chapter 2.

PRESENTATION OF DATA

Architecture is not in the empty building, but in the vital

interchange between building and participant.
- Cesar Pelli (1926 - )
Argentine-born U.S. architect.

A. DATA MANAGEMENT
After clear introduction and orienting readers with the particulars of your thesis, you are
supposed to give them the “meat” of the book in this chapter. You are to give your
readers a comprehensive report of the facts you have gathered during the course of
your research. However, you should be careful on what to present. This is not a mere
tally nor collection of data. Presentation involves organization. To give you a clearer
picture, you may do the following suggestions:
1. Segregate the FACTS from the CONCEPTS. You probably know now what the
difference is between these two. Factual data are those information based on what is
existing, something which is of truth and reality. Conceptual data may be written ideas
which you could use as basis for your study. It is necessary for you to know this so as you
would determine which data can be processed and what are not.
2. Recognize what data to present. You might be tempted to present several
bits of
information or a huge number of knowledge about the topics you are studying. DON’T.
Analyze the articles, tables, etc. and their relevance to your thesis. Ask yourself. Are
these really helpful? Are these important? Can I do without them? You see, not because
an article or a clipping tells you about your topic, it would automatically qualify and be
accepted as data.
3. Organize your data. It would be necessary to have proper sequencing of the
data you will be presenting. Sequencing would mean developing your data
presentation from the simplest to the most complex ideas. It would also help if you
would relate topics after topics so that you would establish the links between them, to
later on be connected to the main thing.
Alright, you may be a bit lost about that, but here’s a more comprehensible way of
looking at it. The following is a detailed discussion of the types of data to be presented
and the manner it should be presented.

a. PRESENT CONDITION
It is inevitable to come up with basic data about your proposal. These come in
statistical form. You may have to come back to your good old junior year in high
school to be able to understand this. But hey, haven’t you done this before when you
were doing your research methods a year ago? Yes, this is as simple as showing factual
data to your readers, whether in textual, tabular or graphical form However, you have
to take note that these are “statistical” data and so these are data, already processed,
initially, by the agency where you got them. Population,vehicular volume and Growth in
Rice Production are just few samples of such.
1. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
 Present and Projected Population
Population Distribution by:
Age, Sex, Religion, Educational Attainment, Employment, Income
Urban-Rural Population Distribution
Population Density
Growth Trends
Literacy Rate
Household Size
Number of Dwelling Units by:
Type of Construction Materials, Structure, Ownership
2. PHYSICAL DATA
Macro-Site Data
Political Boundaries
Area and Land Uses
Climate
Adjoining Areas and Uses
Access
Micro –Site Data
Boundaries
Area
Land Use
Topography/ Landform
Water Bodies and Quality
Orientation in relation to solar paths and wind paths
Vegetation
Flora and Fauna
Visual Resources
Existing Structures
3. SECTORAL DATA
General Public Services
This covers the administrative systems of the municipality, e.g., organizational structure,
policy development and information management. This also includes the local
government’s financial and fiscal administration.
Social Services
This encompasses education, culture, sports and manpower development; health and
sanitation, nutrition and population policies; housing and community development;
social welfare, protective services and recreational facilities of the municipality.
Economic Services
This covers agriculture, trade and industry, tourism, labor and employment; existing and
projected uses of and demand for land; projected income and employment
opportunities; direction and pattern of growth of agriculture and industry
Physical Infrastructure
This includes the inventory of roads, transportation, communication, sewage and
drainage, power, telecommunication, drinking water, solid waste disposal, transport
terminal, traffic management.
4. INDUSTRY PROFILE
This consists of pieces of information relative to particular industries or aspects of
the economy. Following are some examples of industries that eed to be studied
relative to a number of thesis topics.

Industries Thesis Topics

The housing industry Subdivision development
Community development
Housing components and materials
The retail sales industry Commercial development
The health care industry Pharmaceutical Facilities
Hospital Complex
The transport industry Sea Port development
Multi-modal facilities
The manufacturing industry Industrial development
Production Centers
The food industry Food processing plants
The tourism industry Historic town renewal plans
The telecommunication Industry Information Technology Centers

Some of the basic data that make up the industry profile are the following:
• Current Standards of Operation
• Accomplishments and Shortfalls vis-à-vis industry targets
• Administrative/Organizational, Technical/Technological, Problems
• Outlooks or envisioned future business environments
• Players and Leaders in the Industry
• Competition and Competitive Advantages
• Opportunities for Improvement
 b. PRIMARY DATA

Primary data come from original sources. They are not commentary about the
topic, but rather consists of information that must be commented upon by
succeeding topics.
Tactics that may be used to gather Primary Data include interviews, listening (to
symposia, lectures), focus groups, surveys and observations (participatory, non-
participatory.

Tactics Interactive Non-interactive

interviews  In-depth interviews
 Key informants
 Career histories
Listening  Symposia
 Lectures
Focus Groups  Discussions guided
to test in small
groups
 Participants help
construct the right
questions
Surveys  Multiple sorting
 Projective surveys
Observation  Participant  Non-participant
observation observation stream
of behavior
 Chronicles
 Field notes
 Visual mapping
c. TABLES and GRAPHS
You may have already identified these tables and graphs at the beginning of
your book, but you might be wondering where these will appear. If you think that they
will all come in a single bulk in just a single chapter, think again. This chapter may
contain most of these figures but you are free to present some whenever the need in
certain discussions arises. We are architects and so these graphs and illustrations will
always be our most effective tools in expressing our thoughts.
Now, the question you might have in your mind is what are these tables? What
about these graphs? A statistical table or simply table is defined as a systematic
arrangement of related data in which classes of numerical facts or data are given
each a row and their subclasses are given each a column in order to present the
relationships of the sets or numerical facts or data in a definite, compact and
understandable form or forms. Now, you may probably recognize a table when you
see one, right?
A graph on the other hand, is a chart representing the quantitative variations or
changes of a variable itself, or quantitative changes of a variable in comparison with
those of another variable or variables in pictorial or diagrammatic form. There are
some advantages of using a graph over a table. These are:

1. It attracts attention more effectively than tables, and, therefore is less likely to
be overlooked. Your readers may skip tables but pause to look at charts.
2. The use of colors and pictorial diagrams make a list of figures in thesis reports
more meaningful
3. It gives a comprehensive view of quantitative data. A moving line exerts a
more powerful effect in the reader’s mind than the tabulated data. It shows what is
happening and what is likely to take place.
4. Its general usefulness lies in the simplicity it adds to the presentation of the
numerical data.
But graphs have disadvantages as well as advantages. They are generally
inaccurate, incomplete, more expensive and time consuming. Further, graphs can
only be made only the data have been tabulated. Listed below are the varied types of
graphs you may encounter:
1. Bar graphs
a. Single vertical bar graph
b. Single horizontal bar graph
c. Grouped or multiple or composite bar graph
d. Duo-directional or bilateral bar graph
e. Subdivided or component bar graph
f. Histogram
2. Linear graphs
a. Time series or chronological line chart
b. Composite line chart
c. Frequency polygon
d. Ogives
e. Band chart
 3. Hundred percent graphs or charts
a. Subdivided bar or rectangular bar graph
b. Circle or pie chart
4. Pictograms
5. Statistical maps
6. Ratio charts

You might just be copying these tables, graphs and charts as part of your presentation
of data. But don’t you think it would be more fruitful on your part if you’ll be doing these
by yourself? Why not? You might have already gathered your data and so you are in
the right position to process them yourself and show your readers these data as you
understand them. Come on, you can do it.

B. CASE STUDIES
This chapter is actually an extension of your Research Data. The difference is
that with Case Studies, you are analyzing existing related structures, groups,localities
and situations and you might be getting information that may not be available in
textbooks or previous studies. This is especially true for local cases that may have some
connection with your project. Focus, however, should be on the variable that may be
difficult to determine without actual reconnaissance. Do not forget that you are the
one who has the best understanding of your project and what information you need
from the case studies. That simply means that it is also YOU who can conduct the
studies most effectively.
If you need information regarding structures or scenarios abroad (especially if
you want to determine the applicability of certain theories and principles to the
Philippines), you can use secondary data. It is best, in this case, to come up with at
least one local study (besides the foreign one) so that it would be easier to determine
the applicability and feasibility of foreign concepts in local settings.
a. SCOPE and DELIMITATIONS
As you study different cases, it would become evident to you that each
structure, user group, locality or situation is made up of several variables. A study of a
municipality, for instance, could cover its physical, cultural, historical, social and
economic frameworks. But not all of these may be relevant to your project. So, you
have to state in the SCOPE all the specific concerns that you will focus on. You also
have to discuss the extent of work that you will cover in regard to these elements.
To further clarify matters, you can discuss all those concerns that you will NOT
be covering in the DELIMITATION. This will give your reader a more simplified view of
what to note in the cases under study.
b. CASE STUDIES
Each case study can be presented by first explaining how they are related to
your project. You can discuss the situation by dividing it into sub components and
presenting their respective merits. If you think that sketches, maps, graphs and
photographs would help you explain them better, then use them to support your data.
Just remember to provide proper captions or else, they may be useless. Lastly, you
have to make sure that all the specific concerns are discussed properly, and their
relevance to the project stated clearly.
It is also advisable that you choose cases that are related to your thesis in
distinctly varied ways. One case study may be concerned with a project similar to your
proposal and another which employs a technology which is comparable to what you
are proposing. You might also be able to draw more reliable conclusions by studying
both local and foreign cases.
At least three TOPICS for study would be ideal -- a study of similar user groups, a
study of a case similar to the project (local and foreign), and a study of the current
trend/s (local and foreign) pertinent to the project. It might also be useful to include a
failed case that used the same technique or was intended for the same user group.
Even failed cases are helpful in your research as they give you a fairly good idea of
what NOT to do. However, please take note of the word TOPIC. This does not mean that
you have to limit your case studies to three also.
c. SUMMARY and RECOMMENDATIONS
This is where you correlate and summarize all the factors that you have studied
to see their implications to the project. You can end this chapter by recommending
and endorsing concepts and approaches learned from the case studies according to
their suitability to your project.
C. RESEARCH TOPIC (or you can write the TOPIC TITLE)
A research topic is something born with your thesis. Ideally these topics should
be thought of before the project since these are basically the things of your interest.
But of course, we don’t want to be too idealistic here, and so they may come together
as a package, with the source of your project hooked on these topics.
In selecting a research topic, you should look into your thesis project and see the
possible requirements or kind of character which will make it unique or increase its
architectural value. In other words, being the “soul” of your book, this section will give
your readers a great deal of what they will be reading as they go along with your thesis.
These research topics do not only explain the essential things about your study but
clarify as well the theoretical or conceptual framework you mentioned in Chapter
1. This would require you to write the applicability of these topics to your project
and so you should be wise in selecting the topics. Be very specific. Focus.
How will you do this? First, you have to orient your readers why you choose the
topics as your focal points of study. You can very well do this by reiterating the roots of
your problem(s). You have to go back to the background you have presented in
Chapter 1 and stress the need for the topics to be studied so as to have a clear
solution, in the end, to the problems posted in your statement.
THE RESEARCH BODY
This is the thorough discussion regarding your research. This should contain
studies, approaches as well as trends (of course acknowledged) relative to your topic.
But don’t be misguided. A common mistake here is that the contents of the research
body are lifted from published work, completely! This is a big no-no! Any data or
information appearing on this part will have to be processed and quoted. Discussions
should be paraphrased and again – for the nth time – properly acknowledged! The
information should be brief and discussions well-organized. Again, the key is focus.
 If for example you are to discuss behavioral analysis as a research topic, do you
need to write everything about behavior including the psychology of the human mind if
your only concern is the behavior of a child? Just to inform your readers about the
basic, why not? But the meat of the discussion should be on the psychology of children.
Focus! You may also want to mention cases and examples, but you must not discuss
them fully as you would be required to do in the Case Studies.
APPLICATION
It was mentioned earlier that your research will not have any value or significance
unless you connect it with a project which will manifest the studies made. This is the part
where you relate your topics with your project. Let us continue our example on the
behavioral analysis. It will be pertinent to note not only the theories on behavior but its
application to the architectural sense as well. You may have to study theories on
perception, color and space to support your documented research when applied to
the “real thing”. Again, you have to be specific. Bear in mind that what you’ll be writing
should be something which will give your readers a clear understanding of your thesis
and not confuse them. So go straight to the point. However, you will not stop when you
have given the application. You still have to cross examine these data. Check on its
economic feasibility and other areas you might think is appropriate for study.