This week at PAST involved a multitude of tasks! Next week, we have a new age band (High School) entering our data pool.  In order for our research team to be ready, we needed to modify our surveying instruments.  There was a lot of trial and error.  We want to be specific in our language, but not overly complex.  It’s a tough line to tread.  My team held lots of brainstorming sessions figuring out the best way to target Ohio Means Jobs Readiness Standards as well as our own research interests.  This was quite the challenge, but we finished with a project we are proud of. 

On top of that, I had been working on a side project of analyzing data.  The PAST foundation holds lots of programs other than summer camps.  The data I was analyzing this week was from such programs.  I began using a chi-square test to identify any trends in the data I had received. Unfortunately, it was not until a few days later when I realized I should have utilized a McNemar test instead! While it may have been seen as a setback, I was glad to get practice with statistical analysis again! Also, I was able to learn about McNemar and how to interpret the results.  So, I count that as a major win.  After this test, I worked on qualitative analysis for a different data set.  I have always found quantitative analysis to come easier to me than qualitative.  While it was difficult to begin, once I talked to my supervisor, she helped prompt me on ways to speak about the data without numbers. Such as in the way the words participants used changed. 

It was fun to be challenged in such a way this week.  I look forward to everything I will learn this summer!

See you next week,

Danyelle Bumpus