Principles and Techniques of Veterinary and AH Extension

EXERCISE-12: PROCESSING OF DATA (TABULATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION)

Editing, Coding and Classification of Data

• Processing of data includes editing, coding, tabulation & analysis of data and interpretation of results.

Editing of data

• It is intended to find out errors if any to eliminate them. The following points are to be taken into consideration for editing.
  • Completeness: See whether all questions are answered properly or tick marked. Even if one question is omitted or unanswered it may lead to grave mistake and affects the reliability.
  • Accuracy: Many times in rural areas the questions on age or farm income are not answered accurately. Hence, while editing such inaccuracy, vagueness, ambiguity etc. are to be taken care of.
  • Uniformity: It is necessary to check that the questions asked should have uniformity. Ex. What is your income? The answers are sometimes individual income, sometimes family income, sometimes total farm income etc. The exactness of asking the question as given in the schedule is a must.

Coding

• Coding is the technical procedure followed to categorize the data. Through coding, the raw data are transformed into symbols - usually numerals - that may be tabulated and counted.
• If the sample size is very large and voluminous, data or questions contain many sub items, which necessitates coding.

Classification

• After the data is edited and coded, it is classified and grouped according to the similarity or sameness of responses.
• The land holding data may be grouped under big, medium and small landholders.
• The data may be of two types such as quantitative (age, herd size, milk production etc) or qualitative (type of family, type of cattle shed, opinions on programmes etc).