Step 9: Analyze & Summarize Information
What is this step?
This step will help you analyze and summarize the data you collected in your evaluation.
How you analyze your data depends on the type of data you have: qualitative or quantitative.
Doing data analysis well strengthens the rigour of your evaluation and will make it more likely that the evaluation results will be useful.
What do you need to do?
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First analyze information method-by-method:
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Perform statistical analysis with quantitative data.
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Perform content analysis with qualitative and arts-based data
Then summarize information across methods and across stakeholder perspectives for each main research question.
Ensure the voices of newcomers are centred in the process of analyzing data.
Be open for the unexpected:
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You might find unexpected results, causing you to deepen your understanding of your theory of change.
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Sometimes you might find gaps in data or challenges in data collection, which may mean adapting your data collection plan.
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Consult the steering committee to make data collection changes as necessary (the arrow looping back from phase 3 to phase 2).
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How can other SAHs help?
Our consultations with SAHs across Canada indicate that organizing your data in a way that answers your main research questions is key to good data analysis.
You can also use your logic model as a way to reflect on your findings. How will your logic model change based on what you learned?
Analyzing and summarizing data can be a difficult step that groups sometimes need help with. Click here for groups who could help you.
Examples from the Community Organization Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) Category Pilot Program in New Zealand on how to summarize your data:
Want to go deeper?
The Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative Toolkit can help you more.
Ideas about implementing this step:
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Analyzing and summarizing data (slide deck #94-104)
Examples of how others have implemented this step around the world:
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Data analysis in evaluating community sponsorship (slide deck #105-106)
Click here to access the GRSI Toolkit
