spreadsheets & databases
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
SPREADSHEETS & DATABASESManagement and visualisation of data
OUTLINE
Spreadsheets Pivot Tables Visualisation Relational Databases
What are they? Strengths? Limitations?
A Research Question Do the methods of data collection provide evidence for
the research question? Managing data: Are spreadsheets or relational
database better?
SPREADSHEET: DAILY ACTIVITIES
Category Student Activity Date Time Duration
ADL Michelle Eating 7/9/2008 8-9am 1
Prod Act Sina Class 7/9/2008 9-10am 1
Leisure Zun Hanging out 7/9/2008 8-8pm 12
MANAGING DATA IN A SPREADSHEET
Student ADL Leisure Prod Act Grand Total
Michelle 151 42 131.5 324.6
Sina 144 83.5 109.7 337.2
Zun 200 60 70.25 330
Grand Total 495 185.5 311.45 991.8
CATEGORIES OF ACTIVITY
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
ADL Leisure ProductiveActivitiesCategory
Hou
rs
MichelleSinaZunGrand Total
VISUALISATION
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pwN_b0qZlR-kvl3f0BI1scQ&hl=en
HOURS SPENT IN ACTIVITIES
RELATIONAL DATABASE
Group of tables that “talk” via a primary key
Activity Types
Primary Key Activity Log
Activity Name Category
Student’s name
Activity name Duration
RELATIONAL DATABASE
Easy access and retrieval
Present information in a useful way
Integrity Flexibility Information sharing
Complex Privacy Expensive
Advantages Disadvantages
SPREADSHEET
Simple Good for one
purpose
Limited range of data
Redundancy Inconsistency Human error
Advantages Disadvantages
WHICH TOOL IS BETTER FOR MANAGING DATA: AN EXAMPLE
MANAGING DATA FOR ANALYSIS: WHICH IS THE BETTER APPROACH?
Spreadsheet vs Relational Database
General vs specific data manipulation