Basic Quantitative Analysis:

Using Excel to Analyze

Your Data
Kimberly Yousey, PhD.
Associate Director, Assessment Programs
StudentVoice
716-652-9400 press 1
[email protected]

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Defining Quantitative Assessment

Uses Numbers

Tables/Charts vs. words/stories

More general information
Breaks things into variables and factors
Uses independent and dependent variables

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Before you start

What is the purpose of your assessment?

Determines quantitative/qualitative or mixed

methods

What is your assessment plan?

Determines instruments, timeline, sample, etc.

Who is your final audience?

**Determines how you will analyze your data**

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Audience is key:
Large Audience or
Practice-Based
Most common
Less technical language
is required
Less technical analysis
is needed
Simple is better

Technical audience or
Research-Based
Less common, but
sometimes needed for
faculty and others
More technical
language and reports
More technical analysis

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

What types of analysis would we use?

Large Audience or
Practice-Based

Technical audience or
Research-Based

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Where are you getting your data?

Paper copies 3 options

Enter by hand (careful of human error!)

Scan (careful of computer error!)
Count (less human error but still there)

On-line (download into excel)

PDAs
Others??

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

On-Line Example
Survey Monkey

Student Voice
ITS
Snap
Others

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Excel Basics
Sorting Data:

ALWAYS remember to highlight everything

before you sort (click box in top left corner)
Data
Sort
Pick Column and order
Press OK

Formulas: $ vs no $

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Quantitative Analysis: Frequency

Number of times an answer is given for a

certain question
Lets try the hard way first:

3 groups, one for each column

Count number of time each answer is given for
first 20 rows

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Frequencies
Now the easy way

Go to bottom of row
Use the formula for COUNTIF:

=COUNTIF($A$2:$A$98, Yes)
tells excel to count where to count

what to count

($ will keep the A2:A98 consistent if you copy and past)

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Frequencies
Repeat for each item you want to count in

that question
Be sure to LABEL what you are doing so
when you go back you know what it is
Quick Tip: Copy and Paste formulas to

speed things up, but always double check

that Excel is following you correctly!

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

What can you use frequencies for?

Basic summary data
Do you tend to study while you are commuting?
60

55

50
42
40

30

20

10

0
Yes

No

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

But wait, how did you make that pretty

graph?
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.

7.
8.

Go to the Chart Wizard icon or Insert then Chart

Pick which chart you would like (this example is bar so we
picked the Column option)
Next
Want to name things? Hit Series. In this example we need to
change the Category Labels so we click on that space and
then highlight the Yes and No cells in our Excel worksheet
Next
Title Have you Always Lived on Campus
Axes and Gridlines dont usually have to do anything
Legend turned off Show Legend
Data Labels clicked on Value
Data Table did nothing
Next
Finish
Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Percents
Why percents vs. straight frequencies?

Compare different sized groups

Proportions
Sometimes easier to understand
Audience

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Percents
The hard way

The easy way:

Add the Column (highlight what you want to

add, hit Sum key on menu or use
=SUM (A100:A101)
Use formula:
= A100/$A$102

Item frequency/Total Sum

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Percents
You will get a long decimal number, such as

0.422680412
To change it to a percent:

Highlight cell
Go to Format then Cell
Click on Number then Percentage then
choose number of decimal points
Ok

Dont forget to label again

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Percents
Pie Chart Same process, go to Chart

Wizard
Select Pie Chart then Next
Under Series put cursor on Category
Labels then highlight Yes and No cells on
your worksheet
Next Title added a title, under Data
Labels selected Values
Next and Finish
Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Do you tend to study while commuting by percent

43.3%
Yes
No

56.7%

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Frequencies/Percents by Groups
Looking at two different factors/questions

Combine information to make new

information
Helps to see if there are relationships
Helps to compare groups

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Frequencies/Percents by Groups
Similar concept only you group your formulas

by selected groups or factors using the data

limits

Example: What about whether people study

combined with the length of their commute?

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Frequencies/Percents by Groups
Sort your data by one group (think about
which is most logical). Remember select all
data, then go to Data, Sort pick the
column, and Ok
2. Note the range of the group you sorted by
(for example No is from A2:A56 and Yes
is from A57:A98)
1.

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Frequencies/Percents by Groups
3. Set up chart at bottom so your labels are done
4. Write in COUNTIF formulas to correspond with the
range, ie. 2-56 for No and 57-98 for Yes, but to
count the items in column B

Yes

No

=COUNTIF($B$57:$B$98, 30 minutes 1
hour)
30 minutes - 1 hour

1 -1.5 hours
1.5-2.0 hours

More than 2 hours

=COUNTIF($B$57:$B$98, 1 1.5 hours)

=COUNTIF($B$57:$B$98, 1.5-2.0 hours)

=COUNTIF($B$57:$B$98, More than 2 hours)

=COUNTIF($B$2:$B$56, 30 minutes 1 hour)

=COUNTIF($B$2:$B$56, 1 1.5 hours)

=COUNTIF($B$2:$B$56, 1.5-2.0 hours)

=COUNTIF($B$2:$B$56, More than 2 hours)

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Frequencies/Percents by Groups
Yes

No

30 minutes - 1 hour

18

22

1 -1.5 hours

13

1.5-2.0 hours

More than 2 hours

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Frequencies/Percents by Groups
Sometimes easier to see on a graph
Study while commuting with length of commute
Yes
25

20

No

22
18

15

13

10
5

4
2

0
30 minutes - 1 hour

1 -1.5 hours

1.5-2.0 hours

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

More than 2 hours

Other examples:
Multiple factors (such as time of day):

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Real Life Example:

Can show by tables, graphs or just in words

Pictures are easier and faster to read

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Random Drawings
Incentives, prizes, samples and more

Formula: = RANDBETWEEN (1, ____)

The formula will draw a random number

between the numbers you indicate

You can match that number up with a line in
excel with a corresponding email address
If you need more than 1 drawing (i.e. drawing
for 10 iTunes cards), copy and paste formula
10 times
Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Tips to Remember:
Copying and Pasting formulas saves a lot of time
Remember to double check
Use $ when you want a cell to stay constant
Do not use $ when you want excel to follow you
Save frequently
Move graphs to new worksheets (copy/paste OR you

can set to displan on a new worksheet when in the

chart-maker before you hit Finish on last page
select As a new sheet and give it a new name)

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Where can you go for help?

Staff Development/Training Take an Excel

course
Formula and other books
Help tab on Excel is EXCELLENT!
[email protected]

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007

Questions?

Thanks for coming!

Created by Kimberly Yousey - Copyright 2007