2011-2012
Research Planning After Data Collection
This agenda lists suggested steps and timeline after data collection for undergraduate research using
quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The number of weeks in parentheses is an approximation
of how long each step might take. Please note these are suggested timelines as “best case scenarios” you should always check with your advisor and adjust the timeline according to the complexity of your
project.
Quantitative Data Steps and Timeline
Follow these steps after you have data that has been collected by you or a secondary source
1. Entering/Cleaning/Missing (1 week +)
 Arrange data into variables & cases
 Use a unique id
2. Coding Data (2 weeks +)
 Recode dichotomous variables
 Recode categorical variables
 Code/Recode missing data
 Write or revise Codebook
3. First Level Analysis (3 weeks +)
(Basic Descriptives, simple tables, charts and data description)
 Run descriptive analysis (univariate statistics, e.g., means, frequencies)
 Run crosstabs
 Create tables & charts
 Write data description
4. Second Level Analysis (6 weeks +)
(Statistical Tests: bivariate and/or multivariate analysis)
 Bivariate analysis (e.g., correlations)
 Multivariate analysis (e.g., regressions)
 Create tables & charts
5. Interpretation/Writing (6 weeks +)
Qualitative Data Steps and Timeline
Follow these steps after you have collected the data and completed the transcriptions. Please note that
transcribing interviews takes some time, so give yourself enough time to transcribe and analyze your
qualitative data.
1. Entering/Cleaning/Organizing (2 weeks +)
 Check data format
 Clean documents
 Enter numeric info into spreadsheet if applicable
 Create project in software (i.e., import documents)
Stanford University
Social Science Data and Software
2. Learning Software by doing (2 weeks +)
 Learn software & decide if it’s useful or not:
 Create basic set of nodes/codes
 Code line-by-line thru a couple of complete documents
 Write memos and annotations as you are coding
 Test searches and queries once you have a set of codes
3. Initial Coding and Analysis (4 weeks +)
 Continue coding. For a deductive approach, code until you have coded all of your
data or until you have coded all key data sources. For an inductive approach, code
until you have coded all of your data, all key data sources, or until you have
reached a saturation point and are no longer generating new codes.
 Write initial memos
4. Focused Coding and Analysis (6 weeks +)
 Aggregate codes as appropriate and re-code data as needed
 Sort data by particular codes and read
 Subcode as appropriate
 Write integrative memos
5. Final Analysis and Writing (6 weeks +)
SSDS Software Services at Stanford
Software Services provides technical support for software users at Stanford. Users can ask questions or
make appointments with the consultants via our website. For more information or to contact us, see the
web at: http://ssds.stanford.edu/
Copyright © 2011, by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Permission granted to copy for noncommercial purposes, provided we receive acknowledgment and a copy of the document in which our material appears. No
right is granted to quote from or use any material in this document for purposes of promoting any product or service.
Social Science Data and Software
Document revised: 9/16/2011
2 - Research Planning After Data Collection