Practical Experience
Quelle	In: International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 34 (2011) 3, S.255-267 (13 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1743-727X
DOI	10.1080/1743727X.2011.609549
Schlagwörter	Data Analysis; Higher Education; Institutional Research + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Auswertung; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Institutionelle Forschung
Abstract	Data that have been collected for specific purposes may be exploited in the service of other interests (such as institutional research), though the exploitation may have to be accompanied by methodological compromises of various kinds. As a consequence, the findings might satisfy the criterion of being "good enough" for the purposes of practical action while falling short of the expectations that would apply to original research in the social sciences. A number of examples related to the secondary analysis of datasets from higher education are presented to illustrate some of the challenges faced by analysts of existing datasets. This article stresses the need to examine given data carefully, to mitigate weaknesses in the data, where feasible, to indicate the limitations inherent in secondary analysis and to present the outcomes of analyses in a manner appropriate to the putative audience. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10