Class 7 Please pick up Final Report Do’s and Don’ts and training outline at the front table

Class Agenda Aggregating Information Rough Drafts Do’s and Don’ts Excel Training with Supervisor

Aggregating Information PAY ATTENTION TO THIS in order to decide if you will use averages in your findings. Even if you don’t get to do this in your rough draft, write a note saying you will.

Collapsing Graphs Collapse graphs wherever possible. How would you collapse the graphs below?

Collapsing Graphs Source: Data collected for Home HeadQuarters by Kathleen Ready, Community Link Report, Syracuse University, Comment: Satisfaction ratings were on a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being “Very Dissatisfied”, 2 being “Dissatisfied”, 3 being “Neutral”, 4 being “Satisfied”, and 5 being “Very Satisfied”. The above finding is based on survey questions 4-7. See Appendix II for frequencies. See Appendix III for original bar graphs. 1. Respondents said they were most satisfied with Home HeadQuarters’s affordability and terms of interest rates and loans (4.4).

DO’S and DON’T’S for 315 Final Reports On the Exec. Summary: At the end of each finding you have the sample size. (n=?) In the findings section, the rest of the finding statement is identical but don’t put the sample size in the finding because it is under the title of the graph. Difference between n and N: In your report you need to tell readers the sample size for each of your findings. You will use a lowercase n when you are using a survey to collect data and the respondents are a sample or part of the target population. An uppercase N is used when you are using records and the number of respondents equals the entire target population.

DO’S and DON’T’S for 315 Final Reports Findings on Ex. Summary: Double space between findings which should be single spaced if more than one line. If single spacing between the findings will make the Ex. Summary fit on one page, do that. Under quality of data in the methods section: Discuss representativeness and accuracy in at least two different paragraphs. Remember: representativeness is how well your sample represents the target population. Accuracy is the degree to which the information is “truthful.” There can many reasons for raising suspicious about truthfulness of data including unclear questions, lying, sloppy record-keeping. Do not be afraid to talk about the poor quality of data collected. Do not use conclusive statements. Accuracy deals with truth Representativeness deals with whether your sample reflects the target population

DO’S and DON’T’S for 315 Final Reports Footers-Begin footers on the introduction page. To do this, insert a section break. (At the end of the exec. summary, go to insert, break, and select next page under section break types) Then make your footer on the introduction page. At the end of the footer type the word “Page”, and then click insert page number on the footer toolbar. Footers in the appendix-Should be the same as the rest of the paper, but the page numbers in the appendix should be the roman numeral of the appendix, and then the page number within that appendix. If appendix II is data frequencies, and I am on the third page of data frequencies, the footer should end with “Appendix II-3”

DO’S and DON’T’S for 315 Final Reports Percentages in findings--Don't use decimals in percents. If it would round to zero, say <1%. Additionally, if the %s on the bars do not add to 100% due to rounding, include that as a comment. When you are working with a scale under 10, use one decimal. Single space within paragraphs and double space between each paragraph. Don’t indent. Do not write in the first person anywhere in your report. Utilize: Don’t use that word for the rest of your life. Don’t use first person Don’t use assess or evaluate

DO’S and DON’T’S for 315 Final Reports To Rank or Not to Rank in Bar Graphs-If the category on the x-axis of a graph is nominal, such as race or gender, the bars should be descending in height. If the variable is ordinal, such as age or how much the respondent agrees with something, they should stay in order of the variable (very dissatisfied at one end, very satisfied at the other end). One exception is yes/no which should appear in that order.

Writing finding statements for ordinal bar graphs-If you combine categories in an ordinal bar graph to have your finding over 50%, the categories should be in the same order as on your graph. 65% of people say they are very dissatisfied or dissatisfied. 65% of people say they are satisfied or very satisfied DO’S and DON’T’S for 315 Final Reports

Graphing guidelines: Always make column graphs. If there are more than 6 bars, use the horizontal bar graph. No pie charts. No color, no gridlines, no legends. Put data values at the top of each column. Pay attention to labeling. The bar’s percentages should equal 100% unless the respondent had the choice of circling more than one answer (also in that case, be sure to not include in the sample the respondents that did not choose any answer). Do not include “Don’t Know, NA, Other” in the graphs and sample number unless they provide meaningful information in the graph. Include those numbers in the comment section along with open ended answers.

DO’S and DON’T’S for 315 Final Reports Graphing guidelines continued: The y-axis in your charts should always start at 0. Bars or column graphs that do not begin at 0 or have inconsistent intervals can be misleading

Which do you use in your findings? X% of respondents said they are satisfied with XYZ. OR X% of respondents were satisfied with XYZ.

Aggregating Information PAY ATTENTION TO THIS in order to decide if you will use averages in your findings. Even if you don’t get to do this in your rough draft, write a note saying you will.

DO’S and DON’T’S for 315 Final Reports Collapse graphs wherever possible. How would you collapse the graphs below?

Collapsing Graphs Source: Data collected for Home HeadQuarters by Kathleen Ready, Community Link Report, Syracuse University, Comment: Satisfaction ratings were on a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being “Very Dissatisfied”, 2 being “Dissatisfied”, 3 being “Neutral”, 4 being “Satisfied”, and 5 being “Very Satisfied”. The above finding is based on survey questions 4-7. See Appendix II for frequencies. See Appendix III for original bar graphs. 1. Respondents said they were most satisfied with Home HeadQuarters’s affordability and terms of interest rates and loans (4.4).

When making your graphs… Use a different worksheet for each graph you make (the tabs at the bottom of the Excel page). When you need to go back and make changes to your graphs (and trust us, you will need to), it will be much easier.

Reminders Due next week: Rough Draft

Graphing Exercise In Your Threesome Working in groups you will: Complete each question in the exercise. THE ANSWERS MUST BE PERFECTLY FORMATTED FINDINGS Get approval from Coplin, Matt, Ashley or Amanda before moving on to the next question Follow sample finding format in guide Everyone will work in MaxPal One group member must log onto a computer in MAXPAL (preferably the one with money on their printing quota)

Groups for Exercise GROUP 1GROUP 2GROUP 3GROUP 4GROUP 5 Nicole InskeepBrittany D.Steve BensonZach PhilipsIshrat Momin Reagan M.Mayara MartinezMelanie K.Jingcong YaoAysha Seedat JesperRichard SaylorPhilip AhnBoris GreselyAriella Davis GROUP 6GROUP 7GROUP 8GROUP 9 Tevin MartinEjona MuratajElizabeth M.Daniela Lopez Brooke RossConnor WilsonMichelle S.Marisa R. Jack K.Sarah FeinerBen ChoeRebecca Z.