UDP- Analyzing Data Lesson

Analyzing Data

Once you have cleaned and filtered your dataset - it's time for analysis. Analyzing data helps us to derive meaning from our data and helps us to extract answers to our questions.  

When you analyze data, here are some questions you can ask:

  • What patterns do you notice?
  • What relationships do you notice?
  • What does the data "show?"
  • What can you conclude from the data?
  • What can you infer?
  • How does it relate to what you already know or have observed?
  • What generalizations can you make based on your observations/the data?
  • How does the evidence support your explanation?
  • What other explanations could be plausible?
  • How is it similar to /different from what you had thought the results would be? 
  • Based on these findings, what do you predict would happen if _____?
  • What new questions do you have?

Analyzing the data involves using computer computational tools to filter, sort, and manipulate the data. We will use filtering to analyze the data from the world indicators dataset.  

The spreadsheet we are working with is quite large. You will notice that while scrolling columns and rows, the headings disappear. To avoid this you can "lock" rows and columns so they do not disappear as you scroll.

Locking Column A and Row 1

To lock both rows and columns, click the cell below and to the right of the rows and columns that you want to keep visible when you scroll. Click in cell B2, click on View and Freeze Panes. You should be able to scroll through the document without losing column A and the headings.

How to Apply Filters to Columns

Apply filters to the column headings.  Highlight columns A1 - L1 in the spreadsheet. Click on Data in the menu and click on Filter. You will notice the drop down boxes for each column.

Apply filters to the column headings.  

To filter a column, click the drop down arrow of the column you want to filter. Select how you want to filter the information: smallest to largest, largest to smallest, select all, or only selected ones. Click OK.

To filter a column

Using Excel to Create Formulas and Filters Video

Watch the Using Excel to Create Formulas and Filters video below.

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