Category Archives: data analysis

what is an audit trail and why do you need one?

Posted on March 21, 2022 by pat thomson

The term audit trail is shorthand. i use it to describe “evidential” material that you provide for a reader. I am a bit suspicious of the overuse of the word evidence, and I prefer “audit” because it describes what actually … Continue reading →

Posted in audit trail, data analysis, methods, methods chapter, research methods | Tagged audit trail, data analysis, methods, methods chapter, Pat Thomson, reader, trustworthy research | Leave a comment

making the most of research leftovers

Posted on September 27, 2021 by pat thomson

You all know about leftovers. The bits of a meal that you couldn’t quite finish. The remnants that end up in a plastic box or a covered bowl in the fridge. Mostly you get round to eating them for lunch … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, data, data analysis, leftover, Pat Thomson, research | Tagged academic writing, Pat Thomson, research, research leftovers | 1 Comment

a qual. research strategy – empathy mapping

Posted on June 21, 2021 by pat thomson

I dont write much about research methods on this blog. That’s not because I’m not interested in research methods – I’ve published three methods texts, after all – but more because I’m pretty sure people who come here mainly want … Continue reading →

Posted in data, data analysis, empathy mapping, qualitative data | Tagged analysis, data, empathy mapping, Pat Thomson, qualitative research | 7 Comments

playing about with data

Posted on February 24, 2020 by pat thomson

Not everything we do in our research has to have a definite end point. Sometimes it’s good to set aside all those anxieties about ‘getting through and getting done’. We might even like to take some time to simply play … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, data, data analysis, play | Tagged data, data analysis, data play, Pat Thomson, play | 4 Comments

a festive gift from patter – a checklist for revising methods chapters

Posted on December 23, 2019 by pat thomson

PhDers sometimes find writing the thesis methods chapter a pretty tedious business. But the methods chapter is a key part of the examination process – it shows that the researcher knows how to research. You see, examiners make their decision … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, data, data analysis, methodology, methods, methods chapter, research methods, revision, revision strategy, thesis revision | Tagged data analysis, methodology, methods chapter, revision, revision strategy | 5 Comments

the joys of creative re-description

Posted on June 17, 2019 by pat thomson

Working with data is a creative process. Yes I know data word has got to be systematic and thorough. You can’t make up your results. But working with data is also always about interpretation. And interpretation, at some point, is … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, creativity, data, data analysis, redescription | Tagged categories, creativity, data, Pat Thomson, redescription, Richard Rorty | Leave a comment

from description to analysis – a revision strategy

Posted on October 22, 2018 by pat thomson

PhDers are often told by their supervisors that their work needs to move from description to analysis. But what does this mean? Have you just wasted your time doing all that describing? Well, in short, no. The good news is … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, analysis, crappy first draft, data analysis, description, empirical analysis, revision, revision strategy | Tagged analysis, description, first draft, from description to analysis, Pat Thomson, revision | 5 Comments

PhD stuck points

Posted on February 19, 2018 by pat thomson

There are some points in the PhD process where the going gets pretty tough. Stuck points, where it’s hard work. Where it’s difficult to move on. Now don’t get me wrong. These points don’t cause grief to everyone. I’m not … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, data analysis, PhD, research design, research question, structure, stuck points, style and structure, thesis | Tagged analysis, Pat Thomson, PhD, research design, research question, structure, thesis | 7 Comments

beginning data analysis – orienting yourself

Posted on August 21, 2017 by pat thomson

This post is a response to a question about how to begin data analysis. When you were little, I bet you played sorting games. You might have organised pencils into colours, or blocks into various shapes. Later on, you may … Continue reading →

Posted in data, data analysis, orienting questions, qualitative data, Uncategorized | Tagged categorisation, data, data analysis, orienting data questions, Pat Thomson | 4 Comments

play with your data

Posted on August 17, 2017 by pat thomson

Data analysis can be pretty scary. That moment when you realise that making sense of the stuff you’ve so painstakingly generated comes down to you – just you. Well, relax. It’s not just you that has to leap into the … Continue reading →