Data is power; it has the potential to solve a scientific query and make educated guesses or decisions about a process. At the same time, not every sort of data can give you the information needed to solve a particular problem. Instead, you have to select an appropriate research design to collect data that can unveil all necessary information about the problem under study. The complete set of data collected from a specific group of individuals for collecting specific information is called a data set. In this article, we will discuss some practical ways to identifying data set for analysis in the dissertation.Â
Data Set- An Overview
Broadly, research is designed to get expected outcomes. In this regard, the data set plays a pivotal role in the overall research process. By definition, data sets are complete lists of numbers and values that are related to a particular subject. For example, the list containing the roll numbers and names of all the students of a class represents a data set. Similarly, the excel sheet that an employer maintains to mark the employee’s attendance is also a data set in another form. However, even the notes that you take from your tutor’s lectures are also considered a data set.
The above-mentioned examples explain that a data set may contain information in both qualitative as well as quantitative forms. Identifying data set that seems most appropriate for your study is a critical task in the research process. You must find dissertation help online if you feel difficulties in brainstorming the solution to your research problem. Moreover, the following are some ways to identify the data set for your dissertation research analysis:Â
Methods for Identifying Data Set in Dissertation for Analysis:
Review Your Research Aims And Objectives:
Definite research aims and objectives are necessary for identifying data set for analysis. It helps researchers in moving ahead by keeping in mind a clear vision of their research goals. For example, if your research objectives are to search for the techniques that the local silkworm-rearing platforms use. For identifying data set, this clear statement will be really helpful as it signifies the data set on its own that is local silkworm-rearing platform in this case.
Select The Target Population That Must Participate In A Study:
Once you know what you are going to do in a research project, the next step must be to decide on the target population. However, due to certain limitations, you cannot make a data set by selecting all members of a population. It will be difficult for the researcher to analyse the collected data without specifying any limit, and it will be expensive at the same time. Thus, making specific sampling criteria among a selected population is still important.Â
Conduct Literature Search:
For those, who do not have prior research experience, literature is the best tool for identifying data sets. Literature comprises all necessary information to duplicate a study and also refers to all possible methods that other researchers used to conduct research. For example, if a researcher wants to find the most appropriate method for extraction of a medicinal plant, then the literature will hint at the data set.
Review Your Research Plan And Use Mind Maps:
Mind maps help you take intellectual decisions; thus, they will be very helpful in the identification of data sets. All you need to do is just recall the whole research plan for research proposal in your mind and try to find what will be the target audience for collecting information relevant to the subject under study.Â
Select The Most Convenient Tool To Collect Data For Making A Data Set:
Data set identification can be done by simple literature search, using mind maps, and reviewing research aims and objectives. However, for collecting data sets, you should select an appropriate data collection tool from the all available options. The data collection tool helps you in making a data set that, after following a few data trimming steps, can directly be the subject to run analysis.  Â
Final Thoughts:
All in all, the data set may be in several formats such as in the form of pictures, posts, questionnaires, notes, tables, and graphs. Thus, identifying the most appropriate data set for research is an important step to perform before running data analysis. Thus, the article has provided five simple methods for identifying data set. In the end, if you really want to save from any problem in collecting, analysing, and identifying data set, you must remain systematic or organised throughout the process.