Data Analytics

Concept, Proposal writing and Dissertation Structure

Recap, Data Analytics and research process
• If data analytics is the process of extracting useful insights from raw
data
• then you should demonstrate your ability to apply knowledge and
practices acquired during the taught components of the
programmes to collect data, put it in traceable forms, make it tell a story and then
present the story to others
 Problem identification- Evaluation
• Does it
• address a national, regional or international
problem?
• Advance CUT mandate in terms of technology
development, technology utilization, Innovation,
entrepreneurship, industrialisation (Ed 5.0- 5
pillars for staff is teaching, research, community
engagement, innovation and industrialisation
Recap: Problem identification- Evaluation

• We expect you to develop

• models/artifacts suitable for economic development,
• software solutions
• frameworks, prototypes, algorithms, systems
- Test models and or frameworks
- Evaluate models, frameworks, etc

• Title: Title- 8-18 words for data analytics- show the

dependent and independent variables
• Can it be different from one send for UZ, MSU, BUSE-
Recap/ Evaluations are based on
• Background- contextual analysis- funnel design- International-
Continental/African-Regional-National-Local
• Problem statement
• Iis the problem clear, does it show the way it is a problem
• We see the 2 parts- the practical problem observed
• Part 2 the evolution of the research gap- what efforts were done, what were the
limitations/the research gap
• Objectives
• Main hen specific objectives – 3-5 max for Masters
• Research questions- correspond to research Objectives
• Consider starting with- What; Why: How: Which, To what extend
• Are they SMART? NOT double barred? Speaking to the research problem/topic?
Ramped? – Blooms Taxonomy
Objectives
Research objective-verbs
• Understanding-
• Inferring is drawing a logical conclusion from given information
• Comparing is finding correspondences between two ideas or objects
• Comparing is finding correspondences between two ideas or objects
• Applying
• Executing is applying a procedure to a familiar task (e.g., calculating the root
of a number
• Implementing is about applying a procedure to an unfamiliar task (e.g., using
Newton’s Second Law in a new situation).
• Analysing
• You are supposed to break down concepts and examine their
relationships.
• processes
• Differentiating means distinguishing important from
unimportant parts of presented material (e.g., distinguishing
between relevant and irrelevant numbers in a mathematical
word problem).
• Organizing involves identifying how elements fit or function
within a structure (e.g., finding the hypothesis, method, data
and conclusion in a research report).
• Attributing means determining a point of view, bias, values, or
intent underlying presented material. An example would be to
identify the author’s point of view of an essay
• Evaluating
• Example of Processes
• Checking means detecting inconsistencies or fallacies in a
process or product. For example, it’s determining if a
scientist’s conclusions follow from observed data.
• Critiquing involves finding inconsistencies between a
product and external criteria. For instance, it’s judging
which of two methods is the best for solving a problem.
• Create
• Most complex level/stage
• You are expected to combine known patterns, ideas and facts to create original work or
formulate their solution to a problem.
• So you may have to formulate a hypothesis and propose a way of testing it.

• Cognitive processes include

• Generating involves coming up with alternative hypotheses based on criteria.
An example might be devising multiple solutions for a social problem.
• Planning is about coming up with a procedure for completing a task (e.g.,
preparing an outline of an article).
• Producing means inventing a product (e.g., writing a short story that takes
place during the American Revolution).
Practical work/Activity
Hypotheses
• Only stated when its going to answer a research question or address a
research objective and tested statistically otherwise state a proposition
• GBS use alternate hypotheses
• stated as H1;H2; H3
• Actually imply H11;H12,H13

• In Chapter 4- we support, not support these hypotheses, or reject H0

hypotheses. We do not ACCEPT hypotheses in research…it means there
is no sufficient evidence to reject the null hypotheses
Significance of the study

• Identify all stakeholders- who will benefit from the study-tell

readers how they will benefit-
• Evaluation- have these been referred to in the
implications/recommendations section of Chapter 5
• So we will check the significance in terms of
• Policy (policy makers)
• Practice (practioners/policy implementers
• Academic/theoretical practice
Delimitation of study
• NOT Scope
• Set boundaries of your study
• Geographical (where is the study going to be conducted?y
• Target population (who are the target population
• Time /period
• Field of study- theory and Concepts
Concept note
Cover Page
Title NOTES
1.1 Background to the Study • Length about 4 pages
1.2 Problem Statement
1.3 Research Objectives’
• Future tense
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Hypotheses/Proposition
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Delimitation
1.8 (Definition of Terms)
2.0 Literature Review
3.0 Research methodology
4.0 Work plan/Time frame
5.0 Budget
6.0 References
Proposal structure
Cover page
Length- 10-15 pages
Title Future tense
1.1 Background to the Study Once defended and approved, section 1 becomes
1.2 Problem Statement part chapter 1
1.3 Research Objectives Section 1.9; Chapter 2- literature review
Section 1.10 chapter 3 research methodology
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Hypotheses/Proposition In the dissertation, section 1.11 and 1.12 are
1.6 Significance of the Study dropped
1.7 Delimitation Section 1.13 is simply written as References- level 1
1.8 (Definition of Terms)
1.9 Literature Review
1.10 Methodology
1.11 Work plan – Gantt Chart
1.12 Budget
1.13 References
 Dissertation Structure
follow CUT House Style
Cover page
Follow what is written on the template
Do NOT cut and paste- authorship issue
Preliminary pages.
• Release/Approval form Headings level 1
New times Roman Font size 12
• Deceleration Line spacing 1.5
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Abstract
• Contents page
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Abbreviations/Acronyms
 Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
1.2 Problem Statement
1.3 Research Objectives’
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Hypotheses/Proposition
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Delimitation
1.8 Definition of Terms-
(Conceptual framework)
1.9 Dissertation Structure
1.10 Chapter Summary
 Chapter 2
Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Key concepts • Sources to be Max 5 years-
unless you are referring to
2.3 Theoretical framework
seminal work- but who
2.4 Empirical evidence supports them
2.5 Gap analysis • Google.Scholar;
2.6 Conceptual framework publishorperish.com
2.7 Chapter Summary • Webcrawler
• Refer to library
Recap
• Philosophy- which, why
• Approach- which and why
• Research design- Descriptive ( e.g. case study, survey)
• Experimental (e.g. field experiment, controlled experiment, quasi-
experiment)
• Correlational (case control study, observational study)
• Target population
• Accessible population- provide statistical and sampling frame/sources
• Draw a table to show distribution of these- statistics
• Sample size
• -What size, how was it arrived at. Try to use sample size calculators, e.g.
RaoSoft, Yamane, Krejcie and Morgan (1970); Bean

• Sampling method/techniques
• For quantitative studies
• Simple random, stratified random; systematic, cluster etc
• Qualitative studies
• purposive. Convenience, quota, snowball
• Research instruments
• Quantitative: questionnaire, secondary data instruments/document
analysis checklist
• Qualitative study: Interview guide; FGD guide; Observation guide
• Data collection Procedure: Physical entry and Cognitive entry
Data presentation and analysis
• Analyse data using different analysis types discussed
• Use appropriate techniques and tools
• for Quantitative data
• Descriptive statistics- frequencies, percentages, mean, Sd, chi square, t-tests,
• Diagnostic analysis- why something happened
• Predictive analysis- showing future trends beased on historic data
• Prescriptive analysis- allow you to make recommendations for the future
• Consider using F-tests, ANOVA, regressions, Structural Equation Modelling
• Software like SPSS, Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS), Linear Structural
Relations (LISREL), Python, R, SAS, Jupitar Note Book, Microsoft PowerBi etc
• For Quantitative data
• Thematic, Content/discourse analyses/Semantic analysis (SA)
• Software include
• Nvivo, CSPro, Atlas.ti, R-RQDA
• Research ethics
• Examples: Informed consent, confidentiality, prevent harm, etc- before,
during and after
 Chapter 3
Methodology
3.1 Introduction 3.1 Introduction
3.2 Operationalization 3.2 Operationalization
3.3 Philosophy 3.3 Philosophy
3.4 Research Paradigm 3.4 Research Paradigm
3.5 Research Design 3.5 Research Design
3.6 Data source
3.6 Population
3.7 Sample Size
3.7 Operationalisation
3.8 Sampling Methods
3.8 Research tools 3.9 Research Instruments
3.9 Design: Model 3.10 Data Collection methods
development/algorithm/Framework
3.11 Validity
3.10 Data Collection Procedure 3.12 Reliability
3.11 Validity 3.13 Data processing and analysis
3.12 Reliability 3.14 Ethical considerations
3.123Results and analysis and Discussion 3.15 Chapter Summary
3.14 Ethical considerations
3.145Chapter Summary
 Chapter 3 and 4
• Should show the data analysis process
• Be clear to define your research question
• In chapter 4 after you have collected data- usually from specific data set
• Clean the data before you analyse it
• Use appropriate analysis process
• E.g. Techniques e.g. cluster, (k-means, mean shifts, hierarchical etc is algorithms
• Explain the process stages and highlight the story; justify the story report
the story
• Be consistent
• Report should flow
• Make Data tell its story
 Chapter 4
Results and Discussion
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Response rate
4.3 Demographics
4.4 Findings- Results and Analysis- as per objective
4.4.1 Objective 1
4.4.2 Objective 2
4.5 Hypothesis testing; Software/model testing OR Algorithm testing-
complexity test runs, accuracy etc OR Framework success
indicators/simulations
ALL must be discussed in relation to literature reviewed
4.6 Chapter Summary
NB Interpretation and discussions should be done for every objective and
Chapter 4 for Big Data Analytics
• Depends on title and objectives but should show
• Design of model/prototype
• Model/prototype link, design features/programming platform
• Test data, training data, installation specifications
• Or
• The design of algorithm,
• Pseudo Code
• Flow chart
• OR
• Framework
• Framework elements, the final framework
 Key issues
• The introduction
• should provide a brief overview of the research- once read everyone should
understand everything about the study, purpose of the Chapter, explain
organisation of the Chapter
• Data analysis and presentation
• Is heart of Chapter
• Be concise and clear
• Make sure every layperson can understand it

• Restate the hypotheses/ I prefer the null hypotheses, but follow house style
• Present statistical tests and results- Supporting or rejecting null hypotheses
• Draw preliminary decisions

• Chapter summary- to smoothly transion to Chapter 5

 Chapter 5
Summary, Conclusions and Implications
5.1 Summary of findings
5.2 Conclusions
Model developed
5.3 Implications
5.3.1 Policy Implications
5.3.2 Practical Implications
5.3.3 Theoratical…methodological implications etc
…
5.3… Implications for further study
 References
Appendices

Evaluation
• Should be appropriate in terms of format,
consistency between in-text and reference list, APA
sixth edition
Dissertation Organisation
• Cover page
• Preliminary pages
• Chapters
• References
• Appendices
References
• APA referencing style 6th Edition
• Alphabetical order
Appendices
• Similarity Index
• First page only
• Introductory letter
• Permission letter
• Research Instruments
Technicalities of formatting document
• Font: Times New Roman 12pci, some call for Courier 12cpi, Arial 11cpi Use University house
style- usually its New Times Roman
• Line spacing: 1.5
• Margins: 2.5 Top, right, and bottom and 3.2 left for binding (if we print)
• If printing- 4 portrait
• Use level 1 -heading 1
• Level 2 -Heading 2
• Level 3 -Heading 3
• Pagination: cover page- no page numbers
• Preliminary pages- Roman numerals e.g. i,ii,iii,iv etc
• Rest of document from Chapter 1- 1,2,3,4 etc
• Dissertation length – 40 000 words
• Similarity Index- 20% maximum
• Language: Zimbabwean or England
Dissertation Submission
• Follow Instructions
• Usually we send two sets
• 1. the main document- the dissertation
• 2. The administrative issues
• Plagiarism/Similarity index- page with Percentage
• Approval form- Signed by you and your supervisor
• Supervision report form- signed by you and your
supervisor
Important websites
• Content analysis
• https://
www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/population-health-methods/conte
nt-analysis