Reply to my peers
Peer 1
During data analysis research it is important to utilize all tools that could make data analyzing easier and more accurate. Microsoft Excel provides a data analysis tool to calculate descriptive statistics. As a researcher I could take the variables and input the information into the descriptive statistics tool to obtain the mean, median, mode, or other information of the input data.
I have minimal experience running descriptive statistics; I was unaware that Excel had this option for researchers. It took multiple attempts and researching how to utilize this tool on Excel to understand the assignment and complete the statistical portion and the graphing portion.
I have plans to continue learning about Excel and utilizing the tools available for my research as an APRN. The information that I have learned about this software will benefit my future analysis of research data by allowing me to analyze a large amount of data and have all information together.
Peer 2
This was a new experience to me and very educative. I have taken statistics classes before, but this made me feel like I needed a little refresher. I watched a few YouTube videos over how to run statistical analyses in excel. It is very valuable information to know. Knowing how to run statistics in excel is very valuable because excel available on just about every computer and is not expensive to purchase compared to other statistical programs (Gray et al., 2016). It will convert my data into tables, graphs, and charts. The downsides to the program is having to pay for a subscription, I only have the program downloaded on one computer, and when I need to send the database to my other team members or statistician I have to convert the file back to Excel.
I would like to learn more about this program to run more complex statistical analyses such as Fischer’s or Chi-Squared. Being verse in multiple statistical programs is invaluable. I am a visual learner, so I like to watch YouTube video tutorials. I would like to watch more of these to learn how to navigate statistical analysis on Excel.
Reference
Gray, J., Grove, S., & Sutherland, S. (2016). Burns and Grove’s the Practice of Nursing Research: Appraisal, Synthesis, and Generation of Evidence (8th ed.).
