Basic Rules For Analyzing Data For A Biology Ph.D. Dissertation

Writing a biology Ph.D. dissertation is nerve wracking enough - the length of time that a researcher spends on making sure that they have all their research in place, conducting tests and then analyzing all the data that they have collected.

The methodology that different researchers use in analyzing the results of their tests and the data collected depends entirely on what the results are of course. However, the basic rules for going about the analysis remains the same. Read on to find out some helpful points to keep in mind when performing such an analysis:

Rules to keep in mind:

• - Method: As discussed before, the method of analysis that you use for your data will depend on the nature of the results of your research. It is quite possible that you may now have to change the nature of the methods of analysis that you had initially deemed as most useful for your research. In fact, you should select the method that best suits your results and one that makes logical sense for all the data that you have collected. Changing your methodology at this stage of your dissertation is not a negative.
• - Coherence: Whatever methodology that you use for going about the analysis, a structural and logical coherence needs to be maintained. This means that your data and analysis needs to be presented in a manner that makes either visual or logical sense, and should ideally be easy to figure out by the reader. This can be in the form of tables, charts, graphs or any other means that you wish to use.
• - Honesty: This is, of course, a given, but something that a lot of researchers might be tempted to sway in their desired direction. You must remember that you are a neutral observer, and the results of all your analysis from the data that you collect must be honest and match the data precisely. Manipulation of the data to suit your analysis can have serious consequences.
• - Use all the data: This is in conjunction with the previous point. It is essential that you use all the data that you have collected to analyze the results correctly. Using only suitable parts and sections of the data can be viewed as another way of having manipulated the data.

It is important to spend some time thinking about the method of analysis that you wish to pursue and all these basic rules surrounding it before you actually begin the analysis.