Data Analysis

Sarantakos (sociology, Charles Sturt U., Australia) presents a four-volume handbook on data analysis in the social sciences. The conceptualization of data analysis for the handbook, and hence the logical structure of the volumes themselves, was guided by the following criteria: qualitative analysis focuses mostly on aspects of the micro-world, while quantitative analysis focuses on aspects of the macro-world; the two models of data analysis can be employed in "pure" form or in a mixed analysis; both modes produce outcomes of equal quality, utility, and academic standing; and, perhaps most controversially, qualitative analysis does not have the power to explain macro-social phenomena and, conversely, quantitative analysis does not aid in the interpretation of micro-social phenomena. Seventy-four articles are presented in all, selected from a broad range of scholarly social science and statistics journals. Following an introductory essay on the epistemological problems of sociohistorical inquiry, 18 papers on qualitative data analysis are presented that discuss methods of data collection and analysis; approaches to data analysis, including discourse analysis, hermeneutic interpretation, and conversation analysis; and strategies of data analysis, including analytic induction, comparative analysis of interviews, and analysis of images and films. Twelve articles than address mixed methods and include discussions of, for example, Boolean comparative analysis of qualitative data, measuring meaning structures, and meta-ethnography. The section on quantitative analysis is the largest, containing 32 articles subdivided into sections on analysis of survey data, analysis of texts, analysis of structures and sequences, dealing with missing data, describing distributions, testing association and prediction, testing significance, multivariate analysis, dealing with multiple sets of data and objects, and integrating research findings. A final group of nine articles broadly addresses quality of research outcomes and includes discussion of research and theory, explanation and interpretation, causation and prediction, and quality control. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)